Legislative Update - February 10, 2023

Dear Neighbors, 

We’re making a lot of progress at the Minnesota Legislature, and while I hope you’ve found these regular updates helpful, I also want to provide you with an opportunity to hear from me and your other legislators in-person, and to ask us questions.

My District 59 colleagues and I will be holding our first town hall of session on Tuesday, February 28. We’ll be at the Urban Research and Outreach Engagement Center (UROC) from 5:30-7:30pm, and I hope you can join us!

You can also RSVP on our Facebook event page. I hope to see you there!

Feeding Minnesota’s Students

Minnesota is a state that values education and wants to see every child succeed, but with 1 in 6 students trying to learn on an empty stomach we are not living up to our values. With the budget surplus, we have the resources to step up and provide the food security families need and the high-quality education our children deserve. 

Last night, the Minnesota House voted to pass two important bills aimed at addressing food insecurity in our schools and community. HF 5 would create a state program for schools to provide up to two free meals per day to all students, and HF 213 would provide an investment of $5 million for food shelf programs in light of record numbers of visits to food shelves last year. 

It's simple: hungry kids can’t learn at their full capacity. We have a real opportunity to make a large quality of life improvement for many struggling Minnesota families. I was proud to support both of these great bills last night. 

Adapting Our Infrastructure

Extreme weather events due to climate change are on the rise in Minnesota, and it’s impacting our infrastructure. This week, my bill to address this issue came before the House’s Sustainable Infrastructure Policy Committee - a newly established committee this session. 

My bill would invest in the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota for a research study into this issue, and would assess how projections of future weather conditions can be incorporated into the design of public buildings and infrastructure to reduce energy usage and minimize damage. It’s time we help Minnesota start adapting for the future. 

You can read more about my bill, and the committee hearing (which it passed) here.

Lawns to Legumes

Another bill we passed this week was one I co-authored to fund the popular Lawns to Legumes program, which offers grants and technical assistance to establish pollinator-friendly native plants on residential lawns.

Since we established this program in 2019, Lawns to Legumes has created 3.5 million square feet of pollinator habitat all around the state. Every year, thousands of grant applications can’t be awarded without more funding, and this bill will ensure the program can take on more grantees going forward.

Stay Connected

If you have any questions about the bills we’re working on, please feel free to contact my office. You can contact me at rep.fue.lee@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4262, and I will be happy to help. I would also like to introduce my new Legislative Assistant, Abdulaziz Mohamed, who will also be helping out with any correspondence my office receives. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely, 

Fue Lee

State Representative