Dear neighbor,
We had another productive week here at the Capitol. My colleagues and I have continued our work on policy bills that aim to improve the lives of working and middle class families.
Here is an update on what we’ve been up to this week.
Legislative Survey
Listening to constituents is the most important part of my job as your state representative! I’m interested to hear about your viewpoints, ideas, and input about our state. Please take a few moments to share your thoughts by completing my 2024 legislative survey.
Committee Hearings
I presented a number of my bills to different committees this week. In the House Human Services Committee, I presented House File 3711, which would allow out-of-home respite for children to be offered in unlicensed settings. Out-of-home respite is provided to a person in a setting that is not their home, and can include public spaces. A change made in 2020 limited respite care for children to only licensed settings, which resulted in a loss of trusted options for many families. Access to safe and reliable respite is crucial for families throughout the state needing to take a break from their caregiving responsibilities. This bill is a necessary step to help find a solution to this problem and help get families the care they need.
On Wednesday, I presented my bill House Fille 3712 to the Human Services Policy Committee. This bill seeks to delay the implementation of adult family foster care rate tiers and create a taskforce to study these proposed tiers and the impact they would have on individuals. This delay and taskforce will ensure that providers are prepared for any rate changes, and that families get the care that they deserve.
You can keep track of these and all my other bills’ progress here.
Property Tax Refund
With tax season underway, DFLers worked diligently to ensure Minnesota families have access to the tax credits and deductions they've earned, strengthening their financial foundation. We worked to simplify the Property Tax Refund, making sure every renter will receive the refund they deserve, one third of whom are seniors or people with disabilities.
You can qualify for the $204 average refund by visiting www.revenue.state.mn.us/property-tax-refund.
Stay Connected with the Legislature
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so call or email any time. You can find my information on my House website. You can also like my Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter.
It is an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Kim Hicks
State Representative