Dear neighbors, It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the 2022 legislative session. Sen. Karla Bigham, Sen. Matt Klein, and I are holding a town hall next week to update community members and answer questions about our work. I hope you can join us at the South St. Paul City Hall on Sunday, April 3 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. We’re looking forward to hearing your feedback!  Standing with UkraineThe Minnesota House took a stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine this week. On Thursday, we passed legislation that requires our state to divest of all direct holdings of Russian assets. Since the government of Belarus was complicit in the invasion, the bill requires the state to divest of Belarusian assets as well. It also codifies an Executive Order Governor Walz issued to bar state agencies from contracting with Russian companies. In the House, legislators passed this bill unanimously.  Protecting Our Environment The House Environment and Natural Resources Committee advanced three of my bills this week. On Thursday, committee members advanced legislation that invests $47.4 million from the Clean Water Fund in projects that will protect Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater. The funding would be used to replace lead drinking water service lines, monitor various water sources for contaminants, and much more. Information about the bill and the projects it funds is available here. Another bill I shared with the committee will improve the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Petroleum Remediation Program, which oversees the cleanup of leaks and spills from petroleum tanks. When the Office of the Legislative Auditor evaluated this program, they found the MPCA had limited authority to hold consultants accountable for poor work. My bill strengthens the program and the MPCA’s ability to protect Minnesotans and our environment from petroleum releases. It received unanimous support from the committee. The committee also advanced legislation I introduced to ensure feedlots in Minnesota are cleaned up after they’re closed. Under this legislation, people who apply for a feedlot permit would need to demonstrate that they have the resources to remove all manure and manure-contaminated soil from the feedlot and to plant crops that will help the land recover. This will help make sure these sites are cleaned up and taxpayers aren’t stuck paying the bill. Advocating for Workers The Packinghouse Workers Bill of Rights hasn’t been updated since it was enacted in 2007. I’m championing legislation that would make needed changes and extend protections to more agricultural and food processing workers. It also takes steps to ensure workers are aware of their rights, such as requiring employers to provide disclosures in the languages workers prefer. This will help make workplaces safer. The Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee heard this proposal on Wednesday, and UFCW Local 1189 submitted a letter supporting the bill. Applications for Environmental Funding OpenApproximately $70 million from Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund will be allocated to projects that benefit our air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources in 2023. The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources is now accepting applications for this funding. You can find more information about the application process here. Proposals are due by Thursday, May 26. If you have questions or input you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out. You can contact me by email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn or call (651) 296-6828. Sincerely, Rick Hansen
State Representative |