Category: Minnesota Legislature

Minnesota House Expected to Approve Hands-Free Cell Phone Bill Today

SAINT PAUL – The Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to approve the hands-free cell phone bill (House File 50) during today’s floor session. Legislators are taking action in response to victims of distracted driving who want to prevent more deaths.

“Distracted driving fatalities are continually on the rise,” said chief sponsor and Transportation Division Chair Frank Hornstein. “Requiring ‘Hands-free’ mode will deliver common sense safety measures to combat these preventable tragedies.”

Sixteen other states and the District of Columbia have hands-free cell phone laws. According to WCCO’s latest Reality Check, crashes and fatalities on the road decrease when states have hands-free cell phone laws on the books.

“Minnesotans deserve to be safe on our roadways,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “There is clear evidence from other states that these types of laws save lives. We’ve heard so many heart-wrenching stories from Minnesotans of family members lost because people are on their smartphones instead of focusing on the road. It’s long past time we got this done.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Expected to Approve Hands-Free Cell Phone Bill Today”

House DFL leaders to hold press conference before vote on bill addressing Minnesota’s opioid crisis

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – During this afternoon’s floor session, the Minnesota House is set to vote on HF 400, a bill authored by House Majority Whip Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) aimed at ending the state’s opioid crisis. Prior to the session, House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park) and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley) will join Rep. Olson for a press conference at 1:30 p.m. at the State Capitol.

The legislation contains a comprehensive set of education, intervention, treatment and recovery strategies, including creation of an Opioid Stewardship Advisory Council. The bill holds pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the crisis through registration fees which will be deposited in an Opioid Stewardship Fund.

WHAT: Press conference previewing House consideration of HF 400, legislation to address Minnesota’s opioid crisis

WHO: Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth), bill author and House Majority Whip; House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park); and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley)

WHEN: Monday, March 18, 2019, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Press Conference Room B971, Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul

 

House DFL set to take action to end Minnesota’s opioid crisis

Legislation funds comprehensive strategies; holds Big Pharma accountable

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House is prepared to vote Monday afternoon on HF 400, a bill authored by Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth), the House Majority Whip, aimed at ending the state’s opioid crisis. The legislation has robust strategies for prevention, education, intervention, training, treatment and recovery.

“Minnesotans truly can’t wait any longer for leaders in this state to take meaningful action to address the terrible tragedies caused by this crisis,” Rep. Olson said. “The bill we’re set to pass today off the House floor looks at the issues around opioids in a holistic way, delivering resources to our communities to save lives. It also ensures long-overdue accountability for the drug makers who have profited off this crisis, and so-far have refused to be part of any solution.” Continue reading “House DFL set to take action to end Minnesota’s opioid crisis”

DFL Lawmakers, Hands-Free Cell Phone Advocates Announce Monday Morning Press Conference

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – DFL lawmakers and Minnesotans who support the hands-free cell phone bill (House File 50) are holding a press conference Monday, March 18 at 11 a.m. in Capitol Room B971. This is an opportunity for members of the press to hear directly from Minnesotans and ask questions before the entire Minnesota House votes on the bill later in the day.

What:  Press conference about the hands-free cell phone bill (House File 50).

Who:

  • Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman
  • House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler
  • Rep. Frank Hornstein (chief sponsor of HF 50)
  • Minnesotans with family members killed as a result of distracted driving
  • Minnesotans who support the hands-free cell phone bill, including public safety leaders and business leaders

When:  Monday, March 18 at 11 am

Where:  Capitol Room B971

New Call of the Senate with Senator Sandy Pappas

Their newest podcast episode was released this morning featuring Senator Sandy Pappas. Currently serving her 9th term, Senator Pappas has almost seen it all here in St Paul. Over the course of her 30+ years in the capitol, Senator Pappas has been a fierce advocate for gender equality, the working class, and Minnesota’s immigrant communities. She was the second female President in the history of the Senate, and she continues to fight for fairness and civility in Minnesota. Hear about her diverse experiences serving as a state legislator, as well as her personal background.

Here are the many ways you can tune in and listen to Senator Pappas and the others who have been on so far:

SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/callofthesenate

Buzzsprout: http://callofthesenate.buzzsprout.com

Senate DFL website: https://senatedfl.mn/callofthesenate

Search for “Call of the Senate” on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play

House DFL leaders to hold press conference Monday before vote on bill addressing Minnesota’s opioid crisis

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – During Monday afternoon’s floor session, the Minnesota House is set to vote on HF 400, a bill authored by House Majority Whip Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) aimed at ending the state’s opioid crisis. Prior to the session, House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park) and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley) will join Rep. Olson for a press conference at 1:30 p.m. at the State Capitol.

The legislation contains a comprehensive set of education, intervention, treatment and recovery strategies, including creation of an Opioid Stewardship Advisory Council. The bill holds pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the crisis through registration fees which will be deposited in an Opioid Stewardship Fund.

WHAT: Press conference previewing House consideration of HF 400, legislation to address Minnesota’s opioid crisis

WHO: Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth), bill author and House Majority Whip; House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park); and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley)

WHEN: Monday, March 18, 2019, 1:30 pm

WHERE: Press Conference Room B971, Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul

Senate DFL Week in Review: March 14, 2019

WEEK TEN: March 14, 2019

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Halfway through the 2019 session and Senate Republicans block many priorities Minnesotans want

The legislature is at the halfway point of the 2019 session, with the first committee deadline closing out the week. The first deadline requires policy bills to have had their first hearing in the committee of origin unless the companion bill in the House has been heard. Finance, tax, and capital investment bills do not have to meet this deadline. As this deadline passes, many bills that benefit Minnesotans have been denied hearings. Continue reading “Senate DFL Week in Review: March 14, 2019”

Why I introduced the recreational cannabis legalization bill


Earlier this session, I introduced SF 619, a bipartisan bill that would legalize recreational cannabis for adults at least 21 years old.

This legislation will further decriminalize and regulate cannabis use in Minnesota. The bill will primarily focus on the regulatory framework to provide for responsible oversight of recreational use of cannabis.

In 2013, when medical cannabis became law, policymakers and members of the public participated in a month-long conversation about the merits of legalization of medical cannabis. While emotions ran high, a bipartisan consensus created a carefully regulated system with safeguards to prevent abuse. As more states legalize cannabis for recreational use, most recently our Midwest neighbor Michigan, Minnesota has thus far been reluctant to engage in the kind of serious conversations that happened five years ago, until now. SF 619 is receiving its first hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, and I welcome a respectful debate to address the public’s concerns and the challenges to implementation.

View the complete March 13 commentary by Sen. Melissa Franzen (SD49) on The Sun-Current website here.

House, Senate must create a budget that reflects priorities of Minnesotans

Perhaps the most important role of the Legislature is the role it plays in creating a state budget. We must create a budget covering areas from education to transportation, human services to natural resources, and many other issues that make a daily impact on the lives of Minnesotans.

The budget is the biggest item on the agenda for my colleagues in both the Senate and the House this year. Entering the third month of the 2019 Legislative Session, we have a clearer picture of our state’s economic outlook with the updated February Forecast we received on Feb. 28.

According to the Minnesota Management and Budget office, the state has a positive budget balance of just over $1 billion, a balance that has decreased $492 million since November. On the one hand, our economy continues to do well; but on the other hand, this decrease, and the potential for a future economic downturn, is concerning. It’s up to us to balance the need for forward-thinking investment in our priorities and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. We cannot jeopardize the long-term health of the state’s finances with short-term decisions.

View the complete March 11 commentary by Sen. Steve Cwodzinski on The Eden Prairie News website here.

Omnibus elections bill includes felon voting rights, automatic voter registration

Restoration of voting rights for felons who have completed their time behind bars, automatic voter registration and statewide early voting are among measures included in the omnibus elections bill that cleared its first House hurdle on Wednesday.

HF1603, sponsored by Rep. Raymond Dehn (DFL-Mpls), includes roughly two-dozen elections-related measures that would impact the way Minnesotans register to vote, cast absentee ballots, change how candidates can spend funds on security, and would add the state to a growing group of states attempting to move toward awarding Electoral College votes based on the outcome of the national popular vote.

Comprised of bills heard previously in the House Subcommittee on Elections, the proposed legislation was approved, as amended, on a 5-3 party-line vote. It now heads to the House Government Operations Committee and is expected to eventually be incorporated in the omnibus state government finance bill, Dehn said.

View the complete March 13 article by Jonathan Avise on the Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services website here.