Dear Neighbors,
We’re back in the swing of things at the State Capitol! Right now, Republicans control committees, but even with their 1-member advantage, they still require DFL support to pass anything. If we return to a tie, committees would have balanced membership and DFL and GOP co-chairs.
Session has started off with the Republicans introducing bills that will try to stop paid family and medical leave, funnel your tax dollars to the wealthy and dehumanize some of our neighbors – these are not things that I can support, I won’t sacrifice our community’s shared values and principles on those issues. I am successfully reaching out across party lines in crafting bills with my Republican colleagues. One of those bills was heard in the Human Service Committee this week.
Some time ago, my Official Facebook Page was hacked and I lost access to it. I’ve since made a new one where I plan to post about my work at the Capitol regularly. Please give it a follow!
Mental Health Service Improvements
On Thursday, which was Mental Health Day on the Hill, Republican Representative Dawn Gillman and I co-presented HF 98.This bill will help build capacity in our mental health system by streamlining the system so our mental health providers can better provide critical services. More technically, it modifies mental health case manager, case management associate, mental health behavioral aide, and mental health rehabilitation worker supervision requirements, exempts intensive residential treatment services and residential crisis stabilization services providers from aspects of the health care bill of rights, and specifies client grievance rights in mental health settings. You can watch my presentation of the bill here.
Addressing the mental health crisis is an issue that impacts everyone across the State and has had strong bipartisan engagement in moving solutions forward. I look forward to continuing that work with my fellow representatives.
It was great presenting with Ellie Skelton of Touchstone Mental Health and Rep. Dawn Gillman
Working With Ramsey County Partners
I was at the Ramsey County League of Local Governments meeting. They were reviewing their priorities with us, including initiatives to develop climate action plans for manufactured home parks.This’ll lead to more efficient and resilient homes creating cost savings for the six manufactured home parks in our district!
Cold Weather Protection and Weatherization
As cold weather sets in, I want to share a quick reminder that Minnesota’s “cold weather rule” is now in effect, which protects residents from having their electric or natural gas service shut off until April 30.
To ensure your service is safe from disconnection, you must make and keep a payment plan that you and your utility provider agree on. More information is available on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s website.
Also, an initiative the state legislature strengthened in 2021 may help lower costs. While older homes have their charm, many homeowners needing basic home improvements like repairing windows, removing asbestos, repairing cracked foundations or siding often face challenges paying upfront for these pre-weatherization measures. Minnesotans using CenterPoint or Xcel Energy can schedule an appointment with the Home Energy Squad to visit their homes to identify low cost energy-saving solutions. Each visit is approximately two hours, and during that time, the Home Energy Squad will perform various energy-saving tests, inspect your insulation, heating and cooling systems, and water heater. Learn more here.
Keep in touch
It is easy to stay connected to news from the State Capitol. Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website.
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so call (651) 296-5363 or email any time at rep.peter.fischer@house.mn.gov. You can find my information on my House website.
Sincerely,
Peter Fischer