Dear Neighbors,
We’re back in the swing of things at the State Capitol! Right now, Republicans control committees, but even with their 1-member advantage, they still require DFL support to pass anything. If we return to a tie, committees would have balanced membership and DFL and GOP co-chairs.
Regardless of where this session goes, I know there are a lot of common-ground issues for us to work on together, and I’m approaching proposals from my Republican colleagues with an open mind. That said, in the short time Republicans have controlled committees, they’ve brought forward bills that try to stop paid family and medical leave, funnel your tax dollars to the wealthy, attack trans student athletes, and much more. We can work together, but I’ll never sacrifice our community’s shared values and principles.
Anniversary of Burnsville First Responder Deaths
Tuesday marked the one year anniversary of the tragic deaths of Officer Paul Elmstrand, Officer Matthew Ruge and Firefighter Adam Finseth. This was a terrible tragedy, one we are still working to heal from. My heart goes out to all of the families, loved ones, and fellow service providers who are grieving this loss today. You can read my full statement on this tragedy here. You can watch my floor speech on it here.
To support our public safety officers I presented a bill that allows for more fundraising and gift giving when a public safety officer dies in the line of duty. I’m happy to say that it passed on a bipartisan vote. You can watch this bill presentation here.
Cold Weather Protection and Weatherization
As cold weather sets in, I want to share a quick reminder that Minnesota’s “cold weather rule” is now in effect, which protects residents from having their electric or natural gas service shut off until April 30.
To ensure your service is safe from disconnection, you must make and keep a payment plan that you and your utility provider agree on. More information is available on the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s website.
Also, an initiative the state legislature strengthened in 2021 may help lower costs. While older homes have their charm, many homeowners needing basic home improvements like repairing windows, removing asbestos, repairing cracked foundations or siding often face challenges paying upfront for these pre-weatherization measures. Minnesotans using CenterPoint or Xcel Energy can schedule an appointment with the Home Energy Squad to visit their homes to identify low cost energy-saving solutions. Each visit is approximately two hours, and during that time, the Home Energy Squad will perform various energy-saving tests, inspect your insulation, heating and cooling systems, and water heater. Learn more here.
Stay in Touch
If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Email me at rep.kaela.berg@house.mn.gov or call (651) 296-5387. For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these regular legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Kaela Berg
State Representative