Legislative Update - The First Week of Session

Dear Neighbors, 

I want to thank our community and all the collective individuals who supported me on this journey to the Minnesota House. In taking the oath of office last week, I promise to strive to build a better, more inclusive Minnesota.

I’m incredibly proud to be the first openly transgender lawmaker in our state, but more than that, I look forward to putting in the work to encourage and enable all Minnesotans to step up and make their voices heard.

There’s a lot of work ahead of us, with the dire need to protect reproductive rights, address climate change, fully fund education, create a public safety system that works for all, and so much more, but these are challenges we can meet when working together - and baked goods from Governor Walz help too.

We’re one week in, and we’ve hit the ground running. I’m so excited to share what I’ll be working on in the weeks ahead. Thank you again for this incredible honor.

Priorities to Move Minnesota Forward

Minnesotans made their voices loud and clear during the 2022 election. They’re tired of the fear, hate, and obstructionism coming from Republican leaders, and in response delivered a DFL “trifecta” with Democrats in control of the Minnesota House, Senate, and Governorship.

Now is the time for bold action. Though our state is currently experiencing a historic economic surplus, many in our community and throughout Minnesota are struggling. In a united effort, House and Senate leadership unveiled our coordinated priorities to move Minnesota forward this session:

This is by no means a comprehensive list of everything we’ll address this year, but a snapshot of things to come. What would you like to see addressed this year?

The House’s First Queer Caucus

Another impact of the 2022 election was a nationwide “rainbow wave” of LGBTQ2S+ candidates, and Minnesota was no exception. Building on this momentum, we’ve established the first Queer Caucus in the Minnesota House, and I’m honored to share that I’ve been elected to serve as Chair. 

The Queer Caucus is entering the 2023 legislative session with a robust agenda, centered around healthcare access, equity in the law, and protecting the LGBTQ2S+ community from violence. Among the initiatives for which we will advocate are:

• Protecting LGBTQ2S+ families from discriminatory laws and practices
• Ensuring access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare
• Placing a ban on harmful practices like conversion therapy

I am grateful for this chance to lead, especially at such an important moment for the Queer community in Minnesota. We face serious challenges right now, but there’s an undeniable excitement with the chance to shape the agenda going forward.

Stay Connected

Things are already moving fast at the Minnesota Legislature, and I want to make sure you have the tools and resources available to you to stay in the loop. For my work, you can subscribe to these regular legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.

I also invite you to contact my office with any questions or comments you may have at (651) 296-3824 or rep.leigh.finke@house.mn.gov. My legislative assistant, Dan, or I will be happy to assist you. 

For broader legislative information, you can access the Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services for nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication.

It’s an honor to represent our community in the Minnesota House. 

Sincerely, 

Leigh Finke

State Representative - 66A