The North STAR ActThis week I was proud to introduce The North STAR Act legislation, which would ensure that state and local resources are not misdirected to enforce federal civil immigration law. It is critical to our economy and to public safety that all Minnesotans are able to fully contribute to our communities. This means that every Minnesotan should be able to report a crime, engage in proactive measures to protect public health, and participate in educating our young people. Over the interim, I worked very closely with members of the community, including law enforcement, to ensure that this bill is carefully crafted to achieve its objectives. This bill follows up on other proactive measures we took last legislative session to support our immigrant communities. As our state workforce ages and plateaus in the coming years, measures like these will ensure that our state economy will thrive to the benefit of all Minnesotans.  I was joined at a press conference to announce the bill by my colleague, Senator Omar Fateh, as well as immigrant advocacy groups including COPAL MN, Violence Free Minnesota, and CAPI. You can read more about the legislation in this Sahan Journal article: Minnesota lawmakers revive proposal to limit state, local cooperation on immigration enforcement. Protecting the Boundary WatersI also held a press conference to announce legislation protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness based on recent recommendations by the Department of Natural Resources about the threats posed by sulfide-ore copper mining.  Working alongside Senator Kelly Morrison and the Save the Boundary Waters Campaign, we have the opportunity to safeguard this pristine area for generations to come, and I am dedicated to continuing that work this session. Supporting our NursesNurses and health care workers are the backbone of our health care system, and when they aren’t supported, patients are the ones who suffer. That’s why I was proud to join the Minnesota Nurses Association in its call for more equitable pay, transparency, and stricter standards across the hospital system. This session, I will work alongside nurses and other bedside care professionals to advance legislation to protect these experts in patient care when they need to speak up about an unsafe patient assignment. Understaffing directly correlates with patient harm and this legislation will allow those who are charged with patient advocacy to play this role without fear of retaliation.  Youth Justice SymposiumI was honored to sit on two panels at an all-day youth justice symposium, that included national and local experts, on how we can reform our system of youth justice to be more effective and more just. You can read more in the Star Tribune here: Head of DOJ's youth justice office hails Hennepin County's reform efforts.  Child Tax Credit Filing InformationNearly 300,000 Minnesota households are eligible for the nation-leading Child Tax Credit the DFL passed last year! With our Child Tax Credit, families will save up to $1,750 for each dependent. Democrats are cutting child poverty by one-third with this rebate.  You can claim the tax credit by filing a 2023 income tax return. The $1,750 credit is for each child 17 years old and younger, with no limit on the number of children. Minnesota families: If you qualify, file your taxes to make sure you claim the benefits available to you. More information, including qualification criteria, is available here: https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/child-tax-credit. |