Dear Neighbors,
As we reach the one-month mark of the 2023 Legislative session, I want to take some time to share some highlights. I am excited to start my first term in the Minnesota House, and I am honored to serve as your State Representative. This year, I am on the Climate, Children and Families, Health, and Workforce Development Committees. The news of Minnesota’s budget surplus shows that we have a great opportunity to improve lives and invest in Minnesota.
Here is what we’ve accomplished so far at the Capitol:
Passing Tax Conformity (HF31)
The first bill the House passed was to update Minnesota’s tax code into conformity with federal law. This will result in over $100 million in tax cuts to many Minnesotans while simplifying future tax filings. I’m happy to share this legislation passed unanimously in both chambers and has now been signed into law! Because we passed this bill early in session, the Department of Revenue will be able to incorporate these measures in time for this year’s tax filing season.
Protecting Reproductive Freedom (HF1)
In January, the House voted for the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act. Protecting access to healthcare, including abortion care, was another important issue I heard during my campaign. This bill protects Minnesotans’ right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term, the right to abortion, and ensures the right to privacy for personal reproductive health decisions. I signed on as a co-author for this bill, too, so that my daughters do not lose their right to take care of their own bodies. Politics have no place in a doctor’s office, and I proudly voted for the PRO Act. I was honored to attend the bill’s signing by Governor Walz.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Funding (HF26)
The House unanimously passed legislation to authorize $315,500,000 from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to be provided to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. It was exciting to see bipartisan support to unlock federal funding, because the IIJA is an opportunity to make a large dent in our infrastructure needs across the state. Minnesotans deserve a transportation system that is safe for drivers, pedestrians, and transit users. The IIJA allows us to make that a reality.
100% by 2040 (HF7)
Tackling climate change is a priority for me and for neighbors, and I am proud that I signed on as a co-author. The House recently passed the landmark 100% by 2040 bill to help our state address climate change head-on and prepare for a carbon-free future. We’ll be a leader in the U.S. by requiring the state’s utilities use entirely carbon-free sources for electricity production by 2040. This would put us on track with over 20 other states that have adopted similar goals. It also makes economic sense; wind and solar power are cheaper to produce than energy from fossil fuels and will create good jobs for Minnesotans. I was proud to cast my vote in support of the 100% by 2040 bill on the House floor and will continue working to address and combat climate change this session.
Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization (HF100)
My House DFL colleagues have introduced legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis. Given my scientific background, I signed on as a co-author to ensure the bill is comprehensive. The bill creates a safe, well-regulated, and legal marketplace, including best practices for consumer protection, health, and public safety. It also includes a robust expungement program, so people who have disproportionately been impacted by current law can move on with their lives. The legislation is working its way through committees, and I support this proposal to address inequities, create economic opportunities, and update outdated laws.
Other bills that have passed the House:
- The CROWN Act (HF37) prohibits discrimination based on hair styles and textures.
- The House extended unemployment benefits (HF27) to miners in the Iron Range.
- Budget forecasting will be more accurate now that inflation is accounted for in the expenditures and revenue (HF35). I was excited to sign-on as a co-author.
- I experienced one of the most powerful impacts of passing a bill with Driver’s License for All (HF4). The celebration outside the chambers was amazing now that a right taken away 20 years ago is restored.
Keep in Touch
You can contact me at rep.amanda.hemmingsen-jaeger@house.mn.gov, by phone at 651-296-7807, or on Facebook. I appreciate the opportunity to serve our district in the legislature and look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger
State Representative