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Happy Saturday. There is a lot of important work happening at the Capitol this week.
Fighting for working people
In the wealthiest nation in the world, a person working full-time should not struggle to afford the basic things they need in life. We have a lot of work to do to ensure working people have opportunities to create a better life for themselves. This week we took steps in the legislature to make sure employers are not cheating workers of their earned wages – I proudly voted to advance the wage theft bill out of the Labor Committee.
We also passed a bill out of committee that provides funding for the workforce development nonprofit Helmets to Hardhats, which helps match veterans with apprenticeships, training, and good-paying jobs in the construction industry. As our state faces a record level of job vacancies, this program helps both small businesses and those who serve our nation by matching employers with the skilled workers they need to succeed.
The federal shutdown impacted thousands of employees in Minnesota. We are working to make sure we alleviate any financial stress Minnesotans face as a result of Washington’s inaction. I am proud to have voted for legislation to provide furloughed Minnesotans with interest-free loans to pass in the Labor Committee this week, and I am hopeful it will be signed into law.
Meeting with Constituents
This week I had the honor of meeting with Hmong farmers from the Eastside to hear about how we can support them in accessing capital, training, and affordable and long-term land near urban areas.
I also met with neighbors to talk about a measure to provide driver’s licenses to anyone who could pass the test and sufficiently prove their identity, without needing to show immigration status. This is a matter of social and economic justice. People should be able to fully participate in our economy and live productive lives without having their everyday driving habits criminalized. Several groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, have outlined their support for this bill. You can be assured of my strong advocacy for this proposal and I hope that this will be the year that we see it enacted into law.
Reminder: next Wednesday, February 13 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm I am co-hosting a town hall with Rep. Tim Mahoney and Sen. Foung Hawj. It will be at the Hope Community Academy, at 720 Payne Ave, St. Paul, MN.
I am also an author of Representative Long’s bill to move Minnesota to 100 percent clean energy by 2025, and was grateful to be able to meet with constituents this week about what that bill would mean for our environment and our community. The people most impacted by climate change are the ones who did the least to cause it. Each year, at least 2,000 people from the Twin Cities die early due to pollution. We can also create up to 50,000 new clean energy jobs with this bill. I'm proud to support this legislation for clean air, water and land.
On Tuesday I had the opportunity to attend the Minnesota Commanders’ Task Force event to support our veterans. We discussed actions the legislature can take to support our veterans. I am proud to be authoring several bills to address issues our veterans face.
Next Monday, February 11 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, I will join the St. Paul District 1 Community Council at a community meeting about safety on McKnight Road. The meeting will be at the Battle Creek Recreation Center, 75 Winthrop St. S, St. Paul, and all are invited to attend! You can find more information on the Facebook event page here.
Equity
We’re working hard to advance measures to make our state work better for everyone. I firmly believe that all Minnesotans deserve access to great education, healthcare, housing and jobs.
Legislation to increase funding for English Language Learners was heard this week in a committee – the bill would significantly increase ELL funding for school districts across Minnesota. Students are not able to access the best education possible if they are experiencing language barriers, and data shows that students who have not fully mastered English have only a 40 percent chance of receiving a high school diploma. This program works, and it changes lives. You can read more about it here.
This week a bill was introduced to increase the number of Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers (TOCAIT). 34 percent of Minnesota’s students are children of color and American Indian, but only 4 percent of teachers in classrooms are TOCAIT. If passed, the legislation would expand existing pathways to teaching, strengthen efforts to retain effective teachers, and provide incentives to attract more students of color into the teaching profession with scholarships and student teaching grants to complete their preparation programs. We also introduced a bill to create a business development loan program for women of color, which I co-authored.
I voted this week in the Judiciary Committee to clarify the definition of sexual harassment. Current law says that sexual harassment needs to be severe or pervasive, which omits far too many serious cases of sexual harassment. The bill is now going to the House floor for a vote.
I am also the chief author of a bipartisan bill to provide career development funding for minority-based emergency medical service academies. I’m proud to author this bill to increase opportunities for people of color in a field that is already facing a labor shortage. It is a win-win for the fire departments, for people seeking a job in emergency medical services, and for our community.
If you have questions about any of the work we are doing, or want to offer your perspective, please do not hesitate to do so. You can reach me by email at rep.jay.xiong@house.mn and by phone at 651-296- 4201.
In solidarity,
Jay Xiong
State Representative – District 67B |