ACLU Day at the CapitolI was invited to speak with the ACLU of Minnesota about our work at the Capitol to advance civil liberties, from protecting privacy from intrusive surveillance, ensuring reproductive freedom for all Minnesotans, to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and protections. Thank you to the advocates for having me!  Addressing Cell Phones in SchoolsLast Wednesday, my legislation to ensure schools have proactive cell phone policies was heard in the Education Policy Committee. I co-authored this with Rep. Kristin Robbins, a Republican colleague who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know through our work as House co-leads of the Civility Caucus. Research has shown that access to cell phones in schools impedes learning, stunts relationships, and lessens a sense of belonging for students. The more we learn about cell phones in schools, the more apparent it is that we need to be proactive, collaborative, and thoughtful in how we allow our kids to use them. Currently, there is no standard for these limitations, and enforcement of a school’s policy is left up to the teacher, taking away valuable classroom learning time. My bill would ensure all schools have a cell phone policy. It would leave the task up to the Minnesota School Boards Association, where they will develop best practices based on research models to best inform our schools on how to craft their policies. You can read more about the legislation here. Making our Legal Systems More Fair and EffectiveLast Tuesday, I presented a bill to eliminate redundancy in our judicial system when it comes to court fee waivers. Minnesota has long waived these fees for Minnesotans below a certain income level, but unnecessary bureaucratic processes have resulted in income eligibility having to be verified at multiple steps of the court process. My bill would reduce that verification to once, saving the court and Judges valuable time by not duplicating work. Another bill I presented recently focuses on restorative restitution, with the goal to address the burden of fines and fees on children and families in the context of our juvenile justice system. By charging fees and fines, the justice system drowns youth and their families in debt. Ultimately, this system undermines community health, economic stability, and trust in public systems. This bill aims to enhance access to meaningful accountability mechanisms, and to eliminate counterproductive mechanisms in the law. It will enhance public safety by facilitating a type of accountability that ensures young people truly understand the impact of their behavior on the victim. It will expand opportunities for the child themselves to account for the damage caused through their own actions, rather than a parent. Lastly, it will expand opportunities for the child to engage in restorative restitution that ultimately enhances their positive self-image and sense of connection with their community, which will reduce recidivism. Improving Guardianship for Vulnerable Seniors and Individuals with DisabilitiesAnother bill I presented recently would address a gap in legal protections for seniors and individuals with disabilities living under guardianship. A recent Minnesota Court of Appeals case led to an elimination of a baseline of liability for truly egregious behavior by guardians, leaving our most vulnerable residents with no protection against willfully negligent and harmful behavior by guardians. While we know that most guardians, whether they are family members or professional guardians, are diligent and dedicated in their role, the system cannot proceed without any legal accountability whatsoever. For those interested in learning more about the types of abuse and neglect we seek to address with this bill, this article provides a cautionary tale of what we want to avoid. Ultimately, I look forward to taking additional steps along with senior and disability experts to identify and advance other supports so that all Minnesotans can live with as much autonomy as possible. Minnesota Values Project SurveyPlease take a few moments to take the Minnesota Values Project Survey. Direct input, ideas, and feedback from you and your neighbors are vital to our success at the State Capitol. The survey features six short questions about your outlook on our state, as well as an opportunity to share a bit about your hopes, aspirations, challenges, and the priorities you’d like to see lawmakers emphasize next session. In 2017, DFLers developed the Minnesota Values Project as a partnership between Minnesotans and elected officials to create a shared vision for the future of our state. Since then, we’ve traveled across the state to have meaningful conversations with Minnesotans to hear their perspectives. As a direct result of this engagement in our democratic process, lawmakers are better prepared to work collaboratively to deliver results for Minnesotans this past session. As we navigate the path ahead, we'll continue governing in a manner that’s effective and responsive to Minnesotans’ expectations. Everyone in our state deserves the opportunity to succeed and thrive. With your input and buy-in – together – we can build a future where this vision is possible. Community PartnershipI had a great meeting with our friends at COPAL (Communidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina) this week about our shared legislative priorities. From housing rights to healthcare, we had a great discussion on how to advance these important issues. Thanks for stopping by!  Ramadan KareemHappy Ramadan! To our neighbors in Minnesota celebrating this holy month, may Allah guide you and your family always and fill your life with full of prosperity and happiness.  |