Legislative Update: March 28, 2025
Dear Neighbors -
The last couple of months have been hard. The actions we’re seeing come out of D.C., most of which are outside of our control, can take an immense toll on our mental health, moods, and more. I want to let you know that it’s okay to be okay, and to not be okay, and I want to remind you that it’s important to take care of yourself in whatever way works best for you. Whether it’s getting active and attending rallies, or stepping back and recharging before rejoining the fight, remember to give yourself grace!
Protect Medicaid, Not Millionaires
This week, I spoke at our press conference announcing the House DFL’s “Protect Medicaid, not Millionaires” Act. We will not allow Trump and MAGA Republicans’ reckless and cruel plan to cut Medicaid to go unchallenged here in Minnesota. Medicaid is the largest single source of health insurance in Minnesota, serving senior citizens, children, families, and people with disabilities.
Our bill is simple: if the Trump/Musk Administration and MAGA Republicans in Congress make good on their threats to cut programs that keep Minnesotans healthy and safe and give trillions to the richest Americans, we are asking the millionaires and billionaires to share some of their tax cut to offset any cuts to this crucial program. You can watch my comments at Monday’s press conference here.
Fighting to Unrig the Economy
This week, I presented three major pieces of legislation pushing forward our efforts to unrig the economy and ensure that everyone, not just the well-off and well-connected, can get ahead.
In the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee, we heard two pieces of my work this session to fight worker misclassification, an illegal practice where businesses misclassify workers who are employees as independent contractors.
When workers are misclassified, they do not receive minimum wages, overtime pay, earned sick and safe time, pregnancy and parental leave, coverage under workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance and other workplace protections that workers classified as employees have the right to receive. This defrauds not only the workers themselves, but the general taxpayer because the business is not paying taxes on the benefits workers are legally entitled to.
The bills I’ve authored are a result of the Attorney General’s Worker Misclassification Task Force I Chaired from 2023 to 2024. HF 2146 ensures we are actually measuring the problem, and its impact on workers, the public coffers, and the benefits that Minnesotans rely on. HF 2145 increases penalties on businesses that misclassify workers and cheat workers and taxpayers out of benefits and funding for programs they should be paying into. We had many testifiers speak in support of the legislation, and you can watch the full bill hearing here.
Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act
Then, in the Commerce Committee, I presented my Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act, which requires grocery suppliers to extend the same terms of sale for grocery items to all retailers and wholesalers. This bill is about leveling the playing field, and creating fair markets for Minnesota’s small, medium and independent grocers. These businesses are feeling the squeeze of corporate consolidation and anti-competitive practices, and they’re struggling.
It doesn’t matter if you’re living in an urban or rural food desert, this problem of corporate greed is impacting grocers across our state. That’s why I was joined by Republican Representative Isaac Schultz, who is working on this bill with me because it will help all our constituents. You can watch my bill presentation here.
Fighting Back Nationally
This week in the House Ways and Means Committee, we held a hearing about the impacts that Trump’s chaotic, cruel, and unconstitutional actions will have on our state budget. While our Republican colleagues want to bury their heads in the sand and pretend the chaos will not harm Minnesota, presentations from Minnesota Management and Budget Office (MMB) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) on federal interactions with the state budget showed a much different reality. You can read more in this Kare11 story.
I attended a rally at the Minneapolis VA Hospital right in our district on Wednesday to speak against Republicans' proposed plan to cut 80,000 employees from the VA led by labor and community partners like AFGE Locals 1969 & 3669.
At the Capitol, we have veterans' backs by working on legislation to protect them from claim sharks, and we need to raise our voices to oppose Trump and Musk's cuts are hurting our veterans and the staff that work tirelessly to support them. Watch the video here.
On Wednesday, the Inclusive Democracy Caucus, which I co-chair, released a statement condemning Trump’s latest executive order targeting our elections and the freedom to vote. This unconstitutional executive order is an attack on states like Minnesota, where we pride ourselves on free, fair, and secure elections. It only seeks to concentrate more power in Trump’s hands so he can continue his campaign of election disinformation from the Oval Office. You can read the full statement here.
Trump’s Attacks on the Department of Education
Sadly, we no longer have a serious partner in the White House when it comes to building a world-class education system for our students.
Last week, President Trump advanced reckless plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. In response, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) launched a public feedback portal at education.mn.gov for parents, students, teachers, and community members to submit detailed accounts of the ways recent Executive Orders and abrupt federal education cuts are impacting schools and children across our state.
More than 860,000 students in Minnesota depend on stable partnerships that have existed between their school communities, MDE and the U.S. Department of Education across administrations. For decades, the federal investments facilitated through those partnerships have played a key role in ensuring students in Minnesota receive the support they need to learn and thrive, including:
- $256 million for students with disabilities
- $192 million for students from low-income backgrounds
- $27 million for academic enrichment
- $6 million for students in rural schools
- $38 million to support children living on military bases or Native American reservations
- $100 million for Career and Technical Education workforce development programs
If any of these cuts impact you and your family, please let us know!
Stay in Touch
Thank you for your time, energy, and all you do to make our community a great place to live, work, and play. Always feel free to reach out to me with your input and ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. My email is rep.emma.greenman@house.mn.gov or you are always welcome to call me at the Capitol at 651-296-4200 and follow my Facebook page for updates.
It’s an honor and a privilege to be your State Representative. I'm very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together and look forward to the work we have ahead of us. Together, we can create a stronger, brighter future for all Minnesotans!
Best,
Emma Greenman
State Representative