Dear Neighbors, I hope you and your families have kept safe from last week’s snowstorm. Here at the Capitol, my House colleagues and I are taking action on the biggest issues facing Minnesota. From ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed to protecting our planet, here is an update from Saint Paul.  Free School Meals for Every Minnesota ChildHere in Minnesota, we value education and want to see every child succeed, but with 1 in 6 students trying to learn on an empty stomach we are not living up to those values. With our budget surplus, the House voted to provide free school meals for Minnesota’s students. House File 5 will feed children so they can concentrate in the classroom and achieve their dreams. I’m happy to have signed on as a co-author on the first day of Session, and voted for this legislation ??to slash grocery bills and help families save money.  Protecting Our KidsThis week the Minnesota House passed a ban on conversion therapy (HF 16). Conversion therapy is not therapy at all — it includes a range of dangerous and discredited practices aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s been denounced by every prominent medical and mental health association, including the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This legislation prevents teens and young adults from being coerced into treatments that are ineffective and lead to depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, and even suicide. It also seeks to help prevent parents from being taken advantage of by deceptive agents of the conversion therapy industry. This bill will save lives, which is why I am a co-author and voted for its passage in the House. Banning Harmful Chemicals Given my scientific background and sharing in the concerns of my community, I intend to do all I can to protect our health from PFAS. I applaud the House taking action to regulate use of the harmful PFAS chemicals, and have signed onto many bills . These man-made chemicals can be found in soil and water at waste sites, food packaging, and household products. The fluorine part of the chemicals gives them the “forever chemicals” name because it’s very hard to get rid of. PFAS chemicals have been linked to several health issues such as cancer, developmental, and reproductive issues. Minnesota has the opportunity to be a leader in preventing further human exposure and environmental contamination by banning the use of PFAS in these products. You can learn about them here and watch the press conference on this issue here. Introduced bills that I am co-authoring include HF 372, HF 552, HF 742, HF 1000, and HF 2096. A Great Start for Every ChildA lack of access to affordable, child care for working families is one of the most serious issues facing Minnesota families. Additionally, with low reimbursement rates, childcare providers are struggling to offer competitive wages and in some cases, even keep their doors open. Recently, the House passed a pair of bills with robust investments aimed at stabilizing child care and early learning. HF 13 increases the maximum reimbursement rates for all Child Care Assistance Program-eligible children to 75%, the federal minimum. HF 150 increases the amount of child care stabilization grants – a key initiative launched during the pandemic – for childcare programs. The bill also expands eligibility for early learning scholarships to children aged five or younger. I was proud to support these investments to help kids, families, and communities thrive. Other bills that have passed the House:(*co-author) HF 19 - Creating earned sick and safe time for workers HF 28 - Restoring the right to people who have served their sentence, and are now living in our community HF 29 - Funding to Attorney General’s office for criminal prosecution* HF 30 - Restrictions on possession and purchase of catalytic converters* HF 48 - Declaring Juneteenth a state holiday* HF 90 - Increased funding for public defenders HF 207 - Funding for Lawns to Legumes grant program* HF 213 - Emergency funding for food shelves* What We’re Working on - Bringing Down the Cost of Prescription Drugs Many Minnesotans count on prescription medications to live healthy lives. Unfortunately, the prices of many drugs are growing rapidly, at rates much faster than inflation. As a result, there is an increasing risk of people rationing needed medications or worse, skipping them altogether. Meanwhile, as Minnesotans face increasing costs, drug company profits continue to soar. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has released new data in several interactive dashboards, giving Minnesota consumers and policymakers insight into cost trends. Under an initiative lawmakers passed in 2020, MDH collected and analyzed data from more than 200 manufacturers covering nearly 700 drugs. For the drugs with the fastest growing prices subject to Minnesota reporting, list prices rose an astonishing average of 41.6% from 2017 to 2022! All Minnesotans deserve health care they can afford, and the ability to pay for prescription drugs is a critical aspect of health, well-being, and economic security. House DFLers recognize the high prices of prescription drugs impact everyone in our state, and we’re working on a variety of solutions including those to improve price transparency, crack down on price gouging, eliminate cost-sharing and co-pays, and more. Around the DistrictCongratulations to Knowlan’s Supermarket in Maplewood for being named a MN Grown Retailer of the Year! https://www.mda.state.mn.us/2023-minnesota-grown-retailer-year-winners-announced https://twitter.com/MNagriculture/status/1628062526003990528?s=20 Keep in TouchDo you have questions, comments, or exciting news? 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 |