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Dear neighbors,
The 2020 legislative session kicks off in less than a week, on Tuesday, February 11. The following Sunday, February 16, please consider joining me for a conversation about it - see below for details. In the meantime, the lead-up to session has been quite busy - more details on that below as well.
Chat with Dave – February 16
The next Chat with Dave will be on Sunday, February 16 from 1-2:30pm at Highland Park Community Center, right off of the A Line. These informal conversations about policy issues are free and open to all community members. You can find more details and RSVP here. Hope to see you there!
Community Conversation about the Mississippi River
Thanks to everyone who attended the Community Conversation about the Mississippi River, an incredible resource right in our neighborhood. We touched on several topics during the meeting, including the redevelopment of Area C of the former Ford plant. If you’d like to learn more about our discussion of that particular issue, the Star Tribune’s article about it is available here. And if you’re interested in learning more about Area C, plan to attend the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s public meeting on Thursday, February 20, 6pm to 8pm, back again at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
Youth Town Hall
I recently attended a town hall at Macalester College hosted by the Minnesota Youth Council. We had an engaging conversation about education, public safety, mental health, and the environment.
Sierra Club House Party
Last week I joined Sierra Club supporters - again at Macalester College - for a “house party” on environmental issues, including the climate crisis. We discussed the 100% clean energy plan and other bills that were passed by the House last session but have been blocked by the Senate. We’ll continue to push to protect the planet.
Prenatal-to-Three Policy Work
As you know, my top priority is getting every Minnesota child off to a #GreatStartMN. Last week was the latest Prenatal to Three Policy Forum, a series that I founded several years ago. Advocates, policymakers, and community members came together to share their priorities for this year’s legislative session and build toward a unified agenda. You can view a webcast of the seminar and read more about these quarterly events at www.p3minnesota.org.
The prior weekend, I was in Austin, Texas for the National Conference of State Legislatures’ symposium on prenatal-to-three policies. I served on a panel to share lessons with my fellow legislators. The symposium was a great opportunity to learn from policymakers from all over the country. I’m looking forward to using what I learned when the Legislature reconvenes.
Joint Hearing on the Impact of Incarceration on Children and Families
Research shows that having an incarcerated parent can cause negative impacts that last throughout a child’s life. Earlier this week, the House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee, which I chair, and the Corrections Committee held a special joint hearing to explore the impact of incarceration on children and families. You can watch the entire meeting here.
Work for the Census
The U.S. Census Bureau must fill thousands of temporary positions to conduct the census. These positions provide flexible hours and competitive wages; in Ramsey County, census takers can earn $22 per hour. Diverse candidates and those fluent in languages spoken in our community – including Spanish, Hmong, Oromo, Amharic, Karen, and Vietnamese – are particularly encouraged to apply. More information about census jobs is available here.
The session will move quickly; please keep in touch. And thank you for the honor of serving our community.
Dave Pinto
State Representative, District 64B
439 State Office Building
(651) 296-4199
www.house.leg.state.mn.us/64b
Subscribe to my email updates: www.house.leg.state.mn.us/64b
Follow my office on Facebook: facebook.com/repdavepinto
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