Dear Neighbors, On Monday, May 22, we adjourned the 2023 legislative session, passing our state budget and completing our official work for the year. This session will definitely be one for the history books. With Minnesotans delivering a DFL trifecta in state government, along with a record surplus, we were able to enact generational change in our state budget and the other bills we passed this year. Already, Governor Walz has signed our bills into law, most of which will begin to be implemented throughout the summer. With the largest surplus in state history, many areas of our state budget are seeing their largest investment ever - with funds for housing, education, health care, public safety, and infrastructure building a better Minnesota for everyone. On top of this, we also passed the state’s largest ever tax cut. To say it was an eventful legislative session would be an understatement. For a birds-eye-view of what we accomplished this session, check out House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic’s recent op-ed in the Star Tribune: Historic progress for generations to come. I’m so incredibly grateful to be serving during this time, and I want to thank you for trusting me with the responsibility of representing our community at the State Capitol. You should be proud of what we’ve accomplished together. It’d be nothing short of a novel to go over the accomplishments in our entire budget, but luckily I have the entire legislative interim to cover the big ones. I’ll start with our work in the committees I served on this year, and had a direct impact in crafting the final budget - the House’s Legacy, Health, and State Government committees: LegacyIn 2008, Minnesota’s voters passed the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment because all of us want our state to be a great place to live, work, and play. Democrats are investing over $820 million to continue the important work of restoring, enhancing, and protecting Minnesota’s most treasured spaces and places and increasing access for all.  Health The Minnesota House DFL is committed to lowering health care costs while increasing access to the care Minnesotans need to live a healthy life. Our health budget bill expands access to health care, including mental health care, for more Minnesotans and funds system transformation to reduce costs. All Minnesotans, regardless of wealth, deserve access to quality health care that they can afford.  State GovernmentWe know what Minnesotans expect and deserve: government to work, and to meet their needs without delay or interruption. In our State Government Budget, House DFLers are reversing the decades-long trend of underinvestment and better serving Minnesotans.  And So Much MoreYou can read more about our final budget bills using our nonpartisan Session Daily stories: Veterans and Military Affairs, Housing, Higher Education, Legacy, Agriculture, Early Education, Public Safety and Judiciary, K-12 Education, Jobs and Labor, Environment and Energy, Commerce, State Government and Elections, Human Services, Taxes, Transportation, and Health. Not technically part of our state budget, but still a consequential bill for state investment, is our Capital Investment bill. Otherwise known as a bonding bill, this was one of our last votes of the legislative session, and it delivered $2.6 billion in one-time investments in infrastructure projects to communities throughout the state. The Star Tribune provided a breakdown of local investments that you can read about here. Other important bills outside of our budget bills we passed recently include Paid Family and Medical Leave, and the final version of our bill to legalize adult-use cannabis. Flint Hills Family FestivalMy mother loved art and music. As refugees, my family did not have resources to make it accessible. My mother found ways to expose us despite financial barriers. Public programs, at little or no cost, is how I was able to explore these two loves. It is our responsibility to ensure that all children have opportunities to experience art, music, and culture. We do this through state funding from the Legacy Fund. Thank you Ordway Center for the Performing Arts for allowing me to join all of you at the Flint Hills Family Festival last week. Art and music is not only enjoyable but also heals the soul. I am grateful to have experienced first hand the impact today made on thousands of children. |