Legislative Update – April 16, 2024
Dear Neighbors,
Last night the House passed the 2024 Environment and Natural Resources Policy bill which builds on our history of environmental stewardship and continues DFLers’ work protecting Minnesota’s water, wildlife, air, and soil for future generations. The bill passed on a bipartisan vote of 72-58.
We passed first-in-the-nation legislation to support our native fish, modernizing our laws and recognizing their vital role in Minnesota’s ecosystem. House DFLers are taking action to prepare for an electronic licensing system that will improve the outdoor recreation experience for Minnesotans across our state, expand opportunities to protect native prairies and address the threat of feral hogs.
You can read more about the bill here and watch the House Floor recording here. The House also passed the 2024 State Lands bill, authored by me, on another bipartisan vote. My press release is available here: RELEASE: Minnesota House Passes Environment and Natural Resources Policy Bill.
Combatting Junk Fees
Last week I proudly voted in favor of two pieces of legislation that will protect Minnesota consumers from deceptive and unfair business practices by ending junk fees and requiring ticket price transparency.
We are all familiar with buying a ticket to a concert, sports game, or other event and seeing extra “service” and “convenience” fees added that provide no additional value to consumers. DFLers are passing legislation to require fair, transparent ticket prices and other important protections for consumers. Ending these practices is the right thing to do and will help Minnesotans plan and budget better in the future.
House Floor Votes
The House has begun passing policy bill packages in major issue areas building on the work of our historically productive 2023 session and improving the lives of Minnesotans. In the last week, the House has passed:
- A labor policy bill that includes provisions to strengthen the minimum wage, ban shadow non-competes, and increase pay transparency.
- A K-12 education policy bill that prioritizes policies to improve the experiences of students in Minnesota schools while strengthening academic outcomes.
- A commerce policy bill that focuses on consumer and child protections, debt reform, net neutrality, and more.
- A human services policy bill that continues to make tangible progress for Minnesotans with disabilities, those in recovery from substance use disorder, and recipients who rely on our waiver services to help them thrive.
Other News and Updates
Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new federal regulations on PFAS in drinking water as well as an additional $1 billion in funding nationwide to help with PFAS detection, treatment, and cleanup. White House staff specifically cited Minnesota's leadership and advocacy in helping to raise awareness about the issue and get these new standards set.
Under new EPA standards, 22 water systems across our state have PFAS levels that exceed the new rule, including South St. Paul. This new rule and federal funding are a major step in the right direction when it comes to protecting our health and environment, but the cost of cleanup is high. You can read more about yesterday’s PFAS Capital Investment hearing here: Minnesota cities seek assistance from legislature to clean up PFAS in their communities.
I also received a letter this week from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on the conduct of the National Loon Center and other similar wildlife research organizations that receive state funding. The OLA concluded that “the NLC’s updated project plans, when viewed in their entirety, are compliant with the appropriations language.” The OLA also provided some recommendations for the future, and I will continue working on this issue in my position as co-chair of the Legislative Audit Commission.
Finally, the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget recently released the April Revenue and Economic Update, showing that Minnesota’s net general fund receipts for February and March 2024 are estimated to total $3.9 billion, $241 million (6.5%) more than forecast in February. More information can be found here.
Stay in Touch!
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-6828. You can contact my Legislative Assistant Sam O'Neill at 651-296-3305 or via email at Samuel.ONeill@house.mn.gov.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative