Hello Neighbors,
It is an honor to be representing district 04A at the Minnesota State Capitol returning for my second term. Since the start of the legislative session, we have been hitting the ground running. With the trifecta, my colleagues and I are committed to moving legislation through the House to dismantle racism, uplift voices within our communities, and ensure we are taking accountability for the decision we are making that impact the lives of Minnesotans. I am happy to be on the following committees this year; Children and Families Finance (where I serve as Vice Chair), Policy Human Services Finance, Education Policy.
I have authored the following bills because as many of you know I’m committed to being a voice for our next generations and being a fierce voice for Boarder City/ Greater MN. It is clear, our Indigenous population needs more than representation, it needs justice. I am making sure our children, youth, elders, and chosen families are given the fundamental rights they deserve to live and thrive in Minnesota. If you would like to testify or share your story with me, please contact my office.
Current legislation:
HF 211
Indigenous Peoples' Day school observance required, and Indigenous Peoples' Day established as state holiday and Christopher Columbus Day eliminated as state holiday.
HF 213: Food shelf program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF 235: Indian employment preference for members of federally recognized Tribes on projects near Indian reservations provided.
HF 349: Moorhead; flood hazard mitigation funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
HF 444 Homeless Youth Act modified, and money appropriated.
I will continue to share updates on the progress of my bills. You can also follow along here.
Emergency Funding for Food Shelves
The legislation will invest $5 million to the Department of Human Services for food shelf programs. DHS will then distribute funding under the bill to Hunger Solutions, an organization that supports Minnesota’s food shelves by connecting resources to serve its clients. Last year, Minnesotans made 5,285,229 visits to food shelves, totaling over 1.4 million more visits than in 2020. Minnesota had a record number of food shelf visits in 2022. Food shelves served 5,285,229 visits from January to November 2022. This is already over 1.4 million more visits than the previous record set in 2020 even with December visit data still to be reported by food shelves. Feeding Minnesotans should be everyone's priority.
On Thursday, February 9, the legislation passed on the House floor with a 129-0 vote.
Pathway Home Act
Having a safe home only helps us to excel in so many other places in our lives. We can look at the data and see that people who look like me tend to show up with higher rates of disparity. All of us have a role in preventing homelessness. This is not a handout -- this is a hand-up for a future in Minnesota. We need to invest in our youth by passing this legislation into law. HF 444, ensures prevention methods are established to create sustainable resources and support systems to keep youth housed in Minnesota.
100% By 2040
The last eight years globally have been the hottest on record, and Minnesota is among the top states currently seeing rapid changes to our climate. Scientists know that climate change driven by fossil fuels is impacting our environment, infrastructure, and our health. Minnesota has long been a leader in clean energy, but partisan gridlock in recent years has hindered attempts to combat climate change.
The House and Senate DFL majorities passed the 100% by 2040 bill, a landmark piece of legislation that will help our state address climate change head-on and prepare for a carbon-free future. Action at the state level is urgently needed to help the U.S. meet our climate goals. This legislation would require that the state’s utilities use entirely carbon-free sources for electricity production by 2040. This would put us on track with over 20 other states that have also adopted similar goals.
Govenor Tim Walz, signed 100% By 2040 into law on Tuesday February 7.
Protecting Reproductive Rights
On Tuesday, January 31, Governor Walz signed the PRO Act into law, making Minnesota the first state to act nationally to protect abortion rights since the overturning of Roe v. Wade last June. Now that the PRO Act is codified into state law, Minnesotans’ reproductive rights are safeguarded.
Legislative Session Underway
Last fall, Minnesotans delivered a united state government with DFL majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate, while reelecting Governor Tim Walz. I’m incredibly proud of the bipartisan accomplishments we were able to deliver these past few years, but too often Republicans stood in the way of the meaningful changes Minnesotans deserve.
House and Senate leaders unveiled the legislative priorities to move Minnesota forward. My colleagues and I are ready to work hard, work together, and work quickly to deliver on the issues that matter most to Minnesotans.
To be clear: this isn’t an exhaustive list of everything we’re looking to accomplish, but these priorities represent our shared values as Minnesotans and ways we can make our state work better for everybody.
Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization
My House DFL colleagues officially introduced legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis. We’ve heard from Minnesotans loud and clear: Minnesota is ready for legalization.
Our bill creates a safe, well-regulated, and legal marketplace, including best practices for consumer protection, health, and public safety. It also includes a robust expungement program, so people who have disproportionately been caught in the criminal justice system due to cannabis can move on with their lives.
Minnesota’s current cannabis laws are doing more harm than good, and over the last three years, DFLers in the legislature have worked and listened to build a Minnesota-specific model for cannabis legalization. I’m incredibly excited to move this proposal forward to address inequities, create economic opportunities, and update outdated laws.
Federal Tax Conformity
My colleagues and I worked quickly to pass a bill to update Minnesota’s tax code into conformity with federal law. This will result in over $100 million in tax cuts to a wide range of Minnesotans while simplifying future tax filings. This efficient and unified action is just the beginning of an effective legislative session under House DFL leadership. I’m encouraged the legislation passed unanimously!
By passing this bill within the first two weeks of session, the Department of Revenue will be able to incorporate these measures in time for this year’s tax filing season. While we moved swiftly to pass this bill, it doesn’t end our discussions at the Capitol about taxes. There are a lot of ideas out there, especially to help young families, homeowners and renters, and Minnesota seniors, and as the session progresses, we will take a hard look at these solutions.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to reach out anytime if you need assistance or have questions at rep.heather.keeler@house.mn.gov or 651-296-5515. You can also follow my Facebook page.
In community,
Rep. Heather Keeler
Minnesota House of Representatives