Dear Neighbors,
This was a very productive week as the various House committees came together across the aisle to craft our budget bills for the year. But that’s not all. I was hard at work advancing important legislation for our community. Here’s an update:
Veteran Relocation Bill - Valuing Veterans and Improving our Workforce
- This week I highlighted my bill to offer relocation bonuses to vets laid off by the federal government who move to Minnesota to take a job.
- Recent news reports have put the number of veterans fired by President Trump and Elon Musk at 6,000. These are some of the finest workers in the country, and we’d love to have them in Minnesota!
- Check out these stories which do a good job of covering the need for this legislation: Star Tribune and WCCO.
Bipartisan Legislation - Helping Businesses Offset Sales Tax Collection
- Bipartisanship was in full swing in the Taxes Committee this week!
- Rep. Kristin Robbins and I co-presented our bills to create a vendor allowance to help businesses offset the cost of collecting sales tax for the state and local governments.
- After the hearing, I had a chance to meet with two of our testifiers: Hillary Feder of Hillary’s in Hopkins and Logan McKee of Games by James.
Paid Family and Medical Leave - Come Learn About This Important New Program
- Minnesota is rolling out Paid Family Medical Leave in 2026. This will allow workers to get paid time off to bond with a newborn or care for an ailing parent.
- Employers will play an important role in making this program a success, so the state is looking for their feedback. That’s why the MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development and MetroNorth Chamber are teaming up to host an Employer Engagement Session on Monday at 8:30 am at the National Sports Center!
- Registration and more info is available here.
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me by email at rep.matt.norris@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-2907. If you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who wants to receive updates about the Legislature, let them know they can subscribe to my email list here, and follow my Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent our community. Please stay in touch!
Sincerely,
Matt Norris, District 32B
5th Floor Centennial Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155