Kraft Banner 2023

Neighbors,

This newsletter will be my last until after the election. During an election period, legislators cannot use state resources for unsolicited communications because it might create an unfair advantage. That blackout period starts after this Friday. You can still stay up to date with my legislative work by following my official State Representative Facebook page [ [link removed] ]. And if you have any issues, you can always still reach out to me on email or phone.

Although I won’t be sending these newsletters, I’m also always open to connect! As well, if you belong to an organization or group or own a local business and would like to meet, I’m happy to get together.

Kraft1

________________________________________________________________________



Climate Change is Impacting Minnesota

As I’m writing this, we’re in the middle of an extended period of oppressive weather caused by a heat dome, and we’re experiencing unhealthy air quality due to wildfire smoke, coming in from fires in Canada and the Boundary Waters. Both of these things are made much more likely and much worse by climate change.

The burning of fossil fuels has added and continues to add a lot of heat-trapping carbon dioxide to our atmosphere (there are other things that contribute to climate change, but this is the main one). More heat in the atmosphere makes heat domes hotter and more intense. Plus, the arctic regions are warming faster than the rest of the planet, reducing the temperature differential between the poles and rest of the globe. As the jet stream is largely driven by this temperature differential, the jet stream is actually slowing down and getting more wavy and sporadic. That contributes to heat domes sticking around for longer than they would have in the past.

With forest fires, the issue is that warmer air holds more water. So it evaporates more water from the land, making drought more common. Dryer forests are more susceptible to fire, frequently caused by lightning strikes (likely how the current Boundary Waters fires were started) but also by human accidents. By the way, it may seem odd that climate change can cause both more droughts and more floods, but if you think about it - it makes sense. Because warmer air holds more water, when a storm does happen, there’s more fuel (i.e. water) in the atmosphere that makes the storm more powerful and simultaneously increases the chance of floods. 

I write this, because it highlights the need for smart climate action. Both to protect ourselves, our homes, and our infrastructure from the impact of increasingly extreme storms and droughts, and so over time, we can reduce their likelihood. 

WildfireSmoke

*Kerem Yücel | MPR News*

________________________________________________________________________



Paid Family Medical Leave is Benefitting Minnesotans

When House DFLers passed Minnesota's Paid Leave law in 2023, it was under a simple value: that no one should have to choose between their paycheck and caring for themselves or the people they love. Six months after the program launched, it's clear that belief is now a reality.

More than 75,000 Minnesotans have already been approved for Paid Leave benefits, allowing workers to take paid, job-protected time off to welcome a new child, recover from a serious health condition, or care for a loved one. More than 38,000 families have used the program for bonding leave with a new child, and nearly $600 million has been paid directly to Minnesotans, with an average weekly benefit of $1,083.

The program is reaching the people it was designed to help. More than half of applicants earn less than $78,000 per year, nearly half live outside the Twin Cities metro, and before Paid Leave, many of these workers had no access to paid family or medical leave through their employers. That's especially important because, nationwide, only about 27% of workers have access to paid family leave through their jobs.

Strong families build strong communities, and Paid Leave is helping ensure that Minnesotans can care for themselves and their loved ones without sacrificing their financial security. 

________________________________________________________________________



New Laws

On July 1st, many new laws from the 2026 legislative session took effect. Some highlights include helping schools establish anonymous threat reporting systems so students and families can safely report concerning behavior, implementing a mandatory social media mental health warning, and more. You can find a list of the new laws and summaries here [ [link removed] ].

________________________________________________________________________



Legislative Audit Commission Elections Report

Last week, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor released a report evaluating Minnesota's voter registration system, and its findings reinforce what Minnesotans have long known: our elections are secure, accurate, and accessible.

Minnesota consistently leads the nation in voter turnout because we have built a system that balances accessibility with strong safeguards. That success is the result of decades of thoughtful policymaking, the leadership of Secretary of State Steve Simon, and the dedicated work of county and local election officials who ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot with confidence.

At a time when false claims continue to undermine trust in our democratic institutions, this independent report is an important reminder that Minnesota's election system is working. I remain committed to protecting every eligible Minnesotan's freedom to vote and standing up against efforts to erode confidence in our elections. Our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard and every lawful vote is counted.

________________________________________________________________________



Lawns to Legumes Garden Tour Day

Lawns to Legumes Garden Tour Day is this week! 

You can visit local pollinator plantings on Saturday, July 18 from 9am-12pm. Native plant gardeners across Minnesota are opening their yards for you to get inspired! 

Check out our website for a map of all tour stops. This tour is self-guided — choose a few to visit at your own pace! It’s also not too late to sign up as a tour host if you have a native garden you’re excited to share.

Click here [ [link removed] ] to get started!

L2L





________________________________________________________________________







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

________________________________________________________________________







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







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 Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota House DFL · 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. · Saint Paul, MN 55155 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]