Legislative Update – March 3, 2023
I hope you all were able to stay safe and warm during last week’s snowstorm. Thank you to all the public works employees who were out in the snow clearing our roads and ensuring Minnesotans were safe. I was glad to be joined a couple of weeks ago by some amazing advocates from Moms Demand Action in Northfield. It is past time to protect our kids by passing common-sense legislation that is supported by the vast majority of Minnesotans like red flag laws and comprehensive background checks.
Bill Presentations
I introduced a bill to develop and enhance the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s farm-to-school program. My bill will increase program funding, help more schools buy local produce for their meals, and include early childhood education in our state’s farm-to-school programs!
Thank you to Ben Doherty from Open Hands Farm near Northfield and members of the Land Stewardship Project and the MinneAg Network who testified in committee and talked about how this program will help farmers expand their businesses and help kids learn more about the food grown right here in Minnesota. As a mother whose children have participated in this program, I am proud to be carrying the bill this year. It's a win for our farmers, students, and rural communities! You can watch the hearing here.
I also presented my bill to help make it easier for students on college campuses to vote. My bill would have colleges send county auditors a list of all students who live in school housing, which counties can use as proof of residence and help register students on election day. I was proud to read a letter from students from St. Olaf, who submitted a letter of support for my legislation—and I thank Secretary of State Steve Simon for his support of the bill!
Cover cropping, reduced tillage, manure management, and crop rotations all increase the quantity of organic carbon in soil—and increase the quality of our soil. That’s why I am carrying a bill to help farmers cover the cost of practices that increase soil health. This bill is a win for our rural farmers and our climate—and I was proud to receive support from a coalition of agricultural producers, farmers’ unions, and environmental organizations. You can read more about and watch my presentation here.
House Floor Update
In the past month, we passed bills to increase the maximum reimbursement rates for all Child Care Assistance Program providers and increase the amount of child care stabilization grants. I was proud to support these investments to help kids, families, and communities thrive. We also passed a bill guaranteeing all workers receive one hour of Earned Sick and Safe Time for every 30 hours worked, so Minnesotans do not have to choose between recovering from an illness and earning a paycheck.
Last week, we passed a bill banning the dangerous and discredited practice of “conversion therapy” for minors and vulnerable adults. We also passed legislation to create an Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls. Finally, we passed a bill to crack down on catalytic converter theft, deterring thieves and bad actors in possession of catalytic converters, and giving local law enforcement another tool to deal with these crimes.
Thursday night, we passed legislation 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. We also voted to ratify labor agreements for state employees and put new guardrails into state law to prevent unconscionable price gouging during times of emergency such as a pandemic or natural disaster.
Stay Connected!
To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.kristi.pursell@house.mn.gov or 651-296-0171, and I will be happy to help. If you were forwarded this email and want to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe!
Sincerely,
Kristi Pursell,
State Representative