Legislative Update - March 13, 2023

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you and your family are doing well. As we arrive about halfway through the session, the pace is picking up even more dramatically. My bills are moving through committees (there’s only a handful more committee hearings left), and the House is passing our agenda to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. I’m so thankful for my colleagues' efforts to create a brighter future for everyone in our state. 

Here is my update from the Capitol.

Our Progress

The House passed more transformative legislation. We passed a bill dedicated to ending homelessness in our state by investing in emergency services programs, transitional housing, outreach, and a pathway to stable housing for all Minnesotans. People across the state are asking for equitable access to housing services and support systems in their communities. The Pathway Home Act provides the ongoing, collective efforts needed to disrupt the violent cycles of homelessness many people are experiencing.

Last Monday, the House passed the local jobs and projects bill (known as “bonding”). It’s exciting to see a bipartisan vote to invest in our state and each other through new and improved public infrastructure. I appreciate that Chair Fue Lee tries to bring a climate and environment lens into the evaluation of projects as we invest in Minnesota’s future.

Last Thursday, the Minnesota House unanimously passed the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, protecting Indigenous children and ensuring they continue to have a lifeline to their culture. There’s a dark, ugly history of separating children from their tribal nations, and this legislation is an important part of having honest, educational conversations about the experiences of Indigenous people. The erasure of Indigenous people and Tribal Nations isn’t only in our past; it is firmly in our present. I was really moved by the powerful floor speeches from several of my colleagues. You can read more about this bill, which is now on its way to Governor Walz’s desk, here.

My Bills

Last week, I introduced HF 1346, a bill to improve Minnesota’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure. With the implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program by the federal government, this bill unlocks $68 million in federal funds over the next five years to install electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers enabling reliable, long-distance EV travel. EVs are imperative to tackling climate change, but we must address concerns potential EV owners might have about EV charging while on longer trips.

I have also introduced a bill to help us transition to more climate-friendly refrigerants. There’s a new generation of refrigerants that have as much as 75% less global warming potential, so the bill prohibits using the State Building Code to bar or limit the use of refrigerants that federal law designates as acceptable to use. With more climate-friendly refrigerants available, we should be doing everything we can to empower businesses to use them.

To see all the bills on which I’m the chief author, you can click here.

Updates

On April 2 at 3:30pm, I will be holding a public town hall at the St. Louis Park Library. I hope you will be able to attend, bring a friend, and ask about the 2023 legislative session.

What a joy to attend the new legislator reception with Education Minnesota, especially because I got to spend some time with Julie Wells, a paraprofessional who taught my kids when they were in kindergarten at Peter Hobart Elementary in St. Louis Park Public Schools! There's much work to be done to fully fund public education and make sure our teachers and support professionals are paid commensurate with how important they are to the development of our most precious resource, our kids.

Happy Women’s History Month! I’m so thankful for all of the women who have contributed to our state and nation. Let’s continue to support women in every facet of our society.

Stay in touch

If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email me at rep.larry.kraft@house.mn.gov or call (651) 296-7026. For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.

Sincerely,

Larry Kraft

State Representative