Beloved Community,
Session has been incredibly productive as the House DFL continues to fulfill our campaign promises. Minnesota is facing several critical issues and we are taking action on all of them to meet the needs of all Minnesotans. We are united in purpose and action and will continue to act quickly to improve our state. I encourage you to pass along my newsletter and Facebook page to your neighbors and community members so they can stay in touch with all we are accomplishing.
Driver’s Licenses for All
My bill to allow all MN residents to apply for and earn their driver’s licenses, no matter their immigration status, is continuing to work through committees and will be heard on the House floor in the near future. This bill will make our roads safer while restoring justice and dignity to our immigrant neighbors. Thank you to all of the community members who made this bill a reality. Watch my testimony on this bill here.
Adult-Use Cannabis Bill Making Progress
HF 100, a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis, is making its way through committee hearings. Our bill creates a safe, well-regulated, and legal marketplace, including best practices for consumer protection, health, and public safety. It also includes a robust expungement program, so people who have disproportionately been caught in the criminal justice system due to cannabis can move on with their lives. Along with expungement it will prioritize granting aid and licensure to communities who have been most impacted by prohibition.
The bill still has about a dozen stops to make in various committees before we vote on the House floor. I have been working on this legislation since 2019 and we want to make sure that the bill passes, and is successful throughout the state.
Passage of PRO Act
The House passed the PRO Act which protects and guarantees Minnesotans’ right to privacy for personal reproductive health decisions. It also prevents interference by anti-choice politicians who seek to enact or defend medically unnecessary barriers to comprehensive reproductive health care. I’m proud that we were able to pass this incredibly important and historic bill so early in session.
The companion to the PRO Act, which repeals unconstitutional, outdated, and burdensome laws that deny reproductive freedom and autonomy, passed its second committee and will continue to work through the process.
Tax Conformity was Signed into Law
Recently, Governor Walz signed the federal tax conformity bill I authored into law. This bill will make several changes to bring Minnesota into conformity with federal tax law resulting in over $100 million in tax cuts for families and businesses while simplifying future tax filings. The fact we were able to get this critical bill out the door in the second week of session is a testament to our commitment to efficient and smart governance. I look forward to continuing this momentum for the remainder of the year as we look to make this a historically productive session.
Restore the Vote
Last week, the House Public Safety Committee held the second hearing for the “Restore the Vote” legislation, HF 28, a bill I’m co-authoring. Restoring the freedom to vote for Minnesotans is key to ensuring everyone in our community has a voice in our democracy. Minnesota has one of the nation’s highest rates of people on probation, and it is time to restore the freedom to vote for the 60,000 men and women living, working, and raising kids in our community.
Public Safety Action
Last week, the Public Safety Committee passed HF 25 which will make one of the largest investments in public safety in state history. We will make a comprehensive investment of over $300 million in 2023 in a variety of critical programs to improve safety across the state. We are taking a holistic approach, funding everything from violent crime investigation, community crime prevention, crisis response, criminal investigation, and criminal apprehension. This bill will make a real impact in the near term and long term.
Other Critical Bills
There are many important bills moving through the House right now, here are a few especially critical ones you should be aware of:
Other bills making their way through the process include allocation of over $300 million in federal funds for state infrastructure projects, equal rights amendment, voter protection and restoration of the vote.
Keep In Touch
As always, feel free to reach out with any feedback or questions you have for me! I always appreciate working in partnership with you. You can also follow me on my Facebook page. Everything is moving quickly right now so be sure to stay connected.
In solidarity,
Aisha Gomez
651-296-7152
rep.aisha.gomez@house.mn.gov