Legislative Update – May 2, 2024
Dear neighbors,
We are in the midst of long days on the House Floor, with debate on our budget and policy bills often lasting right up to midnight. House DFLers are focused on passing legislation that improves the lives of working and middle class families across Minnesota.
I was glad to join Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman recently as we officially sent my bill updating the Uniform Commercial Code to the Governor for his signature. While not flashy, this bill is critical to ensuring Minnesota’s digital banking laws are consistent with the majority of states across the country. By doing so, we can rest assured our digital assets are being handled using the most secure and up-to-date practices.
Labor bill includes provision addressing Water Gremlin noncompliance
This week, the House passed our 2024 Labor and Industry budget and policy bill, which includes legislation to catch worker misclassification fraud, allow employees to access their employment records, strengthen prevailing wage laws, and create a new job training center for building trades.
I’m proud to report that the bill includes my provision, HF 4713, legislation calling on the Department of Labor and Industry to adopt new standards for unsafe levels of lead in their blood. This legislation is key to understanding the true impacts of Water Gremlin’s noncompliance and protecting our residents' health and safety.
House Floor Action
The House continues to debate and pass supplemental budget and policy bills on the floor, covering important issues such as education, labor, housing, the environment, and more. Our work this year builds on last year’s historic successes and works to improve the lives of working and middle class Minnesotans. Recently, the House has passed:
- A broadly bipartisan bill investing $240 million in our outdoors, clean water, parks and trails, and cultural heritage from the Legacy Amendment fund.
- A K-12 Education bill that boosts resources for the READ Act to improve literacy, moves forward solutions for student wellbeing, and enhances support for teachers.
- An Environment and Natural Resources bill with new investments in tree planting, improving air quality, holding repeat polluters accountable, and tackling solid waste and recycling.
- A Children and Families bill that reforms our child protection system and builds on historic investments in economic support for families, food security, and emergency shelter.
- A Transportation, Labor, and Housing bill that invests in railroad safety and public transit, enhances worker rights and safety, improves housing stability for renters and seniors, and funds homelessness prevention.
Minnesota’s Climate Progress!
You may have seen MPR’s recent climate story - Report finds Minnesota outpacing the country in carbon-free electricity. Minnesota has produced more than half our energy from carbon-free sources for the fourth year in a row, and seen a 10% annual drop in greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector!
The report, released by Clean Energy Economy Minnesota and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, shows clearly that the steps we are taking at the Legislature to address and combat climate change are working. We can’t afford to backtrack on our progress.
Minnesota is leading the way toward a cleaner, greener future! House Democrats are taking action on climate change with the urgency required, and we will keep working to accelerate our transition to carbon-free energy sources.
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.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!
Sincerely,
Brion Curran
State Representative