Legislative Update – March 7, 2024Dear Neighbors, As the legislative session continues, I want to hear about the issues that matter most to you! That’s why I’ve prepared a 2024 Legislative Session Survey for residents in our district to share their input on many issues the House will address this year. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, and you can access the survey using this link below. Take the Survey! I have also been busy meeting with constituents and advocates on a wide range of issues, including meeting some wonderful students from St. Catherine University’s occupational therapy program and UofM alum Shari Durdin on the University of Minnesota’s Day at the Capitol!  AADC Committee Hearing and NewsI was proud to present my Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) bill, also known as the MN Kids Code, in front of the House Commerce Committee. This nation-leading bill requires companies to to design better, safer products before harm can be done to our kids. It also requires companies to do a data privacy impact assessment through the lens of child safety and create a mitigation plan to be put in place if a substantial risk of harm to children is found. You can watch the bill presentation here or by clicking the image below.  We had testifiers come to the committee to speak in support of the bill, including parents, students, technology and ethics experts, and suicide prevention groups. The reality is that we can build better, safer online products through smart legislation and intentional design. You can read my full press release here. I also spoke with Caroline Cummings of WCCO News about the Age-Appropriate Design Code and my work to mitigate child safety risks online. You can watch the video segment or read the article here or by clicking the image below.  Prior Authorization Bill HearingThis week, I was pleased to present my bill on Prior Authorization to the House Commerce Committee. This bill prohibits the prior authorization (when health plans require approval beforehand) of medication and services for preventative care, critical services, and chronic conditions.  Many testifiers spoke in favor of the bill, including the president of the Minnesota Medical Association, a patient advocate for the Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council, and the Prior Authorization Manager at Children's Hospital. When we are able to lessen the number of prior authorizations being requested, we can help medical staff spend more time on direct patient care, reduce barriers and delays to care, and increase patient safety. We also held a press conference on the proposal this Monday, which you can find here. 2023 Tax Bill ProgramsLast year we passed a tax bill that prioritized making life more affordable for working families, parents, and seniors, including legislation I authored to expand our Property Tax Refund, a bill I have been trying to pass since I was first sworn in in 2019. Now that tax season is upon us, I wanted to share some information about various programs you may be eligible for this year, including the Child Tax Credit, Property Tax Refund, Social Security Income Exemption, and the K-12 Credit and Subtraction.  |