Legislative Update – July 18, 2024
Dear Neighbors,
I hope you have been enjoying our summer, staying dry from the rain and cool from the heat! This past month, I’ve been glad to visit with those in our community, whether at Minnetonka’s first Pride celebration, local project openings for the Wayzata Lakewalk, or at other community events.
This newsletter will be my last email update until after the election. During an election period, legislators cannot use state resources for unsolicited communications because it might create an unfair advantage. You can still stay up to date with my legislative work by following my official State Representative Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StateRepresentativePattyAcomb
Even though my communications will be limited, I am still available to help with state-level problems, answer your questions, and discuss important issues in our community. So please don’t hesitate to reach out at rep.patty.acomb@house.mn.gov if I can assist you in any way.
In The News
I'm glad to see continuing coverage on various provisions from our 2024 Supplemental Climate and Energy budget and policy bill, including an article about my bill creating an interconnection ombudsperson. As we continue to expand our use of renewable energy like solar, we must have a process for solving questions and disputes for developers, utilities, and residents. That was my goal when passing this legislation, and I look forward to monitoring the law’s implementation.
New Laws Now in Effect
On July 1, some of the new policies and investments we passed at the State Capitol this year took effect, including $43 million to improve student literacy. We can make all the investments in education we want, but none of them will be impactful if our children are falling behind on reading.
Other highlights of the new laws 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 towards more than 100 projects to protect Minnesota's natural resources.
You can read about these new laws and more in this nonpartisan summary of what was enacted on July 1 or in this Fox9 News article: New Minnesota laws starting July 1 that could affect you.
Share your Input on Prescription Drug Pricing
DFLers are interested in hearing from Minnesotans about how prescription drug prices impact their health care, what affordability concerns exist, and which drugs might benefit from pricing transparency. If you are interested in providing your insights, you can complete the Public Input on Prescription Drug Price Transparency in Minnesota form to share your experiences and help guide the Minnesota Department of Health’s ongoing drug price transparency work.
Staying in touch
Please reach out if you have any questions or feedback you would like to share. You can contact me by email at rep.patty.acomb@house.mn.gov or call (651) 296-9934.
Sincerely,
Patty Acomb
State Representative