Dear neighbors,
Today we honor and remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his work in the fight for equity. May we follow his example of love and perseverance as we work towards a better future for all Minnesotans.
Session Begins
On January 8, I was sworn in for my first term at the Minnesota House with family and friends at my side. I’m honored to represent our community and eager to roll up my sleeves and dive in!
The swearing-in ceremony was just the beginning of a busy week at the Capitol. The next day, I gathered with my colleagues for the One Minnesota Policy Conference at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs. This annual event brings together elected officials of all kinds—Republicans and Democrats, Representatives and Senators, first termers and veterans—to get to know one another and discuss the many challenges and opportunities facing our state before session begins.
I also attended a Session Priorities Dinner hosted by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. I was able to discuss our priorities for this year’s session with elected officials and business leaders from across the state.
Like any new employee, State Representatives have to complete a lot of training. On January 10, I attended training sessions on harassment and discrimination and implicit bias. We also had a short floor session, followed by a moving tribute to former Representative Tom Rukavina. Video of the memorialization is available here.
Committee Hearings
Committee hearings began last week. I serve on Energy and Climate Finance and Policy, Environment and Natural Resources Policy, Health and Human Services Finance, and State Government Finance.
The Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division is the first legislative committee in the country to include the word “climate!” Minnesotans are clearly excited to learn more about the impacts of climate change and how we can combat it. Both of the committee hearings were standing room only! If you haven’t already, I encourage you to watch or listen to the meetings online. The University of Minnesota experts who testified also prepared slides with detailed notes. You can find those resources here.
Learn more about the other committees and view a full schedule here.
New Leadership Role
I’m humbled to announce that I’ve been asked to be Co-Chair of the Hennepin County Delegation, a group of legislators that represent portions of the county. We met last Friday to go over legislative priorities and discuss how we can best represent Hennepin County constituents.
Stay in Touch
I hope that you’ll reach out to me with any questions or issues of interest! I can be reached by at rep.patty.acomb@house.mn or 651-296-9934. If you have plans to visit the Capitol, please let me know so I can say hello. I’ll be sending out regular emails, but you can also follow me on Facebook for updates.
Please feel free to contact Brittney Sunderland, my Legislative Assistant, as well! Brittney is available at brittney.sunderland@house.mn or 651-296-1928.
I look forward to hearing from you and working together.
Sincerely,
Patty Acomb