First Deadline Week

Dear Neighbors,

This was “First Deadline” week and all bills have to clear their relevant committee stops in either the House or the Senate by the end of today or it becomes significantly more difficult for them to move forward this session. So we have all been very busy in committee working to pass important legislation. Here are some of my bills that I’ve worked on in the last couple of weeks.

• HF4004 improves funding for Adult basic education. Adult basic education (ABE) programs provide academic instruction to adults and older teenagers who have not finished high school. The purpose of ABE instruction is to enable an ABE student to obtain a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. Watch my presentation on this bill here.
• HF4333 increases funding for Veterans service office grant programs. It’s important that we adequately fund our veterans so we can honor their service to our nation. Watch my presentation here.

Public Safety Innovation
This week, we proposed $150 million of new investment into data-driven, immediate crime prevention methods. We have worked with mayors, police chiefs, and other community leaders to develop this legislative package, delivering resources to urgently address the real problems communities across the state are facing. Republicans want to just throw money at crime. We know that their approach doesn’t work, and we’re following data and academic research. We’re investing in law enforcement, but we’re also investing in prevention services, social workers, and accountability measures to increase community trust.

House Preventive Health Committee Discusses PFAS Ban

Last week, the House Preventative Health Committee heard a bill  to regulate use of the harmful PFAS chemicals in cookware, cosmetics, skiing equipment, and children’s products. The health outcomes when PFAS gets into our bodies are terrifying, especially when we consider the effects on our children.

PFAS contamination is affecting communities and costing taxpayers money now. We can and should be a leader in preventing further human exposure and environmental contamination by banning the use of PFAS in these products.

You can read more about this issue here. You can find a video of the hearing here.

Standing with Ukraine

The past few weeks have been full of harrowing images from Ukraine as Russia continues their violent invasion. In what has been a conflict of ever-growing atrocities, my heart goes out to the Ukrainian people, including the 17,000 Ukrainian-Americans who call Minnesota home. 

In a unanimous vote, the House voted to divest Minnesota’s state pension fund from Russia and codify Governor Walz’s Executive Order barring the state from contracting with Russian companies.

Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, the estimated worth of Minnesota's state pension fund investments in Russia was approximately $53 million. The legislation will also sanction Belarus for its complicity in the Russian invasion.

Passing this bill is the right thing to do, and in joining numerous other democracies in a similar action, Minnesota is standing with Ukraine and adding to the international pressure that will hopefully soon lead to peace.

You can read more about this legislation here.

Stay In Touch

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to my office at rep.tou.xiong@house.mn or 651-296-7807. You can also follow me on Facebook. 

Keep your comments, questions and concerns coming! I always enjoy hearing from you. 

Sincerely,

Rep. Tou Xiong