Legislative Update – February 16, 2024Dear Neighbors, The 2024 legislative session is officially underway, and I am excited to be back at the Capitol advocating for our community of Maple Grove. This session I will continue to serve as Vice Chair of the Human Services Finance Committee and sit on the State and Local Government, Elections, and Health Committees.  After the historically productive 2023 Legislative Session, I am committed to working to improve people’s lives and build a Minnesota that works better for everyone. In 2024, lawmakers will continue working side by side with their neighbors and community members together – rooted in the values we all share – to lower the cost of living, deliver economic security for working families, and ensure everyone has the tools they need to thrive. Principal for a Day and Capitol EventsIt has been a busy couple of months as I have been preparing legislation for the session as well as meeting with constituents and advocacy groups so I can hit the ground running and deliver results for our district. Earlier this month, I was thrilled to head to Maple Grove Middle School to participate in their Principal for a Day program! I could not get over their enthusiasm and curiosity. Great questions and great energy abound. Thank you to the students and their incredible principal for hosting me. Our future is indeed bright!  This year the legislative session began with amazing energy at the Capitol Rotunda as Minnesotans from across the state came out in support of an Equal Rights Amendment Rally! I was honored to be a featured speaker, and you can watch my speech here. The message is clear: Now is the time to cement history with the ERA. It is time to declare that Minnesota is a discrimination-free zone.  As a member of the Elections Committee, I have passed legislation strengthening our system through Automatic Voter Registration and I was glad to join Fair Vote Minnesota at the Capitol as we continue pushing to increase access and participation in our democracy at the local level. Age-Appropriate Design Code InterviewIn a pre-session preview interview with CCX Media, I sat down with Shannon Slatton to talk about my Age-Appropriate Design Code bill, which will direct companies to do a data privacy impact assessment through the lens of child safety. It would also require a mitigation plan to be put in place if a substantial risk of harm to children is found.  From car seats to cribs, to motor vehicles we have looked at child safety issues—but we’ve never applied that to online settings. Families across the state want us to take action and I have been working since the last session to craft nation-leading legislation to protect children’s data, health, and safety. File for the Child Tax CreditNearly 300,000 Minnesota households are eligible for the nation-leading Child Tax Credit we passed last year! With our Child Tax Credit, families are saving up to $1,750 for each dependent. We are cutting child poverty by one-third with this rebate.  You can claim the tax credit by filing a 2023 income tax return. The $1,750 credit is for each child 17 years old and younger, with no limit on the number of children. Minnesota families: If you qualify, file your taxes to make sure you claim the benefits available to you. More information, including qualification criteria, is available here: https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/child-tax-credit. Insulin Prices CappedWe are dedicated to helping reduce the cost of health care and protecting against price-gouging. Earlier this month, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a landmark settlement with the Eli Lily insulin company that caps insulin at just $35 for the next 5 years. Drug companies raised the price of insulin by over 1,100% between 1990 and 2020, and this settlement ensures that Minnesotans can afford their lives and live with dignity, safety, and respect.  You can learn more about the settlement and how to get insulin for just $35 a month here: https://www.ag.state.mn.us/MNinsulin35/. |