Kraft Banner 2023

Dear neighbors,

Since my last newsletter, our state and nation have faced yet more senseless gun violence. This summer has been so hard. From Melissa and Mark Hortman, to a high school shooting in the Denver suburbs, to Charlie Kirk, to Annunciation Catholic School. I think it is crazy the level of death by guns we put up with in this country.

I continue to mourn alongside the rest of our community following the tragedy that occurred at Annunciation Catholic School. I grieve for the students whose lives were lost in the attack, as well as the other students, parents, teachers, and community members who must now carry the trauma following yet another incident of senseless gun violence. Nobody should have to face this fear in their day-to-day lives, whether at school, a place of worship, or anywhere in our neighborhoods. That this shooting occurred during the first week of school, a time that should be full of excitement, joy, new friends, and hope for the future, makes it particularly heartbreaking.

MPR News

Source: MPR News

We have to acknowledge the fact that this level of gun violence is a uniquely American problem. These senseless acts come so fast - one on top of the other - that it’s easy to become numb. We can’t let that happen. The frequency and scale of these tragedies doesn’t have to be normal. While we’ve made progress in recent years to make our communities safer - for example by passing universal background checks and a red flag law in 2023, there is clearly more to do. 

Sadly, this is a partisan issue. In 2023, there were no Republican votes for the gun violence prevention policies we passed. And we’re hearing that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle won’t consider policies like banning high capacity magazines and assault weapons. We can and should also increase investments in mental health and school safety, but guns are certainly part of the problem.

I think back to the work I did following the terrible tragedy at Park Tavern last year, where someone with five prior DWI convictions killed two and injured 12 others. We were able to follow the data and design legislation to save lives - legislation that both increased treatment requirements, increased penalties, and increased the use of ignition interlock (breathalyzer for a car). And we were able to do this in a bipartisan fashion. It is so disappointing, that when there are guns involved, we can only have half the conversation. It would be like saying with DWI policy that we can talk about treatment and criminal penalties, but not about ignition interlock.

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Special Session?

As I write this, negotiations are ongoing for a possible special legislative session. Governor Walz has indicated that he wants to call one, and I’m all for it if we can pass something meaningful on gun violence prevention. It appears that Republicans are unwilling to allow a vote on any gun control legislation. And because the House is tied, we literally can’t bring a bill to the floor for a vote, without support from both parties.

Republicans have indicated an interest in mental health and school safety legislation. I think those could absolutely make sense but all options should be on the table, including things like an assault weapons ban and a high capacity magazine ban. In the Annunciation attack, the shooter had 3 weapons. The pistol locked up, the shotgun was fired 3 times, and the AR-15 was fired 116 times. Surely we can respect the 2nd Amendment and make it harder for people to get and use these weapons of war.

My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and everyone whose lives were shattered by these events. Even as we grieve, we must take action. Our children, families, and communities deserve to be free from violence, and we will continue to listen, learn, and work together to keep our communities safe.

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Virtual Townhall - October 23rd

I’m going to try a virtual town hall on Thursday, October 23rd at 7:00 PM. Between the tumultuous summer filled with senseless gun violence, federal cuts that are raising healthcare costs and eliminating vital services, and a potential Special Session here in Minnesota to take action on gun violence, there’s a lot to discuss.  

Registration is required, and those who register will receive the Zoom link to the event. I hope to see you there! 

*Register Here* [ [link removed] ]

Town Hall
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DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day

The DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will take place on October 25 from 10 AM – 2 PM. This is a biannual event hosted nationwide to provide the public with a free and convenient opportunity for the disposal of unwanted, unused, and expired medicines from households. 

To find an event site near you, use the locator tool featured on the event’s homepage here [ [link removed] ]. If you do not immediately find a collection site near you, the DEA encourages you to continue checking back frequently, as new sites are added daily. Host locations typically include law enforcement facilities, pharmacies, healthcare facilities, hospitals, and clinics. 

During the event, host sites will be collecting pills and capsules. Both prescription and over-the-counter medicines will be accepted.

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Habitat for Humanity Tour

I want to extend a huge thank you to Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota and the Center for Energy and Environment for the incredible tour of The Heights on St. Paul’s East Side. This transformational project will bring 1,000 quality affordable homes, one million square feet of light industrial space, and a carbon-neutral, sustainable infrastructure to the community.

One of the most fascinating takeaways was learning how affordable housing developers are often leading the way on energy efficiency. Because they’re focused on keeping monthly costs low for families, they prioritize features that reduce utility bills over the long term.

The tour included a look at a twin home, a triplex, and even solar shingles — which are integrated right into the roof rather than installed on top of traditional shingles. Innovations like these demonstrate how affordable housing and clean energy can be integrated effectively.

Habitat for Humanity
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Metro Transit Visit

Recently, I had the privilege of tagging along with Metro Transit TRIP agents, who are doing fantastic work improving safety and the overall experience for transit customers. They check fares, answer questions, check stations, help people get where they want to go, and through products like Narcan, even save lives.

Kraft MT
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Interview with Local Student

I had a super fun interview recently with Will Huber, an Apple Valley High School Senior, who started "Why They Ran" - an interview series designed for young voters to learn more about the politicians who represent them and the political process. 

You can watch the full interview here [ [link removed] ]. Will did a great job!

Interview
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Keynote at Herzing Commencement

I had the honor to give the keynote address [ [link removed] ] at Herzing University's commencement on October 2nd. 250 diverse graduates of all different ages and backgrounds received undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of fields, from nursing to dental hygiene to healthcare administration to public safety, to name a few. One of Herzing's 12 nationwide campuses is in St. Louis Park, and this is actually Herzing's 60th anniversary (they've been in SLP for over 20 years). They provide such important workforce education for Minnesotans.

The selfie is with Herzing President Renée Herzing and St. Louis Park Campus Director Dr. Daniel Marcelle. If you’re interested in seeing my remarks, you can do so here [ [link removed] ]. The full program is here [ [link removed] ].

Herzing Commencement [ [link removed] ]
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Housing Award

I’m grateful to Minnesota Housing Partnership for naming me a 2025 Legislative Leader.

The housing shortage is pushing the dream of homeownership out of reach for too many Minnesotans, especially younger generations and marginalized communities. It’s also critical that, as we build more homes, we don’t encourage sprawl and build homes in places that force us to spend more and more time in cars and less time with our families.

That’s why I’ve worked to bring people together across party lines and engage a wide range of voices to advance solutions like zoning reform and expanded housing options. I’m proud to partner with and be recognized by MHP in this work. There is much more work to do so that all Minnesotans can have a home they can afford where they want to live.

MHP









Stay in Touch

If you have questions, ideas, or feedback  you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email me at [email protected] or call (651) 296-7026. For more regular updates, you can “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page [ [link removed] ].

Sincerely,

 

Larry Kraft

State Representative

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Representative Larry Kraft

5th Floor, Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar St.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155

Phone: 651-296-7026
Email: [email protected] "(replies to this newsletter are not monitored)"
Website: [link removed] [ [link removed] ]
Legislative Assistant: Caleb Rohrer 651-297-7025







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