Dear Neighbors,
It’s been a busy week at the Capitol! Here’s an update from St. Paul:
Join me for Coffee with Constituents
I will be holding a Coffee with Constituents this Saturday from 9:30 -11:30 a.m. at Caribou Coffee at 3354 Rice Street in Little Canada. Constituents are invited to stop by any time after 9:30 to share thoughts and concerns and ask questions about legislative issues. Coffee will be provided.
March for Our Lives
It was incredibly inspiring to stand behind the young people who rallied at the Capitol last weekend demanding action to address gun violence. Students and coaches from Parkland, Florida were in town for a hockey tournament and shared their words and time with the over 20,000 Minnesotans in attendance.
As I have mentioned in previous updates, I support bills that would provide universal background checks for gun sales and would allow for gun violence protective orders for law that could be sought through a court process when law enforcement or family members have concerns that it may not be safe for someone to have a gun. I also support legislation that would give schools the tools they need to assess the safety of their facilities and effectiveness of crisis procedures. All of these bills have bipartisan support.
(Photo credit Callie Schmidt)
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Task Force
Legislation to create a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force received its first hearing last Thursday night in the House Government Operations Committee (HF 3375). The bill passed out of the committee unanimously. The task force would advise the Commissioner of Public Safety and report recommendations to the legislature to reduce and end violence against indigenous women and girls in Minnesota.
Reports from across the country tell us that Native women and girls experience violence at rates much higher than the rest of the population, and Native girls are more likely to be victims of sex trafficking. I’m proud to be a coauthor of this legislation with Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein.
You can read more about the bill here.
Protecting Pre-K Funding
Yesterday, I joined Gov. Mark Dayton in calling for protection of pre-kindergarten programs from being eliminated for 4000 students at more than 59 school districts and charter schools across the state. These schools stand to lose state funding unless the Legislature takes action to protect pre-kindergarten investments for Minnesota’s four-year-olds.
After next school year, 50 children in White Bear Lake and Roseville Schools will lose access to pre-K if this funding is not continued.
All children deserve access to a quality education. Pre-K programs have proven to be an effective way to give kids a shot at a better future and prevent current and future educational disparities. Taking this opportunity away from the state’s youngest learners and their families does not reflect our Minnesota values.
Rally for Public Lands
On Wednesday, April 25th I’ll be speaking at the Rally for Public Lands in the Capitol Rotunda. Minnesotans cherish our public lands as they’re the backbone of our opportunities to hunt, fish and pursue outdoor recreation. These places provide clean water, spaces to roam, and contribute to healthy communities. They also contribute $16.7 billion in consumer spending annually generated by our state's outdoor recreation economy, which also supports 140,000 jobs.
If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP with Back Country Hunters.
Please take a moment to fill out my Legislative Survey
If you are a constituent, please take a few minutes to fill out my 2018 Legislative Survey. Knowing what you value helps me to better represent you! Please also feel free to forward to friends and neighbors who live in District 42B.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any thoughts, questions or concerns. It’s an honor to be your voice on the things our community values here at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Jamie