Neighbors, We’ve almost crossed the finish line! We’re officially in the home stretch of this year’s legislative session, which means we’re busier than ever. Between being on the House Floor till midnight most nights, to meeting with constituents, there’s certainly no shortage of work to do in these last few weeks. Here’s the latest from the Capitol. So far, we’ve approved our Higher Education, Legacy, Environment and Clean Energy, Housing, Veterans, Elections, State and Local Government, K-12 Education, Agriculture, Transportation, Early Childhood, Labor and Jobs, Human Services, Health Finance, and Public Safety budget proposals. These bills will help us build a better, safer, and more equitable Minnesota for everyone. Many of our proposals have some differences in the Senate, so next week conference committees of House and Senate members will begin to meet to iron out the details and wrap up our biennial budget.  Thursday, Governor Walz signed three major bills into law: the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, the Trans Refuge Bill, and the Conversion Therapy Ban. These bills – now laws – are a major victory for Minnesotans, as we became an island of refuge for those seeking kindness, compassion, and understanding. With the signing of these bills, we send a message to folks from all corners of the country saying “you’re welcome in Minnesota, and you’re safe in Minnesota.” State Government and Elections BudgetParticipating in our Democratic process is not a privilege; it’s a right. Last week, we passed our State Government and Elections Budget bill off the House Floor. As the Chair of the Elections Committee and author of the bill, I’m incredibly proud of the work my colleagues and I put into this bill to make our elections safer, smoother, and easier to administer while ensuring our Democratic process is accessible to all eligible voters in Minnesota. For our democracy to work, the power must lay with the people. Minnesota’s elections have always been among the smoothest and most secure in the nation, but passing this Elections bill will make our elections even safer, easier, and more inclusive than they’ve ever been. You can learn more about what’s in the bill here! Commerce BudgetThis week, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Commerce budget bill, investing $10 million to strengthen protections for Minnesotans in the tech, health insurance, and financial services industries. There are several pieces of legislation in this bill I authored, including legislation creating new guidelines for pharmacy-administered drugs, removing artificial insurance limitations in automobile claims, and providing remedies for victims of consumer fraud. We will not raise the white flag to Big Pharma and settle for a health care system that gouges Minnesotans for the price of their necessary prescription drugs. This bill caps insurance costs of insulin, asthma meds, and epi-pens, as well as related medical supplies. We also voted to create a prescription drug affordability board with the authority to set upper limits on high-cost drugs. It's the right thing to do. I served on the Commerce committee this session as we built this bill, and it’s incredibly strong. It will measurably improve the lives of Minnesotans by tackling the high price of prescription drugs, strengthening protections for consumers and student loan borrowers, and other policies to lift up working families. Legalizing CannabisWe know the prohibition of cannabis is doing more harm than good. This week, the Minnesota House approved legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis and expunge the records of those convicted of nonviolent cannabis-related crimes. This bill has been years in the making, and went through over a dozen committees before a House Floor vote to make sure we had the smartest and safest bill possible. Once signed into law, Minnesota will become the 22nd state to legalize adult-use cannabis and the third state in the Midwest. Keep in TouchTo stay up to date with our important work at the State Capitol, you can see the Minnesota House of Public Information Services’ nonpartisan recaps of high profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. You can also stay up to date with the latest by following my Facebook page. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.mike.freiberg@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4176, and I will be happy to help. If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe. It is an honor to continue to serve you. In solidarity, Rep. Mike Freiberg |