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Neighbors,
I’m grateful for all of you who have come to the Capitol or emailed me with your input. I’m inspired every day by the stories and ideas that you share. Thank you! Here’s an update on what we worked on this week.
Town Hall Reminder
I want to hear from you and share some of the work we’ve been doing at the Capitol! From 9:30 – 11:00 this Saturday, March 23 join our Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Sen. Dick Cohen, Rep. Dave Pinto, and myself for a town hall at Central High School.
Safety on our Roads
Distracted driving is a contributing factor in one out of every five car crashes. In Minnesota, it causes an average of 53 deaths and 216 serious injuries every year.
I'm a proud co-author of hands-free driving legislation, which the the Minnesota legislature passed this week. The bill would require drivers to put down their phones and focus on the road, because our lives are more important than a text message.
Sixteen other states and Washington, D.C. have hands-free cell phone laws. According to WCCO, crashes and fatalities on the road decrease when states have hands-free cell phone laws on the books, and it’s no mystery why. A driver who looks down for five seconds while driving at 55 MPH has already gone the length of a football field. Minnesotans deserve to be safe on our roads, and I urge our Senate Companions to pass this legislation.
Read more from MPR here and the Star Tribune here.
Opioids
In 2017, more than 400 Minnesotans died of opioid overdoses, the same year that there were more than 2,000 emergency room visits due to opioid-related overdose. On Monday I voted in favor of legislation to hold Big Pharma accountable for their role in creating this crisis. Minnesotans shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the tragedy that these companies have inflicted on our communities. The bill would support a wide range of addiction prevention, education, intervention, treatment and recovery strategies, and passed by a 94-34 vote.
Big Pharma has collected billions in profits over the years and has not had to pay a dime to help Minnesotans get treatment or help law enforcement keep our communities safe. This is wrong, and it’s time they start contributing to the solution. Holding big corporations accountable is the right thing to do and I am proud to support this bill.
You can read more from MPR here and listen to the astonishing story of the family that profits from the opioid crisis from the New York Times here.
Women Winning
Women Winning is a group that helps elect women to public office in Minnesota. They’ve supported me from the start. 10 years ago I never thought I’d run for office but I was curious about the process. I had no idea that one training class would lead me down the path I’m on today. I have been supported on my journey by the women around me, and I want to be that same support system for women who will lead in the future. Read my interview with Women Winning here.
Extending Deferred Enforcement Departure
It is our moral responsibility to protect the Liberian Minnesotans who have lived, worked, and raised families here. Minnesota has an estimated 4,000 Liberians living in our communities. They will be forced to leave the United States at the end of the month if the President doesn’t extend Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) for Liberians who moved here as refugees nearly 30 years ago. This week I signed on to a letter urging the President to protect the Liberian neighbors who contribute to our economy and our communities.
Constituent Shout-Outs
Each week I get to meet with dozens of constituents who show me the diversity of issues and solutions facing our community. Thank you for showing up to volunteer your time and expertise to fight for a better, stronger Minnesota for everyone.
I stood in solidarity with my Muslim brothers and sisters last weekend after the heartbreaking gun violence in Christchurch. This is not just an immigration or religious rights issue, it's a gun violence issue. We must not turn our heads from seeing the intersectionality of these issues.
I met with constituents for Asian Pacific Islander Day at the Capitol
I visited with members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) who are fighting for good wages and safety on the job for all workers
St. Paul Fire Station 1 hosted me, and I had the chance to learn about the vehicles, and the health risks firefighters are exposed to. Thank you for your service to our community!
I got to meet with students and survivors of gun violence about ways we can work to combat senseless gun deaths.
I met up with members of Senate District 64. We had a great time catching up on all the wonderful work and projects people are working on.
Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to better serve you! Reach out with comments, questions, or to share your story with me.
Sincerely,
Kaohly Her
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