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Dear neighbors,
With just over a month left in the legislative session, my colleagues and I are working on developing a strong, equitable state budget. On Thursday, we passed our first budget bill, legislation that uses more than $648 million generated by the Legacy Amendment to benefit people and communities across the state. The bill would protect and enhance Minnesota’s outdoor heritage, clean water, arts, culture, parks, and trails. I’m particularly excited that this year, the Legacy bill includes funding to address emerging threats to our water, such as microplastics. You can watch the speech I gave about the bill here.
I’m also excited about the Capital Investment bill that House DFLers unveiled earlier this week. While the bonding bill we passed last year made historic investments in our communities, there are still great needs across the state. This legislation invests in maintaining and improving Minnesota’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, rail lines, and mass transit; higher education facilities; water treatment plants; parks and trails; public housing; emergency shelter facilities; and more. In addition to investing in traditional priorities, the bill supports equity-focused projects, climate-resilient infrastructure, and affordable housing development. It also includes significant funding for reforestation. Since 2005, reforestation appropriations in the bonding bill have ranged from $1 million to $4 million. This year’s bill provides $5 million for reforestation efforts and $3.6 million for tree nurseries and production. Investing in these critical projects will create jobs and help our state bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Upcoming Events and Activities
Thursday, April 22 is Earth Day, and I'm looking forward to the local events and activities that are in store. For example, Adopt Your Neighborhood Street Kits are now available for pickup at South St. Paul City Hall. Each kit includes a garbage bag, gloves, and water for residents who want to take this opportunity to clean up their neighborhood.
Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions or if I can be of assistance. You can reach me at 651-296-6828 or rep.rick.hansen@house.mn.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative
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