 Dear neighbors, I wanted to share a brief update on the current status at the Capitol. As I mentioned in my last update, just before the midnight deadline on May 19, the Minnesota House officially adjourned the 2025 regular legislative session. We successfully passed many of our key budget bills in time, sending them to the Governor’s desk for his signature. However, about ten remaining components of the budget were still tied up in negotiations. As a result, we’ll need to return for a brief special session to complete our work. Special sessions aren’t unusual in budget years, especially when government control is divided. In fact, the only recent budget year we avoided one was in 2023, when DFL leadership in the House, Senate, and Governor’s office collaborated to pass one of the most impactful budgets in state history. Just before I sent this out today, an agreement was reached between House & Senate leadership and the Governor that a special session will start next Monday, June 9th, at 10:00 am. So the next time I send out an update, it will be about how the special session was completed! Wildfires and our Air QualityThe recent poor air quality across our community is yet another stark reminder of the growing impacts of climate change. The thick haze from wildfire smoke is becoming an all-too-familiar sight. Climate change fuels hotter, drier conditions, which drive more frequent and intense wildfires. According to the World Resources Institute, forest fires are now destroying more than twice as much tree cover as they did just 20 years ago. The trend is only worsening as global temperatures continue to rise. Minnesota is on the frontlines. The northern part of our state is part of the northern boreal forest, one of the regions warming faster than the global average. Alarmingly, 70% of all wildfire-related tree loss worldwide is happening in boreal regions like northern Minnesota. We can’t afford to ignore this. Bold climate action is no longer optional. It’s urgent. Much of what we did this year in the Energy and Transportation Committees is fight against rollbacks of key climate policies passed in prior years. While we were largely successful, it also is a lost opportunity to keep making progress on climate action.  Photo Credit: MPR News Clean Energy = Jobs While wildfire smoke reminds us of the urgent need to tackle climate change, we’re also seeing positive action right here in Minnesota. Just a few days ago, I joined the House DFL Energy team at the ribbon cutting for Heliene’s new solar module manufacturing line in Rogers, MN. This expansion means 220 new clean energy jobs and over 500 megawatts of solar production capacity each year, which is enough to power thousands of homes. As our Senator Amy Klobuchar said at the event, she “loved the sound of Minnesota jobs.” So do I! Clean energy isn't just about reducing emissions. It's about creating good-paying jobs, lowering electricity costs, improving air quality, and building a stronger, more resilient economy. Minnesota is proving that we don’t have to choose between economic growth and climate action. We can and must do both.  Happy Pride Month! As we celebrate Pride, we reaffirm our commitment to making Minnesota a welcoming, inclusive, and affirming place for everyone, no matter who you are or who you love. While some national figures and extremist movements work to roll back hard-won rights and target LGBTQ+ youth and communities, here in Minnesota we’re standing firm. We’re protecting freedoms, advancing equality, and continuing the work to ensure every person can live openly, safely, and proudly as their authentic self.  |