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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Fue Lee (DFL)

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Legislative Update - October 8, 2019

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Rep. Lee

Neighbors,

We're not officially back in session until February, but we wanted to use our time off to bring the work we do at the Capitol to people who don't normally have the chance to come to St. Paul to advocate for their priorities or their community. In an effort to make the legislature more accessible and responsive to Minnesotans, we headed to Rochester, Winona and surrounding communities to hold hearings, learn about local projects, and host round table conversations. Below are some of the highlights of my time at our mini-session. 

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I got to take part in the Elections Committee hearing on the 2020 Census and redistricting. Here are just some of the reasons the Census is so important: 

  • Legislative representation (435 members of the House of Representatives) is determined through apportionment.
  • $675+ billion will be distributed annually for 10 years based on Census information (Minnesota receives approximately $15 billion in federal funds)
  • April 1, 2020 is Census Day.  Residents are encouraged to participate by completing and submitting their census.
  • For those housing units that we do not have household information, the Census will conduct non-response follow-up starting in late April 2020, and will end in August.
  • The Census will deliver the apportionment counts to the President by December 31, 2020 and the redistricting counts to the states by April 1, 2021.

The Census is forming partnerships with Complete Count Committees (CCC). A CCC is a team of local representatives brought together by a municipal or community leader with the expressed purposed of assisting the 2020 Census. Existing CCCs in the area include the City of Minneapolis (Office of the Major), Hennepin County, Pillsbury United Communities, Minneapolis Regional Retiree Council, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities

The 2020 Census is recruiting and have multiple job opportunities. The Chicago Regional Census Center will be opening 32 area census office referred to as ACOs.

These offices will require staffing in several important roles including recruiting assistants, office operations supervisors, office clerks, census field supervisors, listers and census takers. Interested individuals can find opportunities with these ACOs at www.census.gov/fieldjobs for full and part time positions.

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As a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee, I got to take an educational Boat Tour. We met with river scientists to exchange ideas of the river, including maintenance/improvement of the river and present/future threats to the integrity of the river and surrounding landscape.

We also visited the Garvin Brook Stream Restoration project funded through the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage funding and discussed increasing flood events in Southeast Minnesota.

We also held a Joint Informational hearing of Environment and Natural Resources and Legacy committees. Topics included outdoor heritage funding, microplastics, and pollinators.

Southwest Minnesota Bonding Trip

As Vice Chair of the House Capital Investment Committee, I'm travelling with House DFL members to SW Minnesota this week to see our state's infrastructure needs firsthand. By investing in projects that will create good jobs we can help build thriving communities and a strong economy. 

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We're visiting towns from Boyd to Worthington to hear about their most pressing infrastructure needs to help determine which projects will be included in a 2020 bonding bill. 

As always, please let me know if you have comments or questions! 

Sincerely,

Rep. Fue Lee
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