Thoughts on the Legislative Session & BudgetThe legislative session is now in full swing. But we’re still in this strange situation where Republicans have a temporary one-seat (67-66) advantage in the House, a temporary one-seat advantage on committees, and are also temporarily chairing all committees. And yet, it still takes 68 votes to pass anything off the House floor. It means that Republicans can bring up whatever bills they would like and pass them through committees and onto the floor - even in cases when they have zero chance of getting 68 votes. That is their prerogative, but it results in a lot of partisan posturing. We’re seeing a slew of dangerous bills that seem to be aimed at harming our most vulnerable populations, including attacks on reproductive healthcare and delaying the Paid Family and Medical Leave law. All this is temporary, because the special election in strongly DFL-leaning District 40B will be held on March 11th. That will very likely result in us being in a 67-67 tie on the floor, and after the winner is sworn in (I’m hearing that would be March 17th) all committees would then be evenly split and co-chaired. At that point, no bill can pass through any committee unless there is bipartisan support on that committee. This is the reality that the voters delivered in the Minnesota House. We’re going to need time to figure out how to work in this kind of an environment, and I think it’s unfortunate that the result of this temporary situation is that it is delaying a lot of the bipartisan work that we all know is required. Our biggest job this session is to pass a budget. We’ll be getting the February budget forecast in the next week or so - and it is this forecast that will form the basis of our work. It’s a tricky time for this, as it is not yet clear how large the impacts will be from tariffs that President Trump is putting in place or what the impacts will be from reduced federal funding in general. In fiscal year 2025, Minnesota is budgeted to receive almost $23B of federal money, about a third of our budget. Stay tuned.  (during one of our crazy warm days last week) Resisting Federal Overreach I have heard from many of you about your concerns with the radical actions being taken by the Trump administration. A large percentage of the executive orders we’re seeing are likely illegal. I’m thankful for Attorney General Ellison who is contesting many of them. I want to assure you that I will use all of my power to resist illegal, hateful, racist, xenophobic, and discriminatory actions coming from the federal government. I will fight to protect the rights of our LGBTQ, Black, Brown, and immigrant communities. What we’re seeing is a tremendous amount of “othering” and blaming of minority groups for our problems. It’s an easy thing to do, but it’s both morally and economically wrong. From my 25-year business career, I learned that diversity yields better decisions, better results, better resiliency, and just a better, more vibrant organizational environment. As of 2024, 46% of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or children of immigrants. With the new federal administration, it’s more clear than ever: our economy is tilted in favor of the wealthiest and most powerful among us. My DFL colleagues and I are fighting to level the playing field to give working families the tools they need to succeed and thrive. My WorkYou can see the current bills where I’m the lead author here. Some of the bills that have been requiring the most amount of my time, on housing, DWI policy, and a key electric grid initiative around Virtual Power Plants, are not yet introduced. More to come on them in subsequent newsletters. I’ll plan on getting into detail on at least one bill each newsletter. Now, I’m going to highlight HF1685, which centers on Metro Transit’s Transit Assistance Program (TAP). TAP is designed to make transit more affordable for people with lower incomes. One of the biggest challenges the TAP has is awareness. The bill would have the TAP application integrated within the Minnesota Benefits Portal, which is where people go to apply for benefits like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The result would be more people having access to transit that can help them live and afford their lives. Metro Transit would likely wind up with more fare revenue and increased ridership. And we know that increased ridership can improve safety. Thank you to my friends at Move MN, who brought this idea to me. Last week I was truly honored to be named Associated General Contractors (AGC) 2024 Legislator of the Year. This was based on the work I’ve done over the past two years revamping Minnesota’s excavation policy. I was not expecting to be involved in excavation when I became a legislator, but as I learned especially about the safety challenges in this area, and the impacts of cutting or puncturing an underground utility service (like a gas line), it was something I could not ignore. I’m told it’s the first time that area of statute has been touched in over twenty years. I’m proud of the changes we made to embrace new technology, improve communication processes, and improve safety. The evening was even more special, because my dear friend and mentor, former representative Frank Hornstein, was also honored with a lifetime achievement award.   Extreme Risk Protection Orders are saving lives During the 2023 legislative session, Minnesota Democrats took bold action to protect our communities against gun violence. One of the measures lawmakers enacted allows for Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), also known as a “red flag” law. This tool helps prevent tragedies by allowing law enforcement and family members to request court orders temporarily removing firearms from individuals who pose an imminent risk of harming themselves or others. After one year of implementation, the evidence is clear: Extreme Risk Protection Orders are protecting Minnesotans from senseless gun violence. The Star Tribune recently published an op-ed spotlighting the impact of this important law, which you can read here. So far, 135 ERPO cases have been filed, with law enforcement initiating the vast majority of the petitions. The red flag law is saving lives, particularly in situations involving domestic violence or when individuals are experiencing mental health crises. Minnesotans overwhelmingly support common-sense gun violence prevention measures, like ERPOs and criminal background checks, and House DFLers remain committed to keeping our communities safe. Child Tax Credit and Renter’s CreditTax Season is in full swing, and there are two key credits to keep in mind as you file this year, both of which were fought for by the DFL last biennium - the Child Tax Credit and recent changes to the Renter’s Credit. I was proud to author the Renter’s Credit law to simplify the process for all Minnesotans. Minnesota renters eligible for a property tax refund will now claim their Renter’s Credit on their Minnesota Individual Income Tax return. The Renter’s Credit will be part of their income tax refund amount, and can be applied to the amount owed on their income tax return, or to other debts referred to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Having the Renter’s Credit on the state income tax form will simplify filing for the around 300,000 renters who claim a property tax refund each year. Renters will no longer have to file a separate return and wait until August or September to get their refund. You can learn more about the Renter’s Credit on the Department of Revenue website.  To check your eligibility and learn more about Minnesota’s Child Tax Credit, please check out the Minnesota Department of Revenue's website. This is a good resource to have handy when you file your taxes, and remember: if you are eligible for the child tax credit, you must file for it; it is not automatic. Don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you need help or have questions. Meeting with ConstituentsI always enjoy Youth Day at the Capitol, where I get the privilege to meet with incredible young Minnesotans advocating for change! I had a robust discussion with youth from Beth El Synagogue, and Children First’s Youth for Change Coalition of St. Louis Park. We had excellent discussions on affordable housing, mental health, & substance abuse. Very inspiring!   Our nurses do a phenomenal job at ensuring care for our patients and are the backbone of quality healthcare. It was an honor to join Rep Youakim and meet with the Minnesota Nurses Association!  I also recently met with a team from St. Louis Park Public Schools to hear about their needs from the legislature, including Superintendent Dr. Carlondrea Hines. Note to folks that come meet with me at the Capitol - it’s not always possible, but if we can do it at the Centennial Office Building, where my office is, then I can serve you some homemade ice cream!  I’ve had many other constituent meetings; here are some more photos.  Intern Spotlight - Meet Sanket!This session I have the privilege of working with Sanket Deshpande, a Sophomore at UMN who will be interning for me! Below is a message from Sanket: “Hi! My name is Sanket Deshpande, I’m from Iowa City, Iowa, and I am a sophomore at the University of Minnesota studying Economics and Political Science. I am super interested in wealth inequality and how government can create a more equitable society for everyone. I am also very interested in the influence that corporations have in our government and how we can transfer political power back into the hands of ordinary people. I have had an amazing time interning for Representative Kraft because I have been able to dive deeper into climate policy and how my interests in economics and corporate power tie into the growing climate crisis we currently face. Outside of my internship, I enjoy learning about politics and watching documentaries, rock climbing, and traveling with friends and family. I am immensely excited to continue finding solutions to issues like climate change and inequity alongside Rep. Kraft!”  |