Legislative Update – December 13, 2023
Dear Neighbors,
I hope you have had a pleasant fall and I’m wishing you a great upcoming holiday season. It is an honor to represent you at the Capitol, and I am glad to report that our work has not stopped since session ended in May.
Recently, I was thrilled to host a class of third graders from Castle Elementary in the Minnesota House of Representatives chamber, where they were able to learn more about government, civics, and the work that gets done in St. Paul!
I also was able to meet with some college students from our district recently and I traveled down to Winona State University where my colleague and Higher Education Chair Gene Pelowski held his annual Winona Model Legislature. It’s a great event where high school students get to simulate firsthand how a legislature works.
Advocating for Local Projects
As a member of the Capital Investment Committee, I have been traveling across the state this fall on our bonding tour to see projects seeking state funding for our 2024 bonding bill. I am always grateful for the opportunity to see firsthand the needs of communities all across Minnesota.
I was proud to host the committee in North St. Paul to hear about important infrastructure projects like the highway grade separation at Hwy 36 and Hwy 120 (Century Ave). Thank you to our local government partners from North St. Paul, Oakdale, Washington County, and Ramsey County, who came to present, and thanks to the Oakdale Fire Department for giving us a birds-eye view!
Session Priorities Constituent Survey
As we prepare for the upcoming 2024 legislative session, House DFLers want to hear about the issues most important to you.
That’s why I wanted to share with you our Minnesota Values Project Survey, an easy way to share your values, hopes, challenges, and ideas with us on solutions at the legislature. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, and can be found here or using the QR code below.
Resources for Laws Going Into Effect
Last session we passed life-changing legislation that will help Minnesotans across our district and state. You can find a list of our laws that went into effect on July 1 and August 1 from House nonpartisan staff.
We passed a higher education budget that will help increase access to college for thousands of students in the state. Beginning in fall 2024, the North Star Promise (NSP) Scholarship program will create a tuition and fee-free pathway to higher education for eligible Minnesota residents at state colleges and universities. You can find more information on the Office of Higher Education’s webpage here.
Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law requires employers to provide one hour of sick and safe time for every 30 hours worked and can earn a maximum of 48 hours each year unless the employer agrees to a higher amount. An employee is eligible for sick and safe time if they work at least 80 hours in a year for an employer in Minnesota, and are not an independent contractor. You can find more information on the Department of Labor and Industry’s page here.
Keep in Touch!
If you have any questions, ideas, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to email me at rep.leon.lillie@house.mn.gov or give me a call at (651) 296-1188.
Sincerely,
Leon Lillie
State Representative