Dear Neighbors and Friends,
May marks the start of AANHPI Heritage Month. I’m proud to honor the incredible impact and enduring spirit of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders throughout the North Star State. This month—and every month—we are proud to celebrate the cultures, contributions, and ongoing leadership of AANHPI communities across Minnesota. Happy Heritage Month!
Connecting with so many leaders at the Coalition of Asian American Leaders' Day at the Capitol was a true honor. Did you know that Minnesota is home to the largest cohort of Asian American elected state leaders nationwide? Working alongside them in our legislature is a privilege, offering invaluable opportunities to learn and deepen my understanding so I can better advocate for all Minnesotans.
Budget Bills
We're continuing to make strong progress passing budget bills on the House floor. Last week, we passed several major bill packages:
- The Veterans and Military Affairs bill delivers robust support for Minnesota veterans and their families while funding operations for the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs. A landmark provision of the bill grants long-overdue recognition to Hmong and Lao veterans who served in Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) during the Secret War in Laos. These veterans risked their lives supporting American interests after receiving promises of support that were never fully realized. The legislation immediately confers "Veteran of the Secret War in Laos" status to Minnesota residents who were naturalized for their service.
- The Commerce bill funds the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Office of Cannabis Management. It includes measures to protect Minnesotans from securities fraud, addresses rising homeowners' insurance premiums, and preserves consumer protections previously enacted by Democrats.
- The Housing Budget bill makes strategic investments aimed at helping people remain in their homes and creates new affordable homeownership opportunities, among other important initiatives. As a dedicated member of Housing Committee, I was honored to advocate for innovative solutions to addressing our housing crisis in Minnesota. Everything else in life is harder if you don’t have a safe and secure place to call home, which is why Republicans and Democrats worked together to put forward meaningful investments aimed at keeping people in their homes and creating new affordable homeownership opportunities.
While it is evident that further efforts are required to address Minnesota's housing challenges, I am committed to actively engaging with this issue and continuing to advance legislation aimed at facilitating homeownership, promoting housing stability, and fostering opportunities for Minnesotans to build generational wealth through their homes.
You can read more about our Housing Budget here. The House and Senate have both passed their own Housing Budgets, with significant differences. We’ll hammer out those differences in a conference committee before passing a final version in the coming days.
The House’s Higher Education Budget As the Trump administration seeks to control colleges and universities throughout the country, Republicans sought to deploy that same playbook on Minnesota’s campuses while making it more difficult for students to access higher learning. In our Higher Education Budget, DFLers fought to keep right-wing extremism out of our higher education institutions and protected opportunities for all Minnesotans to continue their education after high school.
Since it was first introduced, the North Star Promise Program – providing free college tuition to students whose families make less than $80,000 a year – was highly targeted by Minnesota Republicans. Instead of providing a helping hand to those who face financial barriers to higher learning, they’d rather those hurdles stay in place. We know that Minnesota’s higher education system can be an effective path out of poverty, and stood firm against cuts to this program in our budget that gives students access to a degree without taking on unsustainable debt. Last session, we prioritized breaking down barriers to higher education and are reversing a 10-year enrollment decline exacerbated by the pandemic. By protecting pathways to higher learning, we know we can continue to grow undergraduate enrollment and make it easier for all students to attend Minnesota’s colleges and universities. You can read more about our Higher Education Budget here.
House State Government and Elections Budget
We rounded out the week passing the House’s State Government and Elections Budget bill with bipartisan support. I was proud to vote for this comprehensive legislation because it ensures the continuation of essential government services while implementing strategic investments in several key areas. As Trump and Musk attack our quality of life and access to public services with devastating cuts under DOGE, in Minnesota, we value a strong sense of community, ensuring our public investments make a difference for communities, and caring for one another in a government that works for everyone.
On the elections front, the legislation provides necessary matching funds for the $1 million in federal Help America Vote Act dollars, which supports election security initiatives including cybersecurity software and improvements to the statewide voter registration system. The bill also funds the Campaign Finance Board's continued oversight of election-related financial activities.
The proposed budget legislation outlined here represents our current position and priorities as we move forward in the process. It's important to note that these are not the final versions of the budget bills. We still need to negotiate with the Senate in Conference Committee, where differences between House and Senate versions will be reconciled. The final budget that emerges from this process may include modifications and compromises from both chambers before being presented for final approval.
As the legislative session continues, I will keep you updated on key developments. Thank you for the honor of representing our community at the Capitol.
Keep in Touch
I deeply value your partnership in building a better future. Please continue to share your perspectives on the issues that impact our community. If you need assistance, schedule a meeting or community event, or have questions, you can reach me at rep.cedrick.frazier@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4255. You can also follow my official Facebook page and the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus page.
Sincerely,
Rep. Cedrick Frazier
Minnesota House of Representatives
Legislative Assistant: Chloe Keller
Email: chloe.keller@house.mn.gov