Legislative Update – March 28, 2025
Dear neighbors,
It’s been a busy week here at the Capitol as we inch closer to putting together budget targets that will define our priorities this upcoming session.
On the House Floor, we’ve been working together to pass many noncontroversial bills that gained broad bipartisan support, like a bill that seeks to expand housing protections for service dogs in training, and another that adds children’s advocacy centers to the list of “victim assistance programs,” enabling them to receive proceeds from fines imposed on people convicted of assault or criminal sexual misconduct. Please note that the House offices will be closed on Monday in observance of Eid, with no committee or floor session scheduled.
On Wednesday, I participated in the River Heights Chamber’s Local Issues meeting. I also recently met with Nancy and Jane from the Oral Health Coalition and Partnership4Health, Meghan, a St. Catherine University student from Inver Grove Heights who was here for Private College Day, and David, a Humphrey School of Public Policy Fellow from Columbia, who visited the House floor!
Agriculture Committee Update
This year, DFLers are committed to putting forward an Agriculture budget that invests in hunger relief through partnerships with small local farmers, proven sustainable farming practices, and a robust response to the avian flu that protects Minnesotans.
I spoke at the Governor’s press conference on the state’s response to bird flu with a clear message: we need to be working together to ensure Minnesotans are protected from bird flu—whether you’re a farmer, a food processing worker, or an everyday consumer. That’s why these investments in research and prevention are so important. Watch my comments here.
In the Agriculture Committee, I put forward an amendment to strengthen our response to bird flu, including putting funding forward to test retail milk for H5N1. This will be a key part of our position in future negotiations, and I will continue advocating for worker and consumer protections in this area.
Other News
In the House Environment Committee, I put forward a “clean” bill funding projects that protect and enhance our environment and natural resources using lottery proceeds from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. This bill was drafted in response to Republican representatives introducing competing legislation that didn’t reflect the commission’s recommendations. Instead, their proposal puts unvetted, unconstitutional projects in the community grants program that voters overwhelmingly re-approved the lottery fund last November.
On April 7, the Legislative Audit Commission, which I serve on, will release its performance audit of the Metropolitan Council’s handling of the Southwest light rail transit construction project. That will be followed by a briefing to members of the council, which will be live-streamed. You can find that information when it goes live on the Office of the Legislative Auditor’s website here.
Trump’s Dismantling of Education
Last week, President Trump advanced reckless plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. In response, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) launched a public feedback portal at education.mn.gov for parents, students, teachers, and community members to submit detailed accounts of the ways recent Executive Orders and abrupt federal education cuts are impacting schools and children across our state.
More than 860,000 students in Minnesota depend on stable partnerships that have existed between their school communities, MDE, and the U.S. Department of Education across administrations. For decades, the federal investments facilitated through those partnerships have played a key role in ensuring students in Minnesota receive the support they need to learn and thrive, including:
- $256 million for students with disabilities
- $192 million for students from low-income backgrounds
- $27 million for academic enrichment
- $6 million for students in rural schools
- $38 million to support children living on military bases or Native American reservations
- $100 million for Career and Technical Education workforce development programs
If any of these cuts impact you and your family, please let us know!
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