Dear neighbors,
I hope you’re enjoying the first few days of spring. We’ve just reached the halfway point of the legislative session, and many important bills are coming to the House floor in the coming weeks. Here’s an update on some of the legislation that we’ve passed recently and a few of the proposals that I’m supporting.
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
Thousands of Minnesotans have been impacted by the opioid epidemic, and the rate of opioid-related deaths has continued to increase every year since 2010. The House recently voted in favor of investing in prevention, treatment, and recovery services (HF 400). Funding would be provided by a fee increase on the opioid manufacturers and providers who created this crisis. Access to these resources is crucial for Minnesotans who are struggling with addiction and the health of our communities.
Distracted Driving Prevention
Distracted driving is a factor in one of five crashes on Minnesota roads. This causes an average of 53 deaths and 216 serious injuries a year. A proposal that would require drivers to use cell phones in hands-free mode (HF 50) passed through the House early last week. The policy has decreased accidents and fatalities in other states and has the strong support of those who have lost loved ones to inattentive drivers.
Addressing Youth Nicotine Use
Adult tobacco use in Minnesota has declined recently, but youth smoking rates have skyrocketed. A plan to include e-cigarettes, which are popular among young people, in the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act (HF 349) passed the House with broad bipartisan support. The updated law would protect the public from exposure to secondhand smoke and the harmful chemicals in e-cigarette vapors.
These students came by the Capitol to advocate for addressing vaping and raising the age for purchasing tobacco products to 21.
Lead Safe Homes
Household paint was allowed to contain lead until 1978, so lead-based paint can still be found in many older homes and buildings. Many rental units, in particular, were built in the years when we still had lead paint. Exposure to lead can cause serious health problems, particularly for young children. I’ve introduced a bill to establish a lead safe homes program (HF 1007), which would increase lead testing and make sure that rental units are safe for children and other inhabitants. Watch the first public hearing regarding the bill here for more details.
Update on TCE Pollution
In my last legislative update, I said that our community should have a say in what remedies will be chosen to address the harm done to them and the public health due to TCE emissions. Since then, I’ve co-authored bipartisan legislation to ensure that occurs. Under Rep. Ami Wazlawik’s bill, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Legislature would seek input from individuals and businesses from the area of concern when deciding how to use the funds from the state’s settlement with Water Gremlin (HF 2368).
Rep. Wazlawik has also proposed banning TCE in Minnesota (HF 2276). Manufacturers would need to switch to safer alternatives and stop distributing household products that contain TCE. If you’d like more information on the bill, watch the first public hearing for it here.
I always appreciate hearing from constituents, so please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Peter Fischer
State Representative