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Hello!
August marks several important things for Minnesota. The last large batch of new laws have been implemented, Farmfest showcased the success and innovation of Minnesota agriculture, and of course the Minnesota State Fair is almost a week away!
Farmfest
Last week, I attended Farmfest in Redwood County. Aside from a pork chop that I can’t recommend highly enough, Farmfest is an annual event showcasing all of what makes Minnesota’s farmers the backbone of our community. As a member of the House Agriculture and Food committee, in addition to the week’s festivities, we were also celebrating the successes of our legislative work this year.
 
In the midst of trade wars, a damaging winter, and low commodity prices, Minnesota’s family farms are struggling. With a focus on improving mental health access in these rural communities, we also established mutually beneficial markets that deliver fresh food to our schools and underserved communities, cut farmers’ property taxes, and funded the Minnesota Department of Agriculture so our farmers are able to get the help they need. There’s more work to be done to support our farmers, but we’re committed to doing that work.
New Laws
Several new laws from our work this session took effect this month, including the new hands-free law, which you can read about in-depth on the Office of Traffic Safety website. This legislation prohibits holding a cell phone while driving on Minnesota roads. Drivers will still be able to make calls, text, listen to music, and get directions as long as they use voice commands or single-touch activation. We heard countless tragic stories of avoidable accidents due to distracted driving, and with similar laws in other states producing safer roads, this is the right thing to do.
Other new laws taking effect this month will:
- Protect seniors and vulnerable adults who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities from retaliation after they file a complaint.
- Improve transparency in our health care system by requiring clinics to disclose facility fees so patients aren’t surprised by higher out-of-pocket costs.
- Make it easier for people with disabilities to obtain disability license plates and permits.
- Allow deployed service members to participate remotely in local government meetings.
- Fully incorporate the wage theft prevention and enforcement measures passed this year. Minnesotans deserve to be paid for their work, and the laws we passed this year will ensure those who seek to deny workers their wages will be held accountable.
More information about all of the new laws from this year’s legislative session can be found here.
The Shakopee Podcast
We’ve been putting out new episodes of The Shakopee Podcast lately, with our recent episode focusing on the Academies at Shakopee High School. There are more episodes to come, and you can listen to those by subscribing to our podcast in the iTunes store or on our SoundCloud page.
Office Hours and Capitol Tours
Interim office hours continue to be held every other Monday morning at Munkabeans, and every other Thursday afternoon at Badger Hill Brewing. You can find more information on office hours, including how to RSVP, here.
We also have more Shakopee-specific Capitol tours coming up! You can still RSVP for Shakopee Family Day at the Capitol on September 7 from 12-1pm, and another Shakopee Day at the Capitol on November 8 from 2-3pm. These tours will give you a special behind-the-scenes look at the Capitol, and may include a special guest or two.
As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions or comments you’d like to discuss.
Brad
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