Legislative Update – February 28, 2025
Dear neighbors,
The legislative session continues to move at a fast pace, and I’m preparing for multiple bill hearings next week on proposals that will benefit our district and state.
This week I participated in the River Heights Chamber’s SSP Local Issues meeting and had visits at the Capitol from Jen at South St. Paul Public Schools who came to talk about the importance of investing in special education, and FFA members advocating in support of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources (AFNR) Education.
We also had a visit from Nimbus the chinchilla and Pepper the Solomon Islands skink from the Minnesota Zoo in the Capital Investment Committee! The Zoo does important conservation work and is working on a state-of-the-art center for veterinary care, education, and training.
Addressing Bird Flu
Trump’s gutting of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is already wreaking havoc on our nation’s response to bird flu while egg prices rise. As DFL Lead on the Agriculture Committee I’m committed to proactively addressing this challenge on the state level and ensuring all Minnesotans are protected.
In the Agriculture Committee, we heard bills related to avian influenza preparedness, but much of the focus was on ensuring producers are made whole. I put forward amendments ensuring state funds would go to protecting workers, and towards food product testing. All House Republicans on the committee voted “No” to these amendments, and I will continue working to address those issues before the bill is passed off the House Floor.
You can watch my comments on the importance of studying the human side of bird flu and protecting poultry production workers on my Official Facebook page here.
Lawns to Lunch
This week, I introduced legislation to create a pilot “Lawns to Lunch” program built off the success of the Lawns to Legumes program that I’ve frequently shared with you in these newsletters.
Lawns to Lunch would work in much the same way Lawns to Legumes does: providing residents financial and technical assistance to plant vegetables, fruits, and other foods on residential lawns and community spaces like food gardens.
The bill’s first stop is the Environment Committee, and I’ll continue to update you as the legislative session progresses.
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.
For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these regular legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative