December, 2020
Priorities for 2021 legislative session
The next legislative session is right around the corner, and my colleagues and I are already preparing for how we can best serve the people of Minnesota. At the top of my list is relief for those impacted by coronavirus. We need to slow the spread, support our medical professionals, and give aid to those who have had to make tremendous financial sacrifices. Additionally, I will be introducing bills on the following subjects:
- Ensuring all K-12 students have broadband access for distance learning
- Permanently protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Wilderness
- Requiring universal background checks for all firearm purchases
- Making our constitution gender-neutral, as a reminder that our government is for everyone to participate in
- Requiring courses in both American Government and Personal Finance for all high schoolers during their junior or senior year.
Additionally, I may also be introducing a bill to ensure that workers 17 and under can access unemployment insurance benefits. This issue is currently being debated in court, and if the courts determine that state legislation is needed, I will be carrying a bill on that as well.
I have also moved offices for this next legislative session. My new office is 2231 in the Minnesota Senate Building. Looking forward to seeing you all stop by once we are on the other side of this pandemic!
Getting Ready for Redistricting
Once every ten years, our state redraws the lines for our legislative and congressional districts, based on the most recent census. This is an important part of ensuring that our government is most accurately representing the people it serves.
Over the next two years, we will have holding hearings and having discussions about what these maps look like. For the state senate, there are countless ways to divide our state into 67 equal districts. I’m looking forward to playing my part in this important process.
Letters from my youngest constituents
Earlier in November, I received two letters from students at Scenic Heights Elementary School in Minnetonka. They asked to meet with me, and I was more than happy to do so. To top it all off, their teacher was a former student of mine, Ali Wachutka! Moments like these are great reminders of why we do the work that we do.
Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays
This will be my last newsletter of 2020, and I wanted to wish you all a very happy holiday season. Regardless of what you are celebrating, take some time to get outside safely and enjoy all the scenery our state has to offer.
My wife Patti and I recently visited the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers just east of Fort Snelling, also referred to as Bdote, the Dakota word for “where two waters come together.”
Special Session and Upcoming Town Hall
Mark your calendars for two important dates next week! On Monday, December 14, the legislature will be meeting for another special session in order to continue our current state of emergency. Additionally, we will also be taking up coronavirus relief bills, to help individuals and businesses recover from the sacrifices they have had to make. You can tune in live by clicking HERE starting at 3pm Monday.
Additionally, my Senate District 48 colleagues and I will be hosting a town hall meeting on Thursday, December 17 at 7pm via Facebook Live. You can sign up online by clicking HERE, and tune in at any of our Facebook pages. You can also submit questions in advance by clicking HERE. Looking forward to hearing your questions, comments, and concerns!
Honoring Congressman Jim Ramstad
Some of you may know that earlier in November we lost a great public servant. Former Congressman Jim Ramstad passed away, and I was reminded of the days when I would bring my students to visit the US Capitol in Washington DC. Pictured above and below are four of the many memories we had when visiting his office. He always accepted us graciously and treated everyone with respect. Thank you for your service, congressman.
