Friends and neighbors,
We’re heading into the home stretch of this year’s legislative session, which means we’re busier than ever. Between being on the House Floor till midnight most nights to meeting with constituents, there’s no shortage of work to do in these last few weeks. With Spring finally peeking around the corner, there’s been a renewed enthusiasm in the halls of the State Office Building. Here’s the latest from the Capitol.
Thursday, Governor Walz signed three major bills into law: the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, the Trans Refuge Bill, and the Conversion Therapy Ban. These bills – now laws – are a major victory for Minnesotans, as we became an island of refuge for those seeking kindness, compassion, and understanding. With the signing of these bills, we send a message to folks from all corners of the country that says “you’re welcome in Minnesota, and you’re safe in Minnesota.” I’m deeply grateful to have joined my colleagues for this moment in history.
Legalizing Cannabis
We know the prohibition of cannabis is doing more harm than good. This week, the Minnesota House approved a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis and expunge the records of those convicted of nonviolent cannabis-related crimes.
This bill has been years in the making, and went through over a dozen committees before a House Floor vote to make sure we had the smartest and safest bill possible. Once signed into law, Minnesota will become the 22nd state to legalize adult-use cannabis and the third state in the Midwest.
Supporting children, families, and early learning
Last week, we passed the Children, Families, and Early Learning budget. The bill invests more than $2 billion in early care and learning, homelessness prevention and support, food security, child welfare, and more. Included in the budget is my bill for Early learning scholarships and developmental screening aid. I’m incredibly excited to see this bill pass after many months of hard work in committee. It shouldn’t matter where you live, what you look like, or what your background is – every single child deserves a world-class education in Minnesota, and every student deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The State of the State
Last Wednesday night, Governor Walz delivered the State of the State address from the House Floor. Now that we’re more than 100 days into Walz’s second term, we can look back and see all of the great things we’ve done for Minnesotans together.
It’s no coincidence that we are making immense progress this session: we have the youngest and most diverse legislature in our state’s history, with leaders who are committed to getting things done for 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.
Thank you, as always, for the honor of serving you.
Rep. Nathan Coulter