Dear Neighbors,
The 2020 Legislative Session is underway, and we are hitting the ground running! This week, my colleagues and I in the Minnesota House reaffirmed our commitment to our littlest Minnesotans by introducing the Great Start for All Minnesota Children Act, of which I’m incredibly proud to be the author. I stood with legislators and advocates (some of them only a few months old) to make our case for investing in children from birth to age three.
Research shows that the biggest payoff comes in the earliest weeks and months of a child’s life. The Great Start for All Minnesota Children Act invests $500 million in early learning and child care that would positively impact thousands Minnesota children and families across the state.
This will be a heavy lift this session, but it’s worth it! I’m looking forward to updating you on our progress with this bill in the weeks ahead.
The 2020 Census
Starting in March and April of this year, the U.S. Census Bureau will be sending information to every home in our community on how to be properly counted in the 2020 Census. The Census provides critical data that directly impacts our community’s representation and support, with billions of dollars in federal funding going to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. It’s also in the information that will be used to redraw the lines of Minnesota’s Congressional and Legislative Districts, so it’s important that you and your household are accurately counted. You can click here to download a fact sheet with more information, or here to watch a short video.
Additionally, the U.S. Census Bureau needs to fill thousands of temporary positions to conduct the census, including in our community. These positions are crucial to an effective census, and provide flexible hours as well as competitive wages. You can find more information on census jobs here.
Legislating Against Puppy Mills
This session, I’ll be introducing a bill to prevent the sale of pets from puppy and kitty mills in Minnesota’s pet stores. Puppy mills are an inhumane practice, which can tragically result in sick and dying pets. Without puppy mills as an option, more focus can be put on increasing sorely needed rescue adoptions. This is an area where the Eden Prairie City Council has been leading, and it’s time to expand this state-wide.
My family can attest to the benefits of rescues, thanks to our labradoodle, Silas, and there are many responsible breeders in Minnesota to choose from as well. This bill will be introduced next week, and I’m happy to say it already has bipartisan support.
Stay involved this Session
Thank you to everyone that came out for town halls and community meetings during the legislative interim. I believe our work at the legislature is at its best when it’s open and responsive to our community’s needs, and I want to make sure you’re connected to what we’re working on at the State Capitol. We have our first town hall of the session on Saturday, February 29, from 10-11am at Eden Prairie Senior High. For daily to weekly updates, I encourage you to “like” my official Facebook page or subscribe to these legislative email updates. Also, feel free to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or ideas you may have. You can contact me at rep.carlie.kotyza-witthuhn@house.mn or at (651) 296-7449.
While it was a pleasure to meet with many of you individually throughout the interim in Eden Prairie, being back at the Capitol is a special reminder of what an honor and privilege it is to represent our community. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn
State Representative