Tag: Melissa Hortman

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: March 15, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you’ve recovered from the jump forward to daylight saving time. I’ve been tired all week! I support doing away with the spring forward and fall back every year. I don’t seem to be alone either — legislation has started moving through committees in both the House and Senate! The tricky question is whether to stick with daylight saving time or standard time. Stay tuned — I think there will be more discussion on the topic.

Here’s a quick update from the Capitol.

Protecting and expanding access to reproductive health

At an event in support of reproductive health care

Continue reading “Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: March 15, 2019”

House DFL leaders to hold press conference Monday before vote on bill addressing Minnesota’s opioid crisis

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – During Monday afternoon’s floor session, the Minnesota House is set to vote on HF 400, a bill authored by House Majority Whip Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) aimed at ending the state’s opioid crisis. Prior to the session, House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park) and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley) will join Rep. Olson for a press conference at 1:30 p.m. at the State Capitol.

The legislation contains a comprehensive set of education, intervention, treatment and recovery strategies, including creation of an Opioid Stewardship Advisory Council. The bill holds pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the crisis through registration fees which will be deposited in an Opioid Stewardship Fund.

WHAT: Press conference previewing House consideration of HF 400, legislation to address Minnesota’s opioid crisis

WHO: Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth), bill author and House Majority Whip; House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park); and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley)

WHEN: Monday, March 18, 2019, 1:30 pm

WHERE: Press Conference Room B971, Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Saint Paul

Statement from House DFL Leadership on Legislative Auditor report on Child Care Assistance

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements on today’s report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP):

“The Child Care Assistance Program is critically important for Minnesota families struggling with the high costs of child care,” said Speaker Hortman. “We have to make sure assistance is going to those who truly need it. We will be working with the Walz Administration and advocates to ensure the integrity of this program.”

“Any misuse of public funds is serious and must be addressed, but using unsubstantiated allegations as an excuse for Islamophobic attacks on an entire community is reprehensible,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “We will continue to support the families that rely on this vital program, and improve the affordability and accessibility of child care.”

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: March 8, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

Another week has flown by at the State Capitol. Here’s a quick update.

First bills signed by Governor Walz

Signing my first bill enrollment as Speaker.

Governor Walz signed the first bills of the Legislative Session this week. As Speaker of the House, I play a role in the final steps of how the bill gets signed into law. Once a bill has passed the House and Senate, the President of the Senate and I have to sign the final form of the bill — also known as the enrollment — and only when it gets that 3rd signature from the governor does the bill become a law. It was pretty neat to sign my first one as Speaker this week. Continue reading “Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: March 8, 2019”

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: March 1, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

March is here, but with the snow today it’s clear that Spring isn’t coming anytime soon. The legislative session continues to fly along — we’ve completed week number 8 and we have 11 weeks to go.  Here’s a quick update from the Capitol.

Common-Sense Gun Violence Prevention Legislation Moving Forward
Two common-sense gun violence prevention measures — criminal background checks and extreme risk protection orders — passed out of the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Division this week.

Minnesotans — especially young people and gun violence survivors — have said loud and clear that they want us to take action to address the epidemic of gun violence in our communities. I support these common-sense measures to keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to others or themselves. You can read more about the hearings here. Continue reading “Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: March 1, 2019”

Speaker Hortman: Legislator’s comments cross the line

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — At a rally at the State Capitol yesterday, state Representative Cal Bahr (R – Bethel) said, “There’s a lot of us in this room that have had enough, and it’s time to start riding herd on the rest of these people that want to take your rights away from you. They will not go quietly into the good night. They need to be kicked to the curb and stomped on and run over a few times.” The Minnesota House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Division will be holding a hearing on gun violence prevention legislation Wednesday evening.

Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman released the following statement:

“Rep. Bahr’s comments are reprehensible and have no place in civilized political discourse. Encouraging violence is irresponsible and dangerous. While some political issues elicit strong feelings by proponents and opponents, a hallmark of our country’s democracy is that we resolve disputes without recourse to violence. The Minnesota House of Representatives will foster a safe and respectful conversation on the issue of gun violence prevention. 

“Minnesotans have been loud and clear that they want us to address the epidemic of gun violence in our communities. We will not be deterred by threatening comments intended to intimidate legislators and supporters of gun violence prevention legislation.”

Speaker Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: February 22, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

February 2019 is now the snowiest February on record for the Twin Cities, and we still have almost a week left! While the snow keeps falling, the Minnesota House of Representatives is hard at work. Here’s a quick update from the Capitol.

Sovereignty Day at the Minnesota House of Representatives
On Monday we held Sovereignty Day in the Minnesota House of Representatives. This was an educational event for legislators that included tribal history and culture, sovereignty, and the interplay between federal, state, and tribal law. Minnesota has 11 federally-recognized tribes that are sovereign nations. It was also a historic day: leaders from all 11 tribes had never been in the House chamber together before. Continue reading “Speaker Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: February 22, 2019”

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: February 15, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I know we’ve had a lot of snow and cold lately, but as someone who loves to ski, I’ve been enjoying it! I understand I might be one of the few though. Here’s an update from another busy week at the Capitol.

Legislative Deadlines
On Monday, I joined Governor Tim Walz and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka to announce additional deadlines for the legislature as we get closer to the end of session. The House and Senate always have deadlines for bills to move through the committee process, but these new, additional benchmarks will help insure more of the end of session negotiations happen earlier, and provide more transparency for the public.

Under these innovative new deadlines I developed, all major finance bills must pass off the House and Senate floors and conference committees must be appointed for those bills by May 1st. Conference committees complete the important work of reconciling the House and Senate approaches to crafting the state’s budget. Continue reading “Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: February 15, 2019”

Speaker Hortman on Quickly Passing Legislation to Access Help America Vote Funds

Yesterday, Speaker Hortman gave the attached letter to Senator Gazelka outlining the House’s interest in quickly passing legislation to allow the Secretary of State to access the full amount of federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds available.

View the letter below:

Statement from House DFL Leadership on Line 3 process

Saint Paul, Minnesota — Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statement on the continuation of the appeals process on the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline:

“This is a process that belongs in the executive and judicial branches of government, not in the legislature. Political interference and Republican finger-pointing will only make it more challenging to come to a final decision. We expect that this process will result in a fully-vetted and sound outcome.

“While the Line 3 project is under review, House DFLers will push to create quality jobs by investing in infrastructure, transportation, higher wages, and better benefits for Minnesotans.”