 Dear Neighbors, I hope you’re doing well and ready for the second round of anticipated snow! Today was the deadline to pass policy bills out of committee in both the House and Senate. Our week at the Capitol was filled with lots of late nights in committee, hearing and vetting slates of bills for us to consider for final passage before we adjourn on May 20. Next week, we’ll recess on March 28 - April 2 to observe Easter. My series of community conversations are paused as our work now shifts to putting our final budget bills together and then moving on to several late evenings on the House Floor. Thank you again to everyone who has attended and contributed constructive feedback about the things you value for our community. Here’s an update, including some high-profile bills, that are advancing. Building a Clean Energy FutureIn 2023, lawmakers answered the call from Minnesotans of all generations to take urgent action addressing our climate crisis by enacting a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. To achieve this benchmark, we need wind and solar farms to generate clean energy and transmission lines to carry that energy to the electric grid. There’s a big problem though: too many clean energy projects are stuck in a slow approval process. Today, about 51% of Minnesota’s electricity comes from carbon-free sources, but according to research, to reach our 100% goal, Minnesota must double the current pace at which new solar and wind energy sources are being developed. The Minnesota Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act is currently working its way through the legislative process. This legislation – which has earned broad support from Minnesota utilities, clean energy advocates, and our partners in labor – will eliminate redundancies, increase transparency, and make Minnesota’s permitting process more efficient and consistent. Given Minnesota’s unpredictable weather, shaving even a couple of months off the permitting process could mean a difference of an entire year when it comes to construction. As addressing climate change becomes increasingly urgent, saving this time is more critical now than ever. Without upgrades to our decades-old energy permitting laws to meet the challenges we face today, our carbon-free ambitions may not become reality. Connected to CommunityI’m glad I had a chance to meet with Hopkins City Councilmember Heidi Garrido this week, despite our very busy committee schedules! Councilmember Garrido was here to support HF 4417 in the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, which would establish a task force to review issues related to violence against Latina women and girls and make recommendations to reduce and end that violence. Thank you Councilmember Garrido, for your public service to our community of Hopkins!  Meeting with Councilmember Garrido I also had a chance to visit with folks advocating for their Days at the Capitol including Partners in Policy, the Boys and Girls Club, Minnesota Alzheimer’s Association, Leading Age, and the Minnesota Private College Association.  MN Private College Day & Partners in Policy  Leading Age  Minnesota Alzheimer's Association  Boys and Girls Club Keep in TouchPlease continue to contact me anytime at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889 with questions, input, or suggestions. Email is the quickest way to get in touch. Thank you for the honor of representing our Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and Edina neighbors at the State Capitol. Have a great, and safe weekend with the predicted snowfall!  Cheryl Youakim
State Representative |