Legislative Update – February 27, 2023
Dear Neighbors,
I have been hard at work at the State Capitol moving forward on the issues that matter to our district and state! I have been meeting with constituents, presenting bills in front of committees, and voting on the House floor.
I wanted to highlight a recent op-ed from the Star Tribune editorial board, titled “Pass bill to broaden birth control access.” The board highlights my bill whose main objective is to focus on families. The bill would improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). They brought up many of the points we focused on in committee, how this bill will ensure we have healthy babies and healthy mothers. I am proud to be fighting for this legislation here in Saint Paul.
Bill Hearings
I have been hard at work presenting bills and moving legislation through the committee process. I presented my bill to update and strengthen domestic violence laws in the Public Safety Committee and was proud to have Maple Grove Police Officer Kate Damm and Chief Eric Warner join me to testify in support of my bill! A few weeks ago, I sat down with CCX Media to discuss why this bill is so important in making our communities safer. Additionally, I am glad to report that my bill to refund costs associated with the construction of the North Metro Public Safety Training Facility was heard in the Taxes Committee and is being laid over for inclusion in the final tax bill.
I also presented my bill to permanently establish the Community Solutions for Healthy Child Development grant program. While we are proud that Minnesota is a great state to raise children, there is still work to do to address racial disparities. The program has shown great success by partnering with community organizations to improve developmental outcomes for children of color and indigenous communities.
Finally, I presented my bill to allow voters to sign electronically on a polling pad. Electronic polling books have improved the administration, efficiency, and accuracy of voting. It notably increases the size of the text and the area where one can sign, which is helpful for the elderly and those with disabilities. It also provides an electronic receipt, and my bill ensures all records are maintained consistent with current law. My bill allows this technology to be used by election judges—who testified in the Elections Committee in support of my bill. You can watch the bill hearing here!
House Floor Votes
My colleagues and I have been working hard to pass legislation to make Minnesotans’ lives better. In the past month, we had monumental floor votes on the following legislation:
These bills are just the start of what has been a historically productive session here at the Minnesota House. We are proving that we can move forward on the priorities we were elected to act on—while still reaching across the aisle on important issues like public safety and helping families and children thrive.
Stay Connected
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you may have. I can be reached at 651-296-1761 or rep.kristin.bahner@house.mn.gov If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe.
Sincerely,
Kristin Bahner
Your State Representative