Dear Neighbors,
With only about a month and a half left of session we are entering the final stretch. The next couple of weeks will be occupied with long floor sessions as we work to pass comprehensive policy bills. As always our legislation is focusing on improving the lives of working and middle class Minnesotans as we fight to make Minnesota a better place to live.
For more frequent updates of what I’m working on, be sure to follow me on my official Facebook page.
I had a wonderful time presenting my bill to provide grant funding for Playworks Minnesota. Playworks play a critical role in serving families and children. They do a great job of teaching our kids how to play, interact, and learn about the world around them. We even had some amazing testifiers who led legislators through a game of Simon Says!
House Floor Votes
This week the House began passing policy bill packages in major issue areas, building on the work of our historically productive 2023 session and improving the lives of Minnesotans. The House passed two policy bills supporting our Departments of Military Affairs and Veterans Affairs, which passed with unanimous support!
We also passed a higher education policy bill that includes the clean energy sector in our Workforce Development Scholarship Program and expands support in higher education for students who have a disability. We also passed an early education policy bill focused on strengthening our pre-kindergarten and school readiness program. Finally, we passed a transportation policy package that improves road safety, DVS wait times, child passenger safety, and consumer protections.
Building a Clean Energy Future
In 2023, lawmakers enacted a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. To achieve this benchmark – one of the most ambitious in the nation – we need wind and solar farms to generate clean energy and transmission lines to carry that energy to the electric grid. Today, about 51% of Minnesota’s electricity comes from carbon-free sources, but according to research, to reach our 100% goal, Minnesota must double the current pace at which new solar and wind energy sources are being developed.
That’s why I support the Minnesota Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act. This legislation – which has earned broad support from Minnesota utilities, clean energy advocates, and our partners in labor – will eliminate redundancies, increase transparency, and make Minnesota’s permitting process more efficient and consistent. The Minnesota Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act will help us meet this critical moment and remove barriers to the clean energy future all Minnesotans deserve.
Veterans Day at the Capitol
Veterans and supporters are invited to participate in the annual Veterans Day on the Hill, on Wednesday, April 17. You can join to advocate for veterans’ issues, meet with legislators and attend the State Capitol rotunda rally. See you there!
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me by email at rep.josiah.hill@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-4124. 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,
Josiah Hill, District 33B
415 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155