Dear Neighbors,
The Capitol was a buzz this week with Girl Scouts, social workers, and Minnesotans from across the state coming to advocate, testify and meet with legislators to make their voices heard. I’ve had a great week of conversations about investing in our schools, funding mental health services for our kids, adults and families, ensuring that workers get the wages their earn, and as one Girl Scout told me today - expanding the children’s sections of our great libraries. All important priorities for ensuring our communities can thrive.
I also want to take a moment to celebrate an important victory for inclusive democracy in Minnesota. Today, Governor Walz signed the Restore the Vote bill and I was honored to attend the bill signing along with many of the Minnesotans who’ve been working hard on this for years and decades. Today those 55,000 Minnesotans who are on probation and parole will now have a voice and a vote in our democracy. A proud day and a big moment for democracy in Minnesota.
Here’s an update on what’s been happening over the last few days in Saint Paul.
Investing in Housing
On Wednesday, DFL House and Senate Housing Committee chairs, legislative leaders, and Minnesotans unveiled “All Roads Lead Back to Home," a visionary plan to solve Minnesota's housing crisis. This roadmap to solve Minnesota’s housing crisis would set the goal of ending youth homelessness, cutting racial disparities in homeownership in half, and building and preserving 150,000 homes to address our severe shortage - all within the next 10 years.
Additionally, on Thursday, the Minnesota House passed the Pathways Home Act. This legislation increases funds dedicated to ending homelessness in our state by investing in emergency services programs, transitional housing, outreach, and a pathway to stable housing for all Minnesotans. Emergency services and shelters save lives and keep people safe. The Pathway Home Act invests $150 million through 2028 to preserve and add over 3,000 shelter beds throughout Minnesota to ensure more people can receive services and housing regardless of their background or zip code.
Every Minnesotan deserves to have a safe and affordable house to call their own, yet for far too long this goal has been out of reach for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans. Without a bold, all-encompassing strategy to address our housing crisis, the damage will persist in the form of achievement gaps in our schools, subpar health outcomes, and suffering families. It's time to make investments that truly reflect the gravity of the crisis Minnesotans are currently experiencing.
Protecting Election Workers and our Elections Infrastructure
The Elections Committee heard and voted to approve HF635, my legislation to protect election workers.
Every election cycle, 30,000 of our friends and neighbors, in every community in our state, pitch in to help staff our polling places and run our elections. These are the Minnesotans that make our democracy work by doing the apolitical work of conducting free and fair elections. But in the last three years, the spread of conspiracy theories and lies about elections have made these election workers the target of increasing threats, harassment, and interference. Passing this bill is a critical way we can protect Minnesota’s strong record of local elections administration while providing the legal tools to keep election officials safe and ensure they’re able to carry out their important work. I’m proud to move this legislation forward.
The Democracy for the People Act Moves Forward
This week the House Judiciary Committee heard and voted to approve HF3, the Democracy for the People Act.
This is a critical moment for our democracy. We know that solving our most significant challenges requires all of us to come together and build a democracy that centers the voices of all Minnesotans. I am grateful for the committee's commitment to urgent action to protect and strengthen our democracy, which is what this legislation does.
The Democracy for the People Act seeks to protect and strengthen the freedom to vote, amplify the power of Minnesotans by reducing the influence of dark money and corporations in our politics, and ensure that our democracy is fair, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of Minnesotans across the state.
The bill now goes to the State and Local Government Finance Committee.
Stay in Touch
Thank you for your time, energy, and all you do to make our community a great place for everyone. Please reach out to me with your input and ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. My email is rep.emma.greenman@house.mn.gov or you are always welcome to call me at the Capitol at 651-296-4200 and follow my Facebook page for updates.
It’s an honor and a privilege to be your State Representative and I look forward to working with you to create a stronger, brighter future for all Minnesotans!
Best,
Emma Greenman
State Representative