Legislative Update: Reproductive Rights, No Special Session, Ending Organ Donor Discrimination

Dear Neighbors,

Happy July! Can’t believe it’s already here. 

We’ve been through so much lately, but the fight continues. The activist Supreme Court has made a slew of harmful decisions in the last week: overturning abortion rights, upholding prayer in school, making it harder to regulate guns, and making it easier for police to enter your home in the name of immigration control. It really does feel like we’re living in a dystopia, and it’s all because Trump was elected (while losing the popular vote) and packed the court. Now, we’ve moved backwards in time and are fighting to protect rights that we always took for granted rather than being able to proactively move on healthcare, climate, and inequality. Justice Thomas made it clear in the decision that overturned Roe: rights to birth control and gay marriage are next.

I stand in solidarity with anyone who has a uterus. This decision will undoubtedly exacerbate already existing disparities within our healthcare system. It is reprehensible that we are the developed country with the worst maternal health disparities, and now we will be one of only a sliver of countries that does not guarantee reproductive rights. People will die and unrightfully go to jail because of this decision. Our POCI Caucus and the Black Maternal Health Caucus are working to address these unacceptable disparities, I hope that you follow our journey. My colleague, Rep. Athena Hollins, spoke about these disparities on Friday at a press conference. Please watch her speech here.

Minnesota Beyond Roe: The Leadership Agenda for Abortion Access 

The press conference on Friday with UnRestrict Minnesota and the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, that I am a part of, was to announce  “Minnesota Beyond Roe: The Leadership Agenda for Abortion Access.”

If you haven’t already heard, due to a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court decision, Doe v. Gomez, Minnesota is the only state in our region to have a built-in protection for reproductive rights. 

“Our state constitution provides strong protections for our right to decide whether to continue or end a pregnancy, and to get an abortion if that is what we choose,” said Megan Peterson, Executive Director of Gender Justice. “Three-quarters of Minnesotans agree that when a person decides to have an abortion, it should be safe, legal, and free from punishment or judgment.”

Minnesota’s restrictions already make it difficult for many people to get care in Minnesota and disproportionately hurt the most marginalized in our community, including low-income people, BIPOC, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and individuals in rural areas. We need to expand access to abortion now. This agenda can do that.

The Leadership Agenda focuses on three main areas of action for Minnesota: repealing Minnesota’s unnecessary restrictions on abortion care, protecting patients and providers from post-Roe attacks, and ensuring equitable and affordable access to abortion care. This bold plan will need action from community partners, legislators, and all levels of government in Minnesota. I wholeheartedly support this agenda, and this will be a priority for our next legislative session.

The full Minnesota Beyond Roe: Leadership Agenda for Abortion Access can be found here. 

Governor Walz Takes Executive Action to Protect Reproductive Health Care in Minnesota 

It’s good to have a pro-choice governor. Governor Tim Walz took executive action last week to protect reproductive health care services in Minnesota. Executive Order 22-16 will help protect people seeking or providing abortions in Minnesota from laws in other states.  

“My office has been and will continue to be a firewall against legislation that would reverse reproductive freedom,” said Governor Walz. “This order shows our administration’s commitment to protecting patients and health care providers. Our administration is doing everything we can to protect individuals’ right to make their own health care decisions.”

To the maximum extent permitted under the United States and Minnesota Constitutions and Minnesota law, the Governor will decline to honor requests to extradite individuals who are accused of committing acts related to reproductive health care that are not criminal offenses in Minnesota.

Executive Order 22-16 also orders state agencies to work to protect Minnesotans providing, seeking, or obtaining lawful reproductive health care services to the fullest extent of their lawful authority. Except when required to do so by law, state agencies must not assist other states in attempts to seek civil, criminal, or professional sanctions against anyone who provides, seeks, or obtains health care services that are legal in Minnesota.  

Executive Order 22-16 is effective immediately.

Sad News on Special Session

It's been announced there will be no special session. I'm extremely frustrated. It's our job to invest in our communities and improve our state. The Senate GOP walking away from that job, and from their budget deal with House leadership, is a slap in the face to Minnesotans. I didn’t realize that the values of working families - affordable housing, accessible healthcare, transportation, fully funded public education - were able to be ignored to this degree.

We spent months negotiating in good faith to be able to use the surplus for our communities. We even came to an agreement on tax cuts (largely for well-off individuals) in exchange for investment in healthcare, housing, education, crime prevention, clean energy, and infrastructure.

Months and months of work this year amounted to nothing because the Senate Republicans walked away. I am so grateful for all of the volunteers, advocates, experts, and staff that work tirelessly, crafting and organizing around important legislation. It’s important that we have a legislature that will do the things that people depend on.

What We Accomplished

Though I’m angry about the important things that were left on the table, I’d still like to highlight a few wins from this year. We were able pass legislation that:

• Gave bonuses of $750 to hundreds of thousands of frontline workers who did not have the option to work from home during the pandemic.
• Distributed unprecedented amounts of money to address the opioid crisis.
• Reduced the cost of health insurance for Minnesotans who use the individual market.
• Passed a sweeping package of mental health investments and improvements for Minnesotans’ mental health to increase hospital bed capacity, attract new mental health care professionals, and expand the use of mobile crisis units.
• Made the largest investment in high-speed broadband internet in state history, helping to connect students to classrooms, businesses to customers, and senior citizens to tele-health services.
• Funded public health infrastructure to keep people healthy and safe as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.
• Protected and supported veterans and Gold Star families.
• Replenished funding for Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Program while keeping businesses’ unemployment insurance tax rates flat.
• Extended the COVID-19 worker’s comp presumption for first responders, including fire fighters, police officers, paramedics, and more.
• Modernized state liquor laws to support Minnesota’s breweries and distilleries.
• Funded nation-leading ALS research.
• Provided financial relief to farmers impacted by the 2021 drought and delivered resources to control and contain the avian influenza outbreak.
• Divested the state’s pension fund from Russian and Belarusian assets.

What Republicans Blocked

We have more work to do to build a Minnesota where everyone can thrive. I will continue to advocate for: 

• Affordable and accessible healthcare, including mental health and disability services.
• Affordable and accessible housing and fair renter protection.
• 100 percent clean energy.
• Supporting our students and teachers with the investment they need.
• Fully funding the Special Education and English Learner programs.
• Public safety for everyone by enacting meaningful safety and police accountability measures, including a ban on no-knock warrants.
• Paid family and medical leave and earned sick and safe time. Further worker protections so companies like Amazon can’t harm their workers.
• Unemployment Insurance expansion for school workers.
• Corporations paying their fair share in taxes so we can invest in kids, families, and communities.
• Legalizing and safely regulating cannabis in an equitable manner.

July 22nd Deadline to Apply for Frontline Worker Bonus 

Workers who were on the frontline of the pandemic have another month to apply for a bonus of up to $750. Money set aside for this program will be split equally among all approved applicants. Minnesotans are very appreciative of those who put themselves in harm’s way and encourage workers to apply if eligible and to spread the word to friends and family.

Support Ranked Choice Voting

I was happy to join FairVote Minnesota last week to support Ranked Choice Voting. Simplifying the voting process using rank choice voting will allow for elections focused on the issues and not personalities.  It is also an easier process and will encourage greater involvement. I’m a big fan, and this is a non-partisan issue that we’re fighting to get done at the legislature.

Minnesota Extends Medicaid Coverage to 12 Months after Giving Birth

Many new health problems can arise after giving birth, and our healthcare system is not set up to support new parents. In a time where we’re not yet able to pass Paid Family & Medical Leave, great news came with this decision from the Governor.

Minnesotans who qualify for Medicaid because of pregnancy can now maintain the coverage a year after delivery — a significant extension from the previous postpartum coverage that ended at 60 days. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the change on Thursday for Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico and the District of Columbia. As many as 7,000 more Minnesotans will have Medicaid coverage each year as a result, the federal government estimates.

"Every child in Minnesota deserves a healthy start, and that begins with the health of the mother," Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan said Thursday during a news conference with Vice President Kamala Harris.

For more information, read the Star Tribune article here.

Ending Organ Donation Discrimination

This month, Governor Walz signed my bill that prohibits insurance companies from discriminating against living donors into law. Donating an organ and/or bone marrow saves the lives of others. We must do what we can to protect these heroes. Thank you to the advocates for your hard work on this issue. It was an honor to carry this bill.

Keep in Touch

What are your thoughts on the news that we won’t be able to have a special session? I would love to hear from you. You can always reach me at rep.kaohly.her@house.mn. Also please take a moment to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more frequent news. Thank you for your attention to this e-update, stay cool out there.

Sincerely,

Kaohly

PS: thank you to the students in Maple Grove for hosting an incredible non-corporate Pride event last weekend. Pride is more important than ever right now, and these students give me hope for the future.

PPS: Congrats to the new Coulee Bank in our district! At a time when banks are closing locations, Coulee’s dedication to the people they serve has allowed them to expand. Thank you for serving our community.