 Dear Neighbors, We’re in the final hours of the 2024 legislative session, as our state constitution requires us to complete our work on Sunday, May 19th at midnight. As I write this update, we’re debating adoption of a gun violence prevention measure that holds straw purchasers accountable for illegal transactions and bans binary triggers. Earlier today, we started our debate on the ERA bill. After four hours of discussion on amendments, we tabled the bill to bring up conference committee reports. It is my hope we will be returning to the ERA discussion later this evening or early Saturday morning. I’m pleased to share that we've passed the Education Finance Conference Committee Report!  Honored to do this work with such dedicated colleagues and staff servingon the Education Committees! The House retained all but one of our finance and policy provisions and adopted some Senate provisions that made the bill stronger. We had a fantastic Education Finance team that produced a bill built on the investments we made last year. A few my favorite highlights in the bill are: - $32+ million new money invested in the Read Act to pay for teacher’s time when they are getting training. Our local school districts will receive: $251,591 (Hopkins), $310,441 (Edina), and $156,753 (St. Louis Park).
- $35 million in direct appropriations to our schools in literacy aid to implement the Read Act. These were funds appropriated last year that school’s would have had to apply for in December. Now they are going directly to schools this July with $278,661 to Hopkins, $343,843 to Edina, and $173,619 to St. Louis Park.
- A student teacher stipend pilot project that will pay student teachers placed in our public schools during the 2024-2025 schools year. Students from our teacher prep programs at the U of M (Duluth, Crookston, and Fond Du Lac), State Colleges and Universities (Minnesota State Mankato, Bemidji, St. Cloud, and Winona), and at Augsburg College will receive just shy of $7,000 during their student teaching placement.
- A robust absenteeism pilot project in 12 school districts across the state to innovate and collaborate on ways to keep our students engaged and in our classrooms. The school districts will receive funding to be part of these demonstration zones in Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, Burnsville, Northfield, Rochester, Mankato, Windom, Red Lake, Moorehead, Sauk Rapids-Rice, Cook County, and Chisholm.
- Funds for the Minnesota Youth Council and YMCA’s Youth in Government to bring more student voices to the Capitol.
During the conference committee process, we combined the Children and Families Supplemental budget into our Education Finance Conference Committee Report. Chair Dave Pinto and I came into the Minnesota House together after the 2014 election. We both had a passion for funding early childhood and our K-12 school system. It was very exciting to be able to work together on a bill that focuses on our youngest learners and those heading into the world after high school.  Here's a look at additional legislation and conference committee reports recently passed: - The Commerce Policy conference committee report, which provides funding to support the enactment of the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA), adjusts two industry assessments at the Dept. of Commerce, provides major change shifts where cannabis programs are housed, cancels unused grants, and more.
- The Environment and Natural Resources conference committee report, which includes significant investments in tree planting and addressing Emerald Ash Borer, a public water inventory update, policies strengthening and enforcing Minnesota’s air quality statutes, a regulatory framework for helium gas production, and nation-leading extended producer responsibility legislation for packaging recycling.
- The Human Service Policy conference committee report, which continued the work of historic investments to help our most vulnerable. This bipartisan legislation clarifies several items in last year’s bill, which makes improvements for Minnesotans with disabilities, those in recovery from substance use disorder, and recipients who rely on waiver services.
- The Health Supplemental Budget and Policy budget bill. This strong bill takes meaningful action to enhance health insurance coverage, improve health care access, increase patient protections, reform Emergency Medical Services, and help address mental health in Minnesota.
- The Elections Committee Policy and Finance conference committee report. The policy provisions of the report focus on improved voter access and election transparency. It targets policy areas where the state can improve voter turnout and ensure that if voting is restricted, voters have a means of redress. It enhances disclosure requirements for those seeking to influence elections, expands voter access and comprehension, and increases election transparency.
- The Higher Education Supplemental conference committee report. The legislation adds to last year’s record funding increase for Minnesota’s colleges and universities that froze tuition at Minnesota State for two years, fully funded the University of Minnesota’s systemwide safety and security request and provided free college to students with a household income under $80,000, among other investments.
- The Agriculture Supplemental budget, which includes the reauthorization of the Food Safety and Defense Task Force, farm-to-school grant funding, creates the first Spanish language commercial pesticide applicator exam., addresses the groundwater nitrate crisis, and more.
- The Climate and Energy Budget and Policy bill, which includes reforms to the permitting process for clean energy projects, support for geothermal energy power, and additional investments and policies to ensure we reach the 100% Clean Energy by 2040 goal the Legislature set last year.
- The conference committee report cracking down on hidden, deceptive fees to ensure consumers have fair, upfront pricing for event tickets, restaurant meals, hotels, credit cards, and more.
New State Flag RaisedOn Minnesota’s 166th birthday, Saturday, May 11, 2024, the new Minnesota State Flag was flown over the Capitol for the first time!  Photo courtesy of House Photography Connected to CommunityIt was wonderful to welcome and give a behind-the-scenes tour for Juli Rasmussen, her two grandchildren, and her daughter of the State Capitol this week. It’s always rewarding to have a chance to visit with folks from our area in the House Chamber- especially during these chaotic, unpredictable schedules in the final days of session.  Keep in TouchPlease continue to contact me with questions, input, or ideas at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889. With the fluid nature of the end of session, email is the quickest way to get in touch. Have a great weekend!  Cheryl Youakim
State Representative |