Legislative Update - Finalizing Our Budget

Dear Neighbors, 

The regular legislative session is done for the year, but even though we came to a bipartisan agreement on the framework for our budget before we adjourned, we’ll need to return in June for a special session to pass our completed budget. 

Now, working groups of House and Senate members are negotiating over the specifics of a budget that will fund our state for the next two years, and with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic on the line, it’s one of our most important budgets in a generation.

Democrats in the House are fighting for proposals that will deliver support to those hit the hardest during the pandemic, and thanks to federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, we should be able to produce a robust budget that lifts up our students, families, workers, and small businesses. 

While our investment proposals are incredibly important, so too are the policy changes we’ve put forward for police accountability measures and public safety reform. Now, as we reflect on the past year since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, it’s important that our special session in June also includes reforms to build a more equitable and just Minnesota.

I’d also like to highlight the statement made by my colleagues in the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus reflecting on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, and the work that remains. 

Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis

Earlier this month, and for the first time ever, the Minnesota House passed a bill to regulate and legalize adult-use cannabis, while also expunging the records of those convicted of nonviolent cannabis-related offenses. I had carried similar legislation in the past, and I was honored to vote for this bill I co-authored on the House floor. Though the legislation passed with bipartisan support, Republican leadership in the Minnesota Senate has made it clear they have no intention of bringing the bill up for a vote.

This is not an issue that’s going away soon, and as more states take steps to legalize cannabis, Minnesota should be taking steps now to ensure we don’t fall further behind. I was able to sit down with the folks at CCX News to talk about this bill, which you can watch below.

Vaccines Available

It has never been easier for Minnesotans to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Minnesotans can now use the Vaccine Connector to directly schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the state’s Community Vaccination Program locations. You can visit VaccineConnector.mn.gov to directly schedule appointments at Community Vaccination locations around the state. Here is how you can get your shot:

• Make an appointment through the Vaccine Connector at one of the state’s COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program locations: https://mn.gov/vaccineconnector.
  • 833-431-2053
    • Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. & Sat, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Use the state’s Vaccine Finder Map to find the closest vaccine provider: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp.
• Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.
• Employers may also reach out with information about vaccination opportunities.

Vaccines are the most surefire way we can put this pandemic behind us for good, so if you or a loved one have yet to receive their first dose, now is the perfect time. 

Stay Connected

We’ll be spending the next few weeks hammering out the details of our budget. If you have any questions about our proposals and other bills we’re working on, please feel free to reach out to me. You can contact me at rep.mike.freiberg@house.mn and at (651) 296-4176 (E-mail is preferred). I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely, 

Mike Freiberg

State Representative