House DFLers release Minnesota Values Plan

St. Paul, Minnesota — Today, House DFLers unveiled the Minnesota Values Plan, a continuation of the Minnesota Values Project — an initiative of the Minnesota House DFL to engage legislators, Minnesotans, and community groups in a conversation about the future of our state. In 2017, House DFLers traveled the state to listen to Minnesotans and have conversations about our shared values. Legislators have continued those conversations with community members and organizations, and are ready to put forward an agenda for the 2019 Legislative Session.

“We’ve worked to engage communities across the state to build a legislative agenda rooted in the hopes, aspirations, and demands of the people,” said Rep. Liz Olson (DFL - Duluth). “With this agenda, we’re offering ideas for a new direction to make our state a better place for all Minnesotans through affordable health care, greater economic security, improved educational opportunities, and investments in critically-needed infrastructure and Minnesota jobs.”

“Minnesotans care deeply about each other and want to see one another succeed,” added House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman. “Our shared values as Minnesotans bring us together and serve as a guide for how we move forward — and how we make our state work better for all of us, no matter what we look like or where we come from.”

The Minnesota Values Plan includes the following:

Ensure All Minnesotans Have Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care

Every Minnesotan deserves access to high quality, affordable health care. Instead of giveaways to insurance companies, let’s ensure Minnesotans have an affordable and trusted public option. No one should be forced to choose between paying for a roof over their head and paying their monthly insurance premium or health care bills. Expanding health care coverage will help ensure women have the right to make their own health decisions without interference from their boss or politicians.

House DFLers will work to:

• Expand the current MinnesotaCare plan to allow anyone to buy into it as a pathway to universal healthcare.

Make Work in Minnesota Pay

Minnesotans work hard and deserve the opportunity to thrive. But many employers do not allow their workers to earn sick time or paid family leave, so Minnesotans are forced to make impossible choices between paying the bills and their family’s health. In addition, wage theft — including violating minimum wage laws, failing to pay overtime, or forced “off the clock” work — by employers hurts Minnesota’s working families. Every year, tens of thousands of Minnesotans lose millions in earned wages and benefits.

House DFLers will work to:

• Guarantee every worker has paid sick time and paid family leave.

• Put an end to wage theft by investing in improved enforcement.

Invest in Education from Cradle to Career

All Minnesota kids deserve a world-class education. We know that our kids start learning long before kindergarten — and that Minnesota suffers from one of the largest achievement gaps in the country. Expanding voluntary, free Pre-K to every Minnesota child will ensure our kids are getting off to a strong start.

The cost of education and job training is a barrier for many Minnesotans. People should not have to choose between a lifetime of debt and the education and training they need for a good paying job. Access to higher education and job training should be in reach for everyone.

House DFLers will work to:

• Increase funding for community-based child care options and expand access to public, universal pre-k, for all Minnesota children. 

• Ensure every Minnesotan has the affordable access to job training or higher education they need to thrive.

Strengthen Minnesota’s Key Infrastructure

Minnesotans depend on our infrastructure every day to get to work or school or to help support our families, but we are not making the investments we need as a state. We must rebuild our roads and bridges, and invest in reliable public transit. We must create access to quality, affordable high-speed internet across the state, which is a necessity in the 21^st century. We must modernize our aging energy infrastructure so that it is secure and supports greater use of renewable energy.   

House DFLers will work to:

• Make long-term, robust investments in transportation, broadband, and clean energy, creating good Minnesota jobs.