I also had a chance to recently celebrate the vibrant ancestry and culture of Somalia at the Annual Somali Festival held in Plymouth with neighbors residing in the Northwest Suburbs.  Senator Westlin and I were honored to break ground on the new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Medina. This new mandir will not only serve as a beacon of Hindu faith, teachings, and celebrations, but also as a center of community service and the spirit of selfless volunteerism.  Flooding in MinnesotaThe record rainfall has prompted a successful request for federal assistance in 22 counties across the state. Our legislative district largely keeps us out of the flood zones, but you don’t have to go far to be impacted along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. If you’re out and about, be sure to check the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s road status updates here to see how your travels may be impacted - and stay safe! New Laws Take EffectAs we enter July, a slate of new laws have taken effect. Highlights include making sure our driver’s license exams utilize plain language, criminalizing the use of “deep fakes” to influence an election, and investing nearly $80 million in lottery proceeds covering more than 100 projects to protect Minnesota's natural resources and enhance Plymouth and Medicine Lake’s outdoor region. Legislation I carried to require insurers to cover the costs of hair prosthetics or wigs for Minnesotans undergoing cancer treatment is now also law. You can read about these new laws and more in this nonpartisan summary of what was enacted on July 1. As the chair of the House State and Local Government Committee, I’m proud of the work we’ve delivered alongside Minnesotans over the past two years. Our communities deserve a responsive, efficient state government that serves the people and does so in a way that helps provide opportunity to build a better life.  It’s a great honor to be named the 2024 Legislator of the Year by the Municipal Legislative Commission. Thank you for our work at #mnleg. Working together, we make Minnesota a great place to live and thrive! We are funding our public schools, investing in a strong workforce that’s produced some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, implementing strategies to lower costs in housing, essential prescription medication like epipens and insulin, and goods and services. We are ensuring our public infrastructure - our roads, bridges, and transit - all have long-term, sustainable funding that won’t have to compete with funding for other important priorities like nursing homes, schools, services for folks with disabilities, and more. Even with all the progress we all made together, we know that many of the challenges Minnesotans are facing can't be solved in a two-year legislative session. I’m committed to continuing our collaboration with Minnesotans to prioritize the issues we all value and ensure everyone has the opportunity to build the better life they deserve. Keep in TouchAlthough we’re not currently in session, the good work continues year round. I’m still available to meet, help with state level problems, and discuss issues important to our community, however, this will be my last email update until after the election. Whether running or not, per state statute, legislators cannot use state resources for unsolicited communications during an election period because it might create an unfair advantage. While I won’t be able to send out these updates for a while, you can still follow me on my legislative Facebook page.  Please contact me anytime if you need assistance, have questions, or input to share at rep.ginny.klevorn@house.mn.gov or 651-296-5511. Thank you for the honor of lifting up our Plymouth and Medicine Lake voices and values in St. Paul. Warmly, Ginny Klevorn
State Representative |