Category: SD48

Neighbors,

Thank you for joining Sen. Cwodzinski, Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn and me for the District 48 virtual Town Hall on July 6. We answered your questions about the recently completed legislative session and the newly passed budget. As always, we always appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and questions.

If you were unable to tune in to the town hall, you can watch here.

COVID-19 Vaccination Update

The Minnesota Department of Health reports more than 3 million of our friends and neighbors have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Although the pace of vaccination has slowed, it is still vitally important to get your vaccine to guard against the highly contagious Delta variant showing up in communities across the country and in Minnesota. We owe it to ourselves and our communities to protect each other from the virus.

Neighbors,

The 2021legislative session adjourned early Thursday morning with the successful passage of our two-year budget. We worked hard to negotiate a fair budget to help Minnesotans recover from the past year and thrive in the future. Our compromise budget invests in all Minnesotans but aims to help those most hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic – students, businesses, workers, and families. Earlier today, Gov. Walz signed the remaining budget bills into law. You can read my statement here.

Our budget made historic increases in funding for public schools and preservation of all day pre-K for 4,000 preschoolers. As vice-chair of the Early Childhood Committee and a negotiator of the final Education budget, I am proud of the collaborative, compromise final product. The positive impact the budget will have on our students cannot be overstated. Historic investments in our students now and going forward will give our students a bright future, no matter where they live or what they look like. You can read my news release here.

Here are some other highlights of the budget:

Neighbors,

Progress is being made as the legislature assembles the two-year budget. We have already passed several budget bills and expect to be at work all day Saturday and Sunday approving more compromise bills to finalize our budget before the end of June.

Earlier today, the Environment budget was approved 99-34 and is heading to the Governor for his signature. Minnesotans can be assured that state parks, the zoo, and museums will remain open. The bill also contains Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) recommendations for allocation of lottery money to fund research and habitat preservation. Stronger protection against harmful PFAS chemicals is also part of the budget.

The Jobs and Labor budget was also approved today and provides $8 million in childcare grants to increase the number of providers throughout Minnesota.

Neighbors,

Last week, the regular legislative session adjourned. A budget framework was announced and is in place, and negotiators are working on the final two-year agreement. I will continue to advance priorities for Minnetonka and Eden Prairie and I appreciate your emails and calls.

One year ago today, we learned of the death of George Floyd. Our communities – and the world – reeled from his senseless death. This year at the Capitol, House DFLers moved a sweeping agenda for police reform and accountability, building on bipartisan legislation approved last year.

No matter where we live and how we look, everyone wants to make it home unharmed at the end of the day. Our efforts will continue to ensure every Minnesotan can feel safe in their communities and be treated with respect and fairness.

Neighbors,

The regular legislature session adjourned on Monday, following an announcement by Governor Tim Walz, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka on an outline for a new two-year state budget. The agreement sets up the framework and a roadmap for final negotiations to finish the legislative session.

The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but Minnesotans have been hit unequally. Our bipartisan budget prioritizes those most impacted by COVID-19, enacting a state budget focusing on our students, families, workers, and small businesses. Working groups will begin meeting to finalize agreements on all the individual budget bills and I will continue to advocate for our youngest learners.