Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.  Dear Neighbors: As you may know, late last week a power-sharing agreement was reached in the House, which has now begun official operations. More information below. Please also look for a possible "Chat with Dave" for constituents this coming Saturday afternoon; details to follow. Power-Sharing AgreementThe agreement that was reached is very similar to the one that Democrats proposed just before the start of the session. The bottom line is that we succeeded in the fight to protect the will of voters. The agreement allows for Rep. Brad Tabke to be seated, honoring the election in Shakopee. It puts Republicans in control of the House now, while they have a one-seat majority. It then requires that control be shared if the House returns to a tie (as is likely later in session). The major exception to that shared control is that Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth will remain speaker for two years - but with significant limitations on her authority, including what bills can be brought to the floor, who can be appointed to conference committees, and more. One of the 27 standing committees will also remain under Republican control for the full two years.  It's frustrating that this agreement was not reached far earlier; my DFL colleagues and I had no desire to deny quorum during the intervening weeks. But it was very important to protect the election (and recount, and court ruling) in Shakopee and to ensure that power in the House is based on the number of votes. I'm glad that those principles have finally been honored. Committee AssignmentsNow that the House has convened, committees have started work. I will be the DFL lead on the Workforce, Labor, & Economic Development Finance & Policy Committee, shifting to co-chair if the House becomes tied. I will also be the DFL lead on the Fraud Prevention & Agency Oversight Committee. At least for now, I continue to serve as co-chair of the Legislative Task Force on Child Protection. And I will continue serving on two more committees - Public Safety Finance & Policy and Ways & Means. Trump AdministrationGiven the situation in the House, my attention has largely been on state issues over the last month. But like so many constituents, I've been shocked and outraged by the cruelty, chaos, and blatant disregard for the law shown in the first weeks of the Trump administration. As a prosecutor, I was particularly unsettled by the president's pardons of those who used violence to try to keep him in power in 2021 – with those pardons coming on the very day he received his own peaceful transfer of power. And there has been so much more since then. For now, I want to note that our state, led by Attorney General Ellison, has gone to court with many other states to block the Trump administration's illegal actions. I will address this further in coming weeks. These include lawsuits against the announced (then rescinded, then possibly reinstated) federal-funding freeze, the president's unconstitutional order criminalizing and ending funding for gender-affirming care, the actions of Elon Musk and the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency," and the administration's illegal cuts to medical and public health innovation research. Many other suits have been brought as well. Our nation operates under the rule of law, not the rule of any one person. That fundamental principle must be protected. Remember that in our state, we've spent decades strengthening protections and expanding rights. That's not to say that federal actions won't impact us; they certainly will. But our state laws have been built to defend individual rights and to provide an opportunity for every Minnesotan, regardless of background, to thrive. #EverybodyIn. I'll look for every opportunity to keep striving toward those goals. I know that many constituents will join me in that work. It's been quite a year and session already, with more to come. Please don't hesitate to reach out anytime. Thank you for the honor of serving you,  Legislative website: www.house.leg.state.mn.us/64b
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