Legislative Update - Passing New Policies for Our Environment

Dear Neighbors, 

We’re in the process of passing our committee policy proposals in the Minnesota House. These packages of legislation follow a similar path to the budget bills we passed last year - the House and Senate each produce their own individual proposals, and if needed, we’ll then work together to pass a final consensus version on to Governor Walz. 

If you’re interested, you can read these nonpartisan summaries of the House’s policy packages we’ve passed in the following areas: Transportation, Early Education, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Public Safety, Elections, Environment and Natural Resources, Human Services, and Commerce. With more to come!

As the Vice Chair of the House’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee, I’m especially proud of the proposal we’ve put forward there - and since we just reached agreement with the Senate on that bill, it’s now on its way to Governor Walz!

Our Environment and Natural Resources bill passed with bipartisan support in both chambers, and includes nation-leading legislation modernizing statutes on native rough fish, expanding opportunities to protect native prairies, and preparing Minnesota for a new Electronic Licensing System, including a mobile phone app, for issuing angling and hunting licenses, visitor permits, and outdoor recreation vehicle registrations.

These are great new policies that build off of last year’s historic investments, and I look forward to them being signed into law!

Reducing Waste, Reducing Costs

In our community and across Minnesota, we are inundated with packaging, from our doorsteps to store shelves. Packaging waste and printed paper now account for 40% of our garbage. In the metro alone, the amount of waste generated is projected to grow by 19% over the next two decades. The burden of managing this ever-growing deluge of packaging waste currently falls on local governments - and taxpayers.

This is an issue that’s not going to get better by ignoring it, which is why I teamed up with Sen. Kelly Morrison to introduce legislation to have the producers of this waste, not everyday Minnesotans, pay for the solution. 

Our bill will improve Minnesota’s recycling by building upon the existing system and combining it with new funding from producers of packaging and paper. This program would use sliding scale fees based on the sustainability of packaging to incentivize producers to reduce their packaging waste and ensure they are not using hard to recycle materials that burden our system. The program will protect and leverage public and private investments already made in Minnesota.

This would be the biggest change to our recycling policy in over 40 years - and folks are starting to take notice as our bill builds momentum.

Our bill is moving through the committee process in the House and Senate, and picking up more support along the way. Besides the Star Tribune article above, you can read more about this bill from this piece from MPR News. 

101 Environmental Projects

A bill that’s already been signed into law this session is legislation I co-authored to fund 101 projects across our state that protect our wildlife, water, air, and soil. 

Minnesotans take pride in our legacy of environmental stewardship, and thanks to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, even though the vast majority of us won’t win big playing the lottery, the proceeds from it ensure our environment and natural resources are protected for generations to come.

The 2024 Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Bill includes funding for environmental education projects, climate change and natural resources research, clean water resources, invasive species response, conservation land acquisition, and habitat protection and restoration projects. A full list of projects can be found here.

Free Park Day!

On Saturday, April 27, all Minnesota state parks and state recreation areas will be offering free admission to everyone– no vehicle permits needed! In Minnesota, we are lucky to have amazing state parks all across the state, and these fee-free days are a great opportunity to experience them! You can find out more information about the fee-free days here.

I want to hear from you!

As we continue to debate legislation on the House floor, now is a great time to touch base on the issues that matter to you, and one way to do that is by taking my legislative survey!

Besides the survey, always feel free to reach out to my office with any questions, comments, or ideas you may have on how to make our state and community better! Our work in the Minnesota House is at its best when it's responsive to your needs! 

You can reach me at rep.sydney.jordan@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4219. You’ll either hear back from me or our legislative assistant, Tenzin. You can also follow along on my legislative Facebook page. 

Thank you for the honor of representing our community in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Sincerely, 

Sydney Jordan

State Representative