| | Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.  Friends and neighbors, Here at the House, we’re hard at work passing budget bills to fund our state government and agencies for the next two years. We are making good progress working across the aisle, and as a result, all our bills are passing with bipartisan support. Due to the current reality of a 67-67 tied House, many of these bills include provisions I support as well as provisions I don’t agree with. However, we must compromise to pass a state budget, and even as bills are passing, conversations are continuing to ensure that the final version is the best it can be. Here’s a quick recap of some of the bills we have voted on so far: - An Agriculture Budget that invests in Farm to School Programs, worker protections for bird flu, and supports new farmers with down payment assistance.
- A Higher Education Budget that makes it easier for Minnesotans to pursue higher education and protects the North Star Promise program.
- A Transportation Budget that builds reliable roads and sturdy bridges, invests in aviation infrastructure, and includes the funding for a full interchange at Hwy. 610 and East River Road in Coon Rapids from my bill HF 181.
- A Veterans Budget that invests in those who served our country and adds focus to reducing veteran suicides.
- A Public Safety & Judiciary Budget that improves and supports victim services, police training, and privacy protections for judges.
- A Legacy Bill that uses our lottery proceeds wisely to enhance our environment, protect our clean water, expand parks and trails, and celebrate arts, culture, and history.
- A State Government and Elections Budget that preserves key services, invests in the Attorney General’s capacity to fight consumer and Medicaid fraud, and supports the state workers.
- A Housing budget that takes steps to address Minnesota’s housing shortage crisis.
- An Environment and Natural Resources Budget that maintains our groundbreaking protection of Minnesotans’ land, water, and air from threats like PFAS, nitrates, and aquatic invasive species.
 Anoka-Hennepin School Board Seeking to Harm Educational Excellence in Our District The Anoka-Hennepin school board has made a deeply concerning decision to reject expert-recommended curriculum updates for physics and social studies, while mandating the creation of an in-house social skills curriculum. As your State Representative, former School Board member, and educator with classroom experience, I'm alarmed by this rejection of teacher expertise and modern educational practices. The board has substituted their personal ideologies for the professional judgment of curriculum specialists and classroom teachers who spent months researching, piloting, and recommending these materials. This approach disregards how students actually learn in today's world—through hands-on experiences, critical thinking, and diverse learning methods that prepare them for modern workplaces requiring creativity, collaboration, and communication skills. Our children deserve an education based on expertise and evidence, not personal ideologies. There are many actionable things we can do to let the Board know that this is not acceptable. The best thing you can do to get involved is attend the next school board meeting on May 19th to voice your concerns. You can also write letters to our local newspapers, like the Anoka County Union Herald, highlighting the importance of updated science curricula and proven teaching methods. Our children's future depends on educational decisions grounded in expertise, not politics. Visit from Sand Creek Elementary! On Monday, I welcomed students from Sand Creek Elementary to the Capitol during their tour! We had a great discussion about compromise. I took a moment to talk with the kids about how we work together in our divided legislature – using pizza! Some of us like sausage, some of us like pepperoni, and a few people even like pineapple. However, at a certain point, it’s time to come together and decide what pizza to order. We may negotiate and agree on a sausage and pepperoni pizza because they are both pretty good (bills),and we may decide not to include pineapple because too many people don’t like it at all (bad bills). While this lesson might have made some of us hungry, it was a great way to get students interested and engaged while learning about how the Minnesota House operates. Happy Mother’s Day Happy Mother’s Day to everyone celebrating this weekend. No matter if you’re a seasoned mom, a new mom, trying to become one, or the mother of a rainbow child, I hope you take a moment this weekend to relax and appreciate the power, joy, happiness, challenges, and heartache that comes with motherhood. This weekend, I’m remembering and honoring my mom and gathering with my family. Stay ConnectedUnfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account.??To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out email at rep.kari.rehrauer@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-1729. You can contact my Legislative Assistant, Chloe, at 651-296-5486 or via email at chloe.keller@house.mn.gov. You can also follow my legislative Facebook page. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you at the Capitol.?? All my best,?? Rep. Kari Rehrauer |