Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from the Minnesota House, where the second week of the 2023 legislative session is concluding after the 93rd Legislature was installed Jan. 3 at the Capitol. I am humbled to represent the people of District 30A and honored to serve as your voice in the House.
Before we get to my latest notes from the Capitol, I would like to mention you are receiving this email because you were subscribed to receive messages from now-Sen. Eric Lucero, my predecessor from this area in the House. While I would love for you to stay on board to receive periodic newsletters from me in the future, you can click the unsubscribe feature at the bottom of this message should you wish to opt out.
With that formality out of the way, here’s the latest from St. Paul:
Committee work
Committees are up and running, have worked their way through introductory meetings and are now conducting bill hearings. I serve on panels related to public safety and children/families.
It quickly became apparent how connected the work of these two committees are. After all, criminal behavior often correlates to adverse childhood experiences and lack of proper support in early childhood. An expert testifier, speaking before the Children and Families committee, affirmed the tremendous importance of caring relationships between young children and nurturing adults. That remains true throughout life. We never outgrow the need for positive nurturing relationships. I look forward to exploring ways to foster such relationships for those who have offended and landed in the criminal justice system. Rehabilitation starts with relationships.
Tax conformity
The Minnesota House on Monday overwhelmingly passed legislation allowing state taxpayers to take advantage of numerous tax provisions already approved at the federal level.
This move will help sectors that were hardest hit from shutdowns the governor forced amid the pandemic – especially restaurant, hospitality, and entertainment industries. It was important to act on this issue now to make for a smoother 2023 tax season because there is enough time to apply necessary software updates.
At least seven federal bills have been passed into law since Minnesota last enacted legislation to match congressional changes. This common-sense update to our state’s tax code is long overdue and stands as an early example of bipartisan cooperation in the 2023 session. Language the House passed Monday specifies taxpayers have until Dec. 31 to file an amended return.
The Senate followed suit by approving this bill as well this week and the governor signed it into law today.
Abortion bill
Democrats hold the legislative majorities in St. Paul, and they revealed where their priorities lie with House File 1, a bill which would enable the killing of the unborn at any stage of pregnancy without exception. They call it the PRO Act.
Reasonable amendments were offered and rejected in the Health Finance Committee, which moved the bill forward without these changes:
- Requiring 2nd and 3rd trimester abortions to be performed in a hospital (currently, abortion clinics are NOT licensed or regulated in the state of Minnesota)
- BANNING the barbaric practice of partial birth abortions (that’s where you pull the child almost entirely out of the birth canal, leave its head in so it is technically not “born,” then snip a hole in the back of its head with scissors and suck its brain out with a catheter).
- BANNING abortions in the 3rd trimester (26 weeks), while the amendment still allowed exceptions for rape/incest/life of the mother
- REQUIRING parents of minor children to be informed of an abortion (currently in Minnesota a 12 year old could be brought to an abortion clinic by any adult without the parents being informed)
Democrats voted against each of these amendments along party lines, which is to say they approve of each of those unconscionable practices taking place.
This bill will likely come to the House floor for debate and subsequent vote soon, so I may have more to say about this issue at that point.
Stay in touch
Thank you for sending me to represent you in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Again, I am deeply honored and mindful of the responsibility it entails. Reach out at rep.walter.hudson@house.mn.gov or 651-296-1534 to provide input or let me know how I can help.
Sincerely,
Walter