Legislative Update 3.14

Legislative Update

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

There have been a few developments I’d like to touch on. Last week, we held a press conference to discuss our plans on restoring the right to self-defense in Minnesota, the special election in District 40B concluded with the Democrats retaking that seat, and I have continued my work on securing capital investments for our district.

I’ll break down these topics below. If there’s something you’d like to see me discuss in detail, please reach out and let me know so I can include it in these newsletters.

Common-sense Gun Laws in Minnesota

Last Wednesday, House Republicans held a press conference to discuss HF-13, a bill focused on eliminating the duty to retreat and restoring commonsense gun laws in Minnesota.

Under current law, individuals are required to exhaust all possible options before resorting to self-defense or coming to the defense of others. This sort of reasoning only serves to endanger law-abiding Minnesotans and reward criminals.

Democrats should focus more on preventing crime than coming up with policies that criminalize victims. Legislation that allows people to protect themselves and their families from immediate harm should not be considered a radical idea.

It’s not just Republicans who feel this way – former DFL House Speaker and current State Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen argued that the ruling was "completely divorced from state statute," "flies in the face of human nature," and is "without precedent in the United States."

HF-13 is just the latest example of common-sense legislation put forth by common-sense lawmakers, with the goal of making Minnesota a safer place to live and work – with laws that discourage criminality and protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.

The Impact of the Special Election in 40B

On Tuesday, we learned that the Democrats had retaken the seat in District 40B following the special election, with David Gottfried (D) defeating Paul Wikstrom (R). As a result, the House is now evenly split at 67-67.

Despite this shift, Republicans still retain a strong position in the House. While Committee Chairs will rotate between parties, Representative Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) will remain in her role as Speaker for the entire biennium. This arrangement will prevent more of the same harmful legislation from reaching the floor and ensure that any bills that do make it are carefully considered and balanced.

Capital Investments – Improving our Communities

This week, I continued my work on HF-1056, legislation that provides funding for the city of St. Francis to construct water and sewer improvements along Highway 47.

I also met with representatives from the Minnesota Department of Transportation for District 3 to discuss current transportation issues and the possibility of future projects in our district.

I will continue working to ensure our communities have the infrastructure needed not only for a high quality of life but also to provide the resources necessary for the growth of our businesses, parks, and housing.