Legislative Update from Rep. Andy Smith

Neighbors, 

Now that the Minnesota House is back to an even 67-67 tie, the dynamic has dramatically changed. Now that House Republicans need DFL votes to pass bills out of committee, we're witnessing a newfound willingness from our Republican colleagues to collaborate on critical issues facing Minnesotans. Democrats have effectively leveraged the tie to prevent problematic legislation from progressing while simultaneously working on meaningful bills that genuinely serve our communities - and this wouldn’t be possible without the power-sharing agreement my DFL colleagues and I fought so hard to secure. 

The equal representation in committees has forced our Republican colleagues to finally drop their "my way or the highway" approach and actually come to the table ready to talk. This is a huge victory for Minnesota and reflects what the voters wanted from us in November.  

As your representative, I'm committed to using this advantage to helping craft a balanced budget that benefits all of Minnesota while standing firm on the progressive principles you elected me to champion. This new balance isn't just about playing defense—it's a chance to move Minnesota forward with policies that put people first. 

My Bills

This week, I presented a bill to the Capital Investment Committee supporting the Olmsted Waste-to-Energy Facility's request to build a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). This facility would be a game-changer for our regional recycling efforts, efficiently removing metals, glass, and other non-combustible materials from our waste stream. The proposed MRF would be built right alongside the current Olmsted County Waste-to-Energy Facility, creating a one-stop waste management hub that could become a model for the rest of Minnesota. Right now, Southeastern Minnesota doesn't have anything like this, which means our communities have to ship materials long distances for processing, usually the Twin Cities, costing more money and creating more pollution in the process. 

I also presented a bill in the Agriculture Committee focused on protecting something we can't live without—our water. The bill would take the successful Olmsted County Groundwater Protection and Soil Health Program and expand it to the entire Southeastern Minnesota region. These grants tackle three big challenges: reducing crop nutrients from leaching into our groundwater, keeping nitrogen where it belongs in the soil, and fighting erosion. This approach is smart environmental policy—addressing problems at their source before they become bigger issues while also helping farmers in our region. 

Protect Medicaid, Not Millionaires

While President Trump and Congressional Republicans are busy funding tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy by slashing Medicaid, we're taking action in Minnesota. Should Trump follow through on his promises to slash Medicaid, My DFL colleagues and I have introduced legislation that would have Minnesota's most wealthy pay their fair share to protect this crucial program. I'm proud to be a co-author of this bill. 

Medicaid isn't just another government program - it's the largest source of health insurance in our state, serving seniors, kids, families, and people with disabilities who need support. 

The numbers from Congress's Joint Economic Committee report are alarming: if Republican budget cuts go through, Minnesota could see 89,000 rural residents lose coverage, 130,000 children without insurance, one in six seniors losing nursing home care, and nearly 400,000 Minnesotans total cut off from their healthcare. These aren't just statistics - they're our family and neighbors who would suddenly find themselves without care they depend on.  

Democrats are ready to do everything possible to protect Minnesotans from these harmful policies, because in Minnesota, we believe everyone deserves access to healthcare, not just those who can afford to write big campaign checks. 

Med City Marathon Registration Now Open!

Despite this week’s weather, it is technically Spring here in Rochester, and that means the Med City Marathon is only a month away! The event is all weekend (Sat May 17 - Sun May 18), with family events and kids races.

Registration is now open, so head to the Med City Marathon website to lock in your spot! 

Minnesota Business Survey on Impacts of Tariffs

As Minnesota’s businesses deal with the uncertainty of proposed tariffs and countermeasures, and the implementation of some tariffs and countermeasures, the Minnesota Trade Office and the Department of Employment and Economic Development are collecting information from affected Minnesota businesses. 

We created a brief survey to gather information on the impacts of tariffs on your business. As we are in this period of uncertainty, the state understands you may have a lag in data, so this survey is a way for you to communicate directly with us now. The survey will take less than five minutes of your time to complete. We would appreciate your time to respond to our survey here. 

Community Connection

For many of us, the news coming out of Washington has been overwhelming lately. While working to protect our progress here in Minnesota, I’ve also made a point to spend more time connecting with community. No matter who we are or where we come from, it’s vital that we know and care for our fellow neighbors—we must find common ground with each other and love our community like family.   

We are lucky to have a fantastic library here in Rochester that puts on exciting events for people of all ages. I’ll be featuring free community events from the library and other local partners here this session so you can join in on fun happenings. Registration is required for some events, so be sure to check them out early.     

Here are some fun upcoming events to meet neighbors and make new friends.    

Rochester Public Library: 

• Mega Glow Party for Kids, April 4th, 2:30-3:30, ages 0-12 & families 
• Backyard Photography with Jay Grammond, April 5th, 2-3pm, adults 
• Get Moving Storytime, April 9th 11-11:30am, ages 0-5 
• Queer Book Club, April 10th, 6-7pm, adults 
• Resistance, Voice, and Verse: A Latino Poetry Reading, April 10th, 6-7pm, teens 

Rochester Mayor Kim Norton also launched the Year About Youth initiative in January, and with it a calendar of fun youth-centered events! This year-long campaign is designed to highlight youth development, engagement and opportunities throughout Rochester. Here are some upcoming events from the Year About Youth calendar! 

• The Creative Studio, Fridays & Saturdays through May 31, 11 am-3:30 pm 
• Ageless Art Open House, Sunday, April 27, 12-2 pm  

Stay Connected!

Unfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.andy.smith@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9249, and I will be happy to help.

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Warmly, 

Andy Smith,
State Representative