 Dear neighbors, February flew by! This newsletter is packed with some of the events that happened in the first few weeks of the new session. Read on to find out more about the CROWN Act, the Frontline Worker Pay, tenant protections for Minnesotans, and more. Thank you so much for subscribing to this newsletter, and please feel free to respond with your thoughts and questions.  The CROWN Act passes MN House The CROWN Act (which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) is a bill that creates big protections for the Black community. My proposal would add a provision to the Minnesota Human Rights Act to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of hair appearance and texture. It passed the House floor on a final vote of 104 - 26. We now look to the Minnesota Senate to help us get this into law. There have been incidents in Minnesota where an employer has fired and/or taken action against Black workers for not changing their hair or hairstyle. We can’t talk about diversity, racial equity and justice in the workplace without talking about discriminatory policies such as a dress code and appearance code, which also prevents Black and Brown people from accessing economic opportunities, in addition to its impact on our mental health. We are the only ethnic group who has to have a law to protect something that is already a part of our DNA. You can watch my speech in this video.  Frontline Worker Support Bill Passes HouseI was glad to vote “yes” on the Frontline Worker Pay bill carried by Rep. Cedrick Frazier. This bill proposes to send $1,500 to those who took care of us and kept our institutions running in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, transit, and more while many of us stayed home during the height of the pandemic. I am so thankful that it passed off of the House Floor, and now it is time for the Senate to take action. These funds are a small token of our appreciation and the least we can do. The pandemic continues on, and we need to ensure that those who do some of the hardest work and put themselves at continued risk for exposure know how much we care.  Conversion Therapy BanWe need a ban on conversion therapy in place to protect our young people. This Wednesday in the Preventive Health Division, we heard Rep. Athena Hollins’ bill to ban conversion therapy in Minnesota. We heard testimony from 26 individuals, many of whom were conversion therapy survivors. LGBTQ+ people subjected to conversion therapy have an 88% greater likelihood of attempting suicide. This is a public health crisis. Below is my statement during the hearing: “I’m here as a person of faith,” said Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL – Minneapolis). “And my faith doesn’t promote hate. It really is disappointing to see so many people using religion as a cover for hate and control. As a believer, I want to state that my faith does not adhere to that; we are welcoming of all people and welcoming of all peoples’ paths. I also want to make it clear to all LGBTQ+ youth watching, that you are loved, you are beautiful, and you are perfect the way you are.”  Women's History MonthThis month, we honor the women who have paved a path for progress while recommitting to the work we still have to do to achieve gender equality for all. We have the most women serving in the House of Representatives:, 51 out of 134 Representatives, and of those 11 are women of color. We are better because of their service, and we should strive to build a Legislature which truly reflects the diversity of our state. Support Our TeachersGreat things happen in the Minneapolis Public Schools every day, but educators know the status quo leaves too many students behind. From pandemic relief funds to the state’s more than $9B surplus, the time is now to invest in the safe and stable schools Minneapolis students need. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers wants the city’s public schools to be places where parents want to send their children and educators want to work. We want to welcome parents and students back into Minneapolis schools and reverse the trend of families sending their children outside our district. To do that, educators need resources and support. Both chapters of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Education Support Professionals have authorized strikes by historic margins – 97% for teachers and 98% for ESPs – with overwhelming turnout in both elections. We need fully funded public schools where teachers can focus on teaching and students can thrive. As negotiations continue, I urge district leaders to work together with teachers to ensure that we can provide living wage compensation and a dignified, safe, and healthy environment for everyone.  No-Knock Warrant BanAmir should still be with us. All of these incidents hurt, but this particular one was very close to home. No Knock Warrants are a dangerous practice that consistently harms civilians and officers alike. Democrats in the Minnesota House led the effort to scrutinize the dangers of no-knock warrants in 2021. We made meaningful progress by passing into law some of the first-ever restrictions on this practice by eliminating their use in cases that only concern drug possession or sale. It’s clear from the continued used of these warrants that we need to do more. The bill this session restricts no knock warrants to the most dire of situations, like a hostage instance. It also heightens the evidence standard that police must meet before a warrant can be granted. I’m proud to stand with Rep. Athena Hollins to get justice for Amir and all others who have been impacted by such tragic events. . Tenant ProtectionsMy proposal to protect tenants in habitability cases is making its way through the committee process. We had a hearing in the Housing committee last week and will have one in the Judiciary committee next week. HF 3098 allows tenants to bring forward habitability defenses without having to first pay the rent that is in dispute. Currently, Minnesota courts follow a practice that prevents a tenant from asserting the defense of a poor living condition when being evicted for non-payment issues. This practice stops tenants from having their full day in court and having a judge decide on how much rent should be owed. Some landlords do not hold up their end of the lease to create a habitable living space, and when that happens, tenants should be able to bring that up as a defense in an eviction. Keep in TouchYou can reach me at either (651) 296-8659 or rep.esther.agbaje@house.mn. You can also “like” and follow my official Facebook page or subscribe to these updates to stay connected. I look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Esther Agbaje State Representative |