Legislative Update January 12, 2023
Dear Neighbors,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be your state representative; I am truly humbled by your support. On January 3rd, I was officially sworn in as your representative for District 36B, and I am happy to share that I have already been at work moving forward on the issues that matter to our district and all Minnesotans.
These past two weeks I have participated in many committee hearings and voted to advance important legislation updating our tax code, protections against discrimination in the workplace, and legislation protecting a person’s right over their own reproductive care.
Committee Assignments
I am excited to announce that I have been appointed to serve as the vice-chair of the Sustainable Infrastructure Committee! This new committee will focus on how to leverage state and federal dollars to update our aging infrastructure while also looking forward to how we can make sure our investments factor in climate change and environmental justice concerns.
In addition to serving as Sustainable Infrastructure vice-chair, I will also serve on the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, and the Human Services Policy Committee. These committee assignments will allow me to be an advocate for our district on many issues I heard again and again while knocking on doors last summer and fall. With this legislative session and DFL trifecta, we have an opportunity to make progress on public safety, criminal justice reform, disability legislation and so much more!
Stay Connected!
To stay up to date with our important work at the State Capitol, you can follow my official State Representative Facebook.
To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.brion.curran@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4342, and I will be happy to help. If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe!
Protecting Reproductive Freedom
Politics have no place in a doctor’s office. However, last year the U.S. Supreme Court unraveled a half-century of legal protections guaranteeing the right to an abortion. The Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act protects Minnesotans’ right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term, and the right to abortion, and ensures the right to privacy for personal reproductive health decisions. It also prevents interference by anti-choice politicians who seek to enact or defend medically unnecessary barriers to comprehensive reproductive health care.
As a member of the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, I was proud to vote in favor of the PRO Act as it was heard in our committee on Tuesday, January 10th and I look forward to voting again in support when the bill is heard on the House Floor!
Minnesotans overwhelmingly support the fundamental right of individuals to make their own healthcare decisions. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade sends a clear message that we can’t take these rights for granted. The PRO Act will codify these fundamental rights into law which is essential in guaranteeing reproductive freedom for the long term. We must act now to ensure a future state Supreme Court can’t take away the bodily autonomy of Minnesotans.
Queer Caucus
For the first time ever this legislative session the Minnesota House will have a Queer Caucus, which will be chaired by Rep. Leigh Finke, Minnesota’s first transgender lawmaker! I am so happy to announce that I was elected to serve as the caucus’ vice-chair alongside Rep. Finke.
The formation of the first MN House DFL Queer Caucus is an incredibly powerful piece of history, and I am honored to be part of it as Vice Chair. Attacks on the LGBTQ2S+ community, both in public spaces and in legislatures across the country, have highlighted the importance of banding together against hatred.
Our caucus will be hard at work this session with a robust agenda centered around healthcare access, equity in the law, and protecting the LGBTQ2S+ community from violence. Among the initiatives that the Queer Caucus will advocate for are: Protecting LGBTQ2S+ families from discriminatory laws and practices, ensuring access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare, and placing a ban on harmful practices like conversion therapy.
The CROWN Act
No person should be discriminated against or fear losing their job because of how they style their hair, but unfortunately, that is the reality for POCI Minnesotans. In Minnesota’s at-will employment law, an “unprofessional appearance” can be grounds for termination. In a survey, 80% of African Americans are likely to change their natural hair to meet employer expectations and 50% of African American women feel likely to be dismissed from work, or know someone who has been, for not following their employer’s grooming policy.
The CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) Act adds hair texture and style to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights statutes. After this modification, adverse actions based on the appearance of an individual would be explicitly considered discriminatory actions based on race.
This legislation passed the House with bipartisan support last session and this week passed on a vote of 111-19. I was proud to add my name as a co-author and to vote for it on the House floor!
Meet Your Representatives Event
On Saturday, January 21 at 10:30 AM, the White Bear Lakes Area League of Women Voters will be holding a “Meet Your Representatives” event at the White Bear Lake Library (2150 2nd St, White Bear Lake, MN 55110). A league member will moderate and ask questions to myself and our other SD36 lawmakers about our goals for this legislative session. I hope you can join us and spread the word about this great event!
Sincerely,
Brion Curran
State Representative