Friends and neighbors, This year’s legislative session has officially come to a close. We spent last weekend on the House Floor, wrapping up our work for this year’s session. We adjourned hours before our constitutionally required adjournment time, something that is very, very rare for budget years such as this one. It just goes to show the great things we’ve accomplished under DFL leadership. Last week, we passed the Jobs and Labor Budget for the final time, making historic investments in Minnesota’s workforce and economy, and adding much-needed protections for workers in several industries. Thank you to Economic Development Chair Hodan Hassan and Workforce Development Chair Jay Xiong for their work throughout this year’s session on this great bill.  Included in the Labor Budget is Earned Sick and Safe Time. All Minnesotans deserve the opportunity to be successful, but too many must choose between work and taking care of themselves or a loved one. Our bill guarantees one hour of paid Earned Sick and Safe Time for every 30 hours worked, up to at least 48 hours per year for all Minnesota workers. I’m also particularly proud of another DFL priority we passed last week. Paid Family and Medical Leave will be transformational for Minnesotans across the State and takes us leaps and strides towards making Minnesota the best place to raise a family. Minnesotans deserve to be able to care for their loved ones without fear of losing wages, or even their job. This is a common-sense policy that will benefit working families across our state, and I'm proud of the improvements we’ve made along the way to make this accessible to everyone, especially small businesses. Studies have shown that paid family and medical leave helps small businesses attract and retain employees, and with this proposal, small businesses can provide the benefit for a fraction of what it would cost on their own. Between this and Earned Sick and Safe time, which was included in the Labor Budget, we’ve moved mountains for Minnesota’s workforce and economy. These are just a few of the dozens of important bills Democrats passed during the 2023 legislative session. DFLers are committed to working for the people of Minnesota, and we will continue to fight for progress in the years to come. I am confident our work over the past several months will help create a better future for our families. Here’s a quick recap of some of the big things we’ve delivered for Minnesota. |