Kraft Banner 2023

Dear neighbors,

There has been increased ICE activity across the metro, including apparently in St. Louis Park. Firsthand accounts I have been hearing from some of my colleagues are chilling. Given President Trump's hateful, divisive rhetoric towards our Somali community, we should be prepared for more. Regardless of one’s political beliefs, I hope we can all recognize how wrong and dangerous it is to demonize a whole group of people as he has done.

The vast majority of Somali Minnesotans are citizens or permanent residents and are vital members of our community.

Please be safe and support your immigrant neighbors who are fearful. 

According to our partners, if ICE confronts you:


* You have the right to stay silent and to talk with a lawyer.
* You can refuse to sign documents until you talk to a lawyer.
* You have the right to not open the door unless you see a valid judicial warrant. It must have your correct address and name and be signed by a judge.

If you see any ICE activity, you can call the MONARCA rapid response hotline at 612-441-2881. 

Additionally, here [ [link removed] ] are some resources on immigration compiled by our Senate DFL colleagues.

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Paid Family Medical Leave Takes Effect Next Month 

I wanted to provide you with an important update on one of the most groundbreaking accomplishments lawmakers have delivered for working families in recent memory: Minnesota’s new Paid Leave Family & Medical Leave program. The U.S. is the only developed country in the world that doesn’t guarantee some form of paid leave, forcing most workers to make impossible choices between a paycheck and caring for a new child, an aging parent, or their own serious health condition. But in Minnesota, that’s about to change with the launch of Paid Leave on January 1, 2026. As we prepare for Paid Leave to take effect, I want to share a bit about the basics of the new law, how it impacts you, and how to use it when it goes live.

Paid Leave – which DFLers in the Legislature and Governor Walz passed in 2023 – provides partial wage replacement for up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave for your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and recovery. It also provides up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a new child, a seriously ill loved one, or for certain military or safety-related events. If using both medical and family leave, workers can use up to a total of 20 weeks annually. A short video explaining the basics of how it works is available here:

[ [link removed]- ]

The program will have a small cost, but offer powerful benefits. The premium rate for 2026 will be 0.88%, with employers responsible for at least half. If the employer chooses to split the premium with the employee, each employee will pay 0.44%. For an employee earning the average annual income, this amounts to about $5 per week each for the worker and the employer.

The program was built with the input from businesses, with employer feedback being incorporated, and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has been engaging with businesses across the state to help them prepare for the launch. Importantly, Paid Leave will level the playing field for small businesses that have wanted to offer this benefit so they can better compete to attract talent, but haven’t been able to do so in a sustainable way.

DEED has developed helpful toolkits with resources for workers and businesses alike. The toolkit for workers [ [link removed] ] can help you find out if you’re eligible for coverage, when Paid Leave can be used, how much time you can take, how you’ll be compensated, and more. The toolkit for businesses [ [link removed] ] includes info about upcoming public engagement events, information on premium rates and contributions, equivalent plans for Paid Leave, and other FAQs. 

This isn’t a new concept – twelve other states and the District of Columbia currently offer Paid Family and Medical Leave. Despite Republicans trying to weaken, delay, and repeal this hard-fought progress before families could even benefit from it, DFLers succeeded in protecting this hard-fought win for middle-class Minnesotans.

For many Minnesotans, missing a single paycheck means the difference between staying above water and facing dire financial challenges, and that’s particularly true considering the affordability crisis we’re facing now, with prices rising on just about everything in our daily lives. Paid Leave is one major step to provide some relief, ensuring you’ll no longer have to risk your economic security to look after yourself, care for a newborn, or tend to a loved one.

This program has truly been years in the making, and I’m so excited for families in our community and throughout Minnesota to finally have peace of mind. As we get closer to the program’s rollout, I encourage you to check out all of the resources available at pl.mn.gov [ [link removed] ]. 

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How Are Rising Health Care Prices Impacting You and Your Family? 

Health care is becoming more expensive for Minnesotans, and many families are feeling the impact. As you may know, President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans ended valuable tax credits that helped reduce health insurance costs in the private market. As a result, premiums are expected to rise by as much as 50% next year, with farmers, small business owners, and older adults hit the hardest. They also stripped Medicaid coverage from more than 140,000 Minnesotans, including some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Outcomes from these cuts include fewer people receiving the care they need, additional strain on our hospitals, and – ultimately – more expensive health care for everyone. That these cuts are happening at the same time as large tax breaks for billionaires and corporations, seems incredibly unfair.

DFLers at the Capitol are fighting to make health care more affordable, and as part of this work, we want to hear from you. *Please take a moment to share how rising health care costs are affecting you and your family by** completing our short survey* [ [link removed] ]*.*

Skyrocketing health care prices and reduced coverage are putting more pressure on working families already struggling with an affordability crisis, as costs of food, energy, child care, and housing continue to rise. Your experiences can help shape real solutions to fix our broken system and make health care more affordable.

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Minnesota’s First in the Nation Boat Wrap Recycling Program is Underway

Minnesota leads the nation in boats per capita (about 14,500 boats for every 100,000 people!) And every Fall, thousands of those boats are shrink-wrapped to withstand our long winters. That protective wrap costs roughly $400 per season, and until now almost all of the plastic ended up in landfills once the ice melted.

A constituent (see photo below) reached out to me with concerns about this waste several years ago and sparked a deep dive into the issue. We discovered that Minnesota probably goes through over six million pounds of boat wrap every year.

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Because of that conversation, I authored and passed the Minnesota Boat Wrap Stewardship Law in 2024, creating the first product stewardship program in the nation to responsibly recycle and reuse seasonal boat wrap. 

On September 1, implementation of the Wrap Recycle Right Program officially began. This marks the launch of the United States’ first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program specifically for boat wrap recycling. The program brings together producers, municipalities, marinas, recyclers, local businesses, and the broader boating community to ensure this plastic is collected and processed responsibly.

Under the new law, boat wrap producers must take full responsibility for the collection, recycling, and proper disposal of their products. Beginning September 1, 2025, boat wraps sold or used in Minnesota must come from a producer participating in an approved stewardship plan. A full list of participating producers is available on the MPCA website.

Thank you to everyone who has shared feedback, expertise, and support throughout this process. Together, we’re reducing landfill waste, protecting our environment, and building a more circular economy for Minnesota.

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Tackling Fraud

Like many of you, I’m angry about the recent fraud cases in Minnesota. Any fraud is unacceptable, is a crime, and those perpetrating it should go to jail. Fraud in our public programs hurts the very people these services are meant to support and undermines the trust necessary for investments in public needs. Greedy actors have built an entire business model around exploiting consumers, seniors, veterans, and public services. We cannot allow Minnesota to be a target.

Since I joined the legislature in 2023, DFLers have taken aggressive action to prevent, detect, investigate, and punish fraud. We’ve created new guardrails, strengthened enforcement tools, and given agencies more authority when fraud is suspected. I believe part of the reason we’re uncovering more cases today is because these reforms are working and rooting out the issues. We’re continuing this work across the board; from financial crimes and insurance fraud to wage theft and fraud within government programs.

However, it’s important we discourage using this fraud for politically motivated attacks or attempts to undermine government programs and distract from real solutions. Minnesotans deserve a government that works for people, and I will continue working to strengthen oversight, protect public resources, and ensure every taxpayer dollar is used for its intended purpose.

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In the Community

I’ve been busy in our community meeting with constituents, here are some highlights from the past month!


* The food drive I did with Rep. Cheryl Youakim for STEP [ [link removed] ] was a success! Thanks to everyone who showed up!

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* I attended a powerful Caregivers & Brain Injury Roundtable at Chapel View in Hopkins. Thanks to the hosts and especially to all of the advocates who shared their experiences. I learned a great deal and was truly moved by the stories caregivers brought forward.

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* Thank you to Rabbi Kutoff and Rabbi Rothstein for the thoughtful tour of the Yeshiva of Minneapolis in St. Louis Park and the excellent discussion.

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* I enjoyed joining the HealthPartners Teen Leadership Council for an event connecting local professionals with students. This impressive group of about 30 high schoolers advises HealthPartners on health and well-being and is already making a real impact in their communities.

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* It was great meeting with first-year University of Minnesota CFANS students at the Capitol to talk about climate policy, how bills become law, and ways to effectively engage with legislators. (CFANS is the College of Food, Agriculture, & Natural Resources)

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Maggie’s Farm Theater on Friday 12/12

Maggie’s Farm Theater in St. Louis Park, is coming out of an extended hiatus and is ready once again to welcome audiences of all ages! They’ve partnered with Stories Behind the Menu and Jim Bear Jacobs for a unique two-act storytelling feast titled Fire Light: The Nature of Storytelling.

The evening spotlights the power of storytelling and provides an immersive and captivating experience, centering indigenous culture and building greater understanding of each other.

I’ll be one of the storytellers at the Fire Light Act I on Friday, December 12 at 7:00 PM with Jim Bear Jacobs, Cutler Bennett, Davi Gray, Max Lopez, and Chaz Sandifer. It’ll be an exciting night! You can find more information and get tickets here [ [link removed] ]. And even if you can’t make it, sign up to get updates from them.

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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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