Dear Neighbors,
I hope this finds you well. Committees met their first deadline for all policy related bills on Friday. This will help us narrow our focus and stay on track for a timely adjournment on May 20.
A big thank you to all who attended the Senate District 49 Town Hall meeting in Edina last Thursday. Due to my committee obligation that evening, I was unable to leave the Capitol. Please feel free to reach out to share any concerns or questions you have that may not have been addressed.
Here’s an update from the Capitol:
‘Hands-Free’ Update
The Hands-Free Cell Phone bill is expected to be approved by the full Minnesota House of Representatives today. All Minnesotans deserve to be safe on our roadways, crosswalks, and bike lanes, regardless of their mode of transportation. A co-sponsor of the bill, and a longtime supporter, I will be voting in favor of this measure to help save more lives across the state.
Lifting the Ban on Plastic Bags Ban
Recently, my bill to repeal the law preventing communities from banning plastic bags received a public hearing in the Government Operations committee. The legislation permits local cities to decide what best reflects the values of their community. Minnesota Public Radio covered this topic, and you can read more about the bill here.
Minnesota House Approves Equal Rights Amendment Bill
Minnesota women deserve equal rights in all aspects of life. All Minnesotans should have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of gender. House DFLers on Thursday, March 7 approved the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) ballot question to let Minnesotans decide whether or not to give everyone full equality under our Constitution. As the husband to an incredible wife and partner, and father of two daughters, and I was happy to support this important and long overdue measure. The Star Tribune covered the historic vote here.
One day after the House voted to approve Equal Rights Amendment legislation, we celebrated with our fellow Minnesotans at the Capitol on March 8 for a rally in recognition of International Women’s Day.
Click here to listen to an audio clip of House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler speaking at the rally, or watch video of the entire event here.
Constituent Visits
Recently I met with physician assistants from the community and advocates from the Organization for the Deaf and Blind. It was wonderful to hear about their work and all they are doing to improve health and access to communication resources.
Keep in Touch
Please stay in touch on issues important to you and your family. Your input is valued; especially as we are getting closer toward crafting an equitable state budget.
Sincerely,
Steve Elkins
State Representative