Legislative Update from Rep. Nathan Coulter

Friends and neighbors, 

My name is Nathan Coulter, and I’m proud to be your new state representative for District 51B.  

As a Bloomington native, I want to thank you for giving me the privilege of serving the community that raised me to be the person I am today. Being trusted to legislate with my community’s best interest in mind is not something I take lightly, and I’m excited to get to take real strides in creating a better Minnesota for all of us now that the DFL has the trifecta. 

For those of you who I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting in-person yet, I am looking forward to doing that soon. There’s a lot going on over here at the Capitol that I’m excited to tell you about, so let’s dive in.  

Redistricting Update

As a result of redistricting and retirements, you may be in a new district and/or have a new state representative. To find out if your state representative or senator has changed, click here. To change your email subscription, visit the Subscriber Preferences Page.  

Reproductive Rights

Last night, we passed the Protect Reproduction Options (PRO) Act off the House Floor.  

This bill protects Minnesotans’ right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term, the right to abortion, and ensures the right to privacy for personal reproductive health decisions. It also prevents interference by anti-choice politicians who seek to enact or defend medically unnecessary barriers to comprehensive reproductive health care. Politics has no place in a doctor’s office.  

How and when someone chooses to start or build their family is a deeply personal decision. I’m grateful that we were able to get this done for our constituents to make sure the fundamental right to reproductive health care is maintained in Minnesota.

Paid Family Leave

Another priority for me and my House DFL colleagues is finally passing legislation to ensure paid family and medical leave for all Minnesotans. One of the bills I am a co-author of, HF 2, ensures paid family and medical leave for Minnesotans.  

Fighting for Minnesotan families is a top priority of mine.  

This bill will give workers time to be with their loved ones during the most joyful and challenging moments of their lives. We all know that the first weeks after birth or the new placement of a foster or adoptive child is a critical time for families. Currently, some Minnesotans are eligible for paid family leave through their employer, but others qualify for unpaid leave for these purposes via federal FLMA legislation. In a time where many families are struggling, this puts many in a difficult position. We are committed to providing greater economic security for working families and ensuring that our youngest Minnesotans get the great start in life that they deserve.  

Once passed, the legislation will provide workers with up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave per year.   

Adult-use Cannabis Legalization

Last week was a big week for several pieces of important legislation. HF 100, a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis, is making its way through committee hearings.  

Our bill creates a safe, well-regulated, and legal marketplace, including best practices for consumer protection, health, and public safety. It also includes a robust expungement program, so people who have disproportionately been caught in the criminal justice system due to cannabis can move on with their lives. 

HF 100 still has about a dozen stops to make in various committees before we vote on the House floor. We are doing our due diligence to make sure this bill does right by Minnesotans. 

Stay Connected

To stay up to date with our important work at the State Capitol, you can see the Minnesota House of Public Information Services’ nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. 

You can also stay up-to-date with the latest by following my Facebook page. 

To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.nathan.coulter@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4218, and I will be happy to help. If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe. 

It is an honor to serve you.  

In solidarity,  

Rep. Nathan Coulter