UpdatesThe House has passed Paid Family & Medical Leave! We all deserve to be able to care for ourselves or our loved ones. These last couple of years have made that clearer than ever. Our Paid Family & Medical Leave bill is a model built over a decade of extensive research and is similar to highly successful models that have passed in 11 other states and Washington, DC, plus most of the rest of the world. PFML is not only a common-sense solution but also extremely popular, with 80% of voters supporting it across party lines. To boil it down, this means Minnesotans will have the ability to take time to be with their newborn child, keep themselves healthy if they get sick, or be with a loved one in the final weeks of their life, to name a few circumstances. Therefore, passing this bill this year is extremely important to bring us to a more equitable workforce.  May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I’m proud to be a founding member of the Minnesota Asia Pacific Caucus and even prouder that we have the largest MAP caucus after the last election. AAPI people are the fastest-growing demographic in Minnesota - we must be heard in our state government!  More AAPI pride! This week I met with Olympic Gymnastics All-Around Gold Medalist Suni Lee. We spoke about my bill to bring major sporting events, like the Olympic Trials, to Minnesota. If passed, it will drive economic activity generated by fans staying at hotels, eating at restaurants, and shopping at retailers. We are so proud of Suni, and we’re all supporting her dream of competing again at the Paris 2024 Olympics! Fun Fact: My daughter Ayden and Suni trained at the same gym for 10 years together. Despite knowing her since age 6, we are still star-struck when we see her.  In other news, I met with teachers from Moorhead Area Public Schools and Mendota Heights School District 197 to discuss teacher pensions. Teaching has never been easy, and during the pandemic, teachers adjusted and found ways to educate our kiddos. I am grateful for their dedication and love for this profession. Thank you, Education Minnesota, for introducing me to these great educators.  |