Dear Neighbors,
On Sunday, Daunte Wright – a son, father, nephew and 20 year old Minnesotan was killed by an officer in Brooklyn Center. My heart goes out to his family for their tremendous loss. There is no question that Daunte Wright should be alive today. As a mother, I am both sad and angry over what parents of Black children face every day when they send their children out into the world.
As a public safety committee member, I am committed to policy work that will ensure every Minnesotan is safe – we must address the injustices in our communities that Black, Brown, and Indigenous community members face on a daily basis. This week legislation was proposed that would limit the ability of law enforcement to make stops based solely on minor equipment violations such as expired tabs or having something hanging from the rear view mirror. Many Policing reforms were also passed last Summer after the killing of George Flloyd. The time to address bias that lives in communities is now. We as a State must demand better — each and every one of us has a role to play in keeping all Minnesotans safe.
Minnesota Vaccine Update
Today, 1.5 million Minnesotans are now fully vaccinated. Last week my husband and I received our vaccines at the Minneapolis Urban League – we are most grateful to Nurse Kelly and Black Nurses Rock for all of their tireless efforts in vaccinating Minnesotans.
Need a Vaccine? Sign up on the Vaccine Connector, or use the Vaccine Finder to find locations that have available vaccines.
The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met on Wednesday regarding the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and has noted that the pause will continue for one more week for this vaccine. That said, vaccines continue with Maderna and Pfizer in Minnesota and across the U.S.
MN House of Representatives Passes the Housing Omnibus Bill Thursday Evening
Having a safe and secure place to call home is critical for Minnesotans’ health, economic security, and opportunities for achievement. Stable housing is the foundation for success. Our Housing budget will produce more affordable housing in Minnesota as well as ensure Minnesotans have access to safe and stable housing. A copy of the legislation can be reviewed here.
The next stop for this legislation is to be negotiated with the Senate in a conference committee. The above bill is the House position to start the negotiation. I will post the final results of the conference committee in the next few weeks.