Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page [ [link removed] ].






Rep. Jones Email Update Banner




Legislative Update from Rep. Katie Jones

Dear Neighbors, 

A big thank you to everyone who turned out for our first Coffee with Katie series at Fawkes Alley. These are great opportunities to get together and learn from one another. It was wonderful to debrief the legislative session, talk about concerns regarding data centers, hear support for compost opportunities in/near apartment buildings, and much more.

Rep. Jones and constituents meeting

The next Coffee with Katie will be held on June 18 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. I hope you can join us!

Coffee with Katie in June graphic
________________________________________________________________________



Here’s a recap from the 2026 session:

The 2026 Legislative Session came to an end on May 18, and I'm proud of the work we accomplished in a tied House to help our hospitals, protect taxpayer dollars, and invest in local jobs and infrastructure projects. 

In a tied 67-67 House, there was always bound to be compromise and disappointment. As your state representative, I worked to find compromise wherever possible without jeopardizing our community’s core values. 

Despite the challenge of an even partisan split in the House, my DFL colleagues and I worked every day to make life better for Minnesotans. We worked to make life more affordable by addressing high costs for health care, housing, child care, energy, and groceries. 

2026SessionAccomplishments

We provided funding to stabilize Hennepin County Medical Center, a key regional gem in our backyards and the Midwest’s last remaining public hospital, which serves patients from across the state. [ [link removed] ] We also successfully passed solutions to combat and prevent fraud [ [link removed] ], protecting Minnesotans' state dollars and keeping them out of criminals' hands. Another significant win for our community and the state was convincing our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to support emergency rental assistance. The $40 million investment we made will help relieve housing pressure on our neighbors, so they get back on their feet as we continue to deal with the aftermath of Metro Surge.

Rep. Jones at HCMC presser

After an incredibly difficult year—the killing of Melissa, Mark, and Gilbert Hortman, the shooting at Annunciation, and the federal occupation—this session, we worked to do everything in our power to protect our neighbors.

It was critical to address student and teacher safety in the aftermath of the Annunciation shooting and Operation Metro Surge. Unfortunately, Speaker Demuth broke her promise to bring legislation to the House Floor that would ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

Rep. Jones at the sit-in

I participated in a sit-in in the final 48 hours to demand action and a vote. PHOTO: Michele, Jokinen, MN House Photography

Mental health is an important part of the solution to end gun violence, but it’s not the only policy tool to use. I am glad we successfully fought for and passed investments in mental health support for our students and anonymous threat reporting for our communities. But we must acknowledge the number one cause of death in children in the United States: guns.

Ultimately, the Speaker ran out the clock on these measures and an economic relief package for small businesses negatively impacted by Operation Metro Surge.

________________________________________________________________________



*Local Infrastructure and Jobs*

In a tied House, we came together to pass a significant Local Jobs and Infrastructure package [ [link removed] ], which includes several wins I was honored to champion:


*  $1 million for the Bridge for Youth Homeless Shelter;
*  $1.8 million for Loring Park’s Berger Fountain, and;
*  $1.13 million for St. David’s Developmental and Therapeutic Services 
Rep. Jones at the Berger Fountain

While we were able to get some good work done, Minneapolis deserves bold, forward-thinking measures. Many key priorities were left on the table. If we had one more vote, we could have made real progress on the following:


* A comprehensive gun violence prevention package [ [link removed] ] that includes an assault weapons ban, safe storage proposals, mental health, and school safety funding. 

* An ICE response package [ [link removed] ] that would keep ICE out of our schools and hospitals, help our small businesses harmed by the Surge, and protect Minnesotans’ constitutional rights. 


* Bills to level the economic playing field, like stopping unfair practices such as surveillance pricing [ [link removed] ] that hurts consumers and taking on the insurance industry [ [link removed] ] to lower health care costs. I’d also like to focus on more sustainable ways we can protect our climate and infrastructure in the wake of this federal administration.

________________________________________________________________________



*Your voice matters: MPD community survey*

If you live in Minneapolis and are 18 or older, you have until *June 11* to complete an anonymous survey [ [link removed] ] about your opinions of the Minneapolis Police Department. Your input counts!

The survey is conducted by *Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA)*, the independent evaluator overseeing the consent decree between the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the City of Minneapolis. It is not created or managed by the city, the state, or MPD. ELEFA designs, manages, and analyzes results independently.

The consent decree requires Minneapolis and MPD to make transformational changes to address race-based policing, and community surveys like this one are a required part of measuring that progress. 

________________________________________________________________________



*Free summer meals for kids and teens*

Starting *June 15*, Minneapolis kids and teens 18 and under can get free meals and snacks all summer long — no enrollment in Minneapolis Public Schools required.

More than 60 schools, parks, libraries, recreation centers, and community sites across the city are participating through the USDA's Summer Food Service Program. No sign-up needed — just show up during meal times. Food is eaten on site.

The program runs through *August 28*. Download the *"Free Meals for Kids"* app [ [link removed] ] to find a location near you, or visit the MPS website [ [link removed](MPS)%20is,%2C%20recreation%20centers%2C%20and%20libraries. ] for more details.

Free school meals
________________________________________________________________________



*Academy for Public Service Accepting Applications*

Do you have a high schooler interested in government?

The Academy for Public Service, a nonprofit that teaches public service leadership and civic education focusing on state and local government, is looking for 10th to 12th graders to be members of the Minnesota Model House of Representatives. Students will learn about collaboration, networking, conduct legislative business, policy formation and analysis, and procedures of conducting meetings. The model session is July 8th to July 10th at the State Capitol. Applications are due on June 30. Learn more about the program here [ [link removed] ]. 

________________________________________________________________________



*Keep in Touch*

Whether it was standing up to this federal administration, the gun lobby, or the billionaires who are doing better than ever, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle failed to meet the moment. 

But the work isn’t over, and I’m more committed than ever before to build a stronger Minnesota. 

In Minnesota, you should be able to afford your life. I’m committed to building a future where hard work is rewarded, families have a real chance to get ahead, and our Central Downtown, Elliot Park, Loring Park, the Wedge, Harrison, Bryn Mawr, East Isles, Lowry Hill, Kenwood, and Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhoods can thrive. 

Have a wonderful week,

Katie Jones
State Representative 






State Representative Katie Jones

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

Phone: 651-296-9281
Email: [email protected] (replies to this newsletter are not monitored).
Website [ [link removed] ]
Follow Rep. Jones on Facebook [ [link removed] ] and Bluesky. [ [link removed] ]

 

 








To unsubscribe, visit the Subscriber Preferences Page [ [link removed] ]. If you have questions or experience technical difficulties with this subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota House DFL · 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. · Saint Paul, MN 55155 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]