Dear Neighbors,
I hope this finds you well and enjoying the new year. With the legislative session set to begin less than a month from today on February 11, Representative Edelson, Senator Franzen and myself will be hosting a town hall meeting on January 30th at Edina City Hall from 6:00-8:00 p.m. I hope you can make it to share ideas and input with the Senate District 49 team.
2020 is a big year for several important new initiatives in Minnesota. Read about them below.
2020 Census: Be Counted! The 2020 Census counts every person living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. The count is mandated by the Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency. The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. Click hereto download a fact sheet with more information, or here to watch a short video.
Minnesota’s Presidential Primary This year, Minnesotans will select candidates for President in a primary election. No matter what your party affiliation is, it’s important to cast your vote and help ensure our government is representative of our shared values.
Absentee balloting for the 2020 Minnesota presidential nominating primary begins on January 17th. You can order an absentee ballot or update your voter registration here. Still have questions? Here’s a short Q and A:
When will the presidential nomination primary take place?
March 3, 2020, with early voting beginning on January 17th.
Will all parties be on the same ballot?
No, each major party will have a separate ballot.
Will there be a place to write in a choice or vote for “uncommitted”?
If it is requested by the party chair. Party chairs will need to submit names of write-in candidates to be counted seven days before the primary.
Will any other offices be on the ballot?
No, only presidential candidates from a major party will appear on the presidential primary ballot. Other offices with a primary will be on the primary ballot in August.
Will parties have to abide by the primary results?
The presidential primary results must bind the election of delegates in each party.
Will there still be precinct caucuses?
Yes, precinct caucuses and local and state nominating conventions will still take place on February 25, 2020 to conduct other party business such as party platform development and the election of party officers and convention delegates.
Legislative Civility Caucus
I have been a regular participant in the Legislature’s Civility Caucus, which is convened by the Minnesota Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution. This bi-partisan group has provided training on how to communicate and collaborate with legislators from across the aisle. Yesterday, I also participated in the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs “Capitol Steps” training program for new legislators. All of the bills that I’m developing, myself, will have Republican Senators as partner authors in the Senate, and Republican co-authors in the House. I’m finding that there are still important bipartisan issues (such as my ongoing work on data privacy) where I can collaborate effectively with my Republican colleagues.
Minnesota Council on Disabilities
On Monday I was a panelist at the Minnesota Council on Disabilities’ annual Legislative Forum. About one out of five Minnesota families include a family member with a disability and, as you’ve been reading in the StarTribune, the delivery of services to this community is uneven, at best. Going back to my days on the Met Council, I have been working to improve the service provided by MetroMobility – last year we passed a bill providing dedicated funding to MetroMobility – and I will be partnering with MCOD on two bills in 2020. One would deliver grants to local governments to help them improve the digital accessibility of their websites to people with visual disabilities. The other would establish a fund to incentivize shared mobility companies, including taxi companies, to add more wheelchair accessible vehicles to their fleets. Otherwise, people who use wheelchairs will be left out of the shared mobility revolution, which is emerging as an attractive alternative to MetroMobility for other members of the disability community.
Climate Action Caucus Update
On Sunday, I attended the Climate Action Caucus’s off-site meeting in West. St. Paul at the Dodge Nature Center. We learned about conservation, mitigation, adaptation and how climate change intersects with our state’s natural resources, in addition to solutions going forward. For more information, you can visit the Climate Action Caucus’s page here.
Keep in Touch
I’m always available by email at rep.steve.elkins@house.mn or via telephone at 651-296-7803. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with feedback or questions. I appreciate hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Steve Elkins
State Representative