Tag: Michael Howard

Dear Neighbors,

With the dust settling on the 2021 legislative session, I wanted to share a series of “Top 10” lists with you this summer, based on our work this year. This week, I’m starting with the laws we passed in our new two-year state budget. Despite being the only divided legislature in the nation, we were able to secure a compromise on a strong budget that prioritizes those most impacted by the pandemic – families, workers, students, and small businesses.  

Top 10 Legislative Victories for Minnesotans:

Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: July 23, 2021”

Dear Neighbors,

In the earlier hours of July 1, 2021 – the longest legislative session came to an end – at least that’s what it has felt like. We have essentially been in session for a year and half, since the pandemic began more than a year ago. Although a bit weary, and with a long to-do list still remaining, we have accomplished much in our work together. 

We made the health of Minnesotans our top priority. Working with Governor Walz, we put in place the tools necessary to mitigate the spread of the virus, saving countless lives. Today, we are at a 70% vaccination rate of Minnesota’s adults, another milestone in our collective efforts to beat the virus.

We worked to protect the economic security of Minnesotans, especially those most impacted by the pandemic. COVID-19 has not been fair in any sense of the word. But through rental assistance, extended unemployment and other means, we strived to help Minnesotans keep their heads above water so they could provide and care for their families throughout the pandemic.

Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: July 2, 2021”

Dear Neighbors,  

This Monday, we gaveled into special session to pass our state budget. Since the regular session ended we have continued to work hard to find common ground on outstanding issues so that we can pass our state budget for the coming two years. To that end, as I send this e-update, I am on the House floor to take up our Commerce and Energy omnibus bill. We hope to also take our Higher Education, Legacy and Agriculture budget bills as well. As we debate these final bills, I will provide updates on key provisions and welcome your input and questions.  

While there are still contentious issues to be hashed out in areas like police accountability and public safety, I’m confident we’ll be able to come together and pass a budget that will help Minnesota bounce back from the past year.  

Higher Education

All Minnesota families deserve a world-class education, no matter where they live or what they look like. Our Higher Education bill makes investments to ensure Minnesota students can recover from the unprecedented challenges they’ve faced over the past year, and that they are also ready to thrive as they move forward in the post-pandemic workforce, including key funding for the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State systems, as well as an increase to the State Grant program that will positively impact more than 75,000 students.

Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: June 17, 2021”

Dear Neighbors, 

The 2021 legislative session concluded this week – kind of. But the coffee is still flowing because now is not the time to sit back and settle for the status quo.

After several months of intense work, we reached agreement on a framework for our budget that prioritizes those most impacted by COVID-19 — students, workers, families, and small businesses. This wasn’t an easy haul, especially given a Senate Republican majority that was reluctant to move from their priorities that put the wealthy and well-connected first.

Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: May 20, 2021”

Dear Neighbors, 

While the week was largely spent passing more of our budget proposals in the Minnesota House, we took a break on Tuesday – as I’m sure many of you did – to anxiously await the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. 

While a guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin is just, it does not in itself deliver justice.

It is this truth that I held close, watching the reading of the verdict alongside my colleagues at the State Capitol. We have an obligation to ensure George Floyd’s legacy is not simply the memory of a static, tragic event, but a living, enduring challenge to bend the moral arc of history toward justice. This work began anew the next day when we passed our Public Safety bill with strong reforms to reimagine policing and public safety.

Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: April 23, 2021”

Dear Neighbors,

Last summer, in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, House DFLers fought for comprehensive police reform and accountability measures, and successfully enacted many new laws including: use of force reform, banning choke holds and warrior training, arbitration reform as well as mental health training. But now, in the shadow of the Chauvin trial and with the trauma of George Floyd’s death still fresh, Minnesota now mourns the death of another Black man killed by law enforcement.

Daunte Wright’s life matters. Black lives matter. 

We know that a better future is possible for all of us if we accept our responsibility to create it together. We must take action at every level of government to reimagine policing in a way that builds trust and makes everyone in our communities more safe. The public safety measures passed last year were always supposed to be the first of many steps on our path to a Minnesota where everyone feels truly safe and are treated with dignity and respect.

In the House, we’re pushing for change that will improve public safety and strengthen the relationship between community and law enforcement, including:

• Strengthening the police officer misconduct database to build a more effective early warning intervention system to keep bad officers off the streets
• Allowing local units of government to establish civilian oversight councils and funding community organizations working to prevent crime in their communities while addressing the need for community healing after a traumatic event 
• Prohibiting white supremacists from becoming peace officers
• New limits on the use of no-knock warrants
• Prohibiting altering or destroying body cam footage, requiring footage to be shared with family no more than 48 hours after a deadly force incident, and prohibiting withholding of footage
• Requiring model policing on response to public assemblies
• Requiring the POST Board to prioritize the goal of promoting public safety, including the promotion of human rights — maintaining the basic rights, freedoms, and privileges that belong to every person including the right to dignity, fairness, equality, respect, and freedom from discrimination.

With what our state and nation has gone through in the past year, you would hope that these wouldn’t be partisan or controversial, but this will face an uphill fight in the legislature. 

It’s a fight worth having.

Throughout all of this, my legislative colleagues that serve in both the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus and the United Black Legislative Caucus (UBLC) have been leading the way as a national and global spotlight continues to be focused on Minnesota. It’s through their work and leadership that I believe we will build a more just and inclusive Minnesota. 

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Safe and Affordable Housing

Yesterday on the House floor, we passed some of our first budget proposals for the legislative session, including the Housing bill I helped craft in committee this year. Our housing proposal includes $30 million in new investments and provisions like:

• Funding for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) for specific programs.
• Establishes the lead safe homes grant program and a task force on shelter resident rights and shelter provider practices and contains amendments to other various programs administered by MHFA.
• Funding for various programs related to affordable housing.
• Provisions related to the Minnesota Bond Allocation Act, residential rental housing/ landlord and tenant law and manufactured housing.

Minnesota faced a housing crisis – and that was before a global pandemic illustrated just how vital a safe home is to our health, happiness and economic security. There is no place like home, yet in Minnesota an affordable place to live is out of reach for hundreds of thousands of families. We are working to create a Minnesota where everyone can afford the roof over their head and this bill takes important steps to build that future.

I spoke on the important components in this bill, which you can watch here. 

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The House DFL’s Budget Proposals

Both today and next week, we’ll continue to pass our budget proposals off the House floor. In addition to Housing, we passed our Legacy Amendment yesterday, which invests in all the things that make our state great – the great outdoors, clean water, arts and cultural heritage, and parks and trails. Today, we’re debating our State Government, Elections, Veterans, and Transportation bills, and next week we’ll have even more.

The Session Daily and the rest of Minnesota House Public Information are a great resource of information as we spend the next week passing these important bills. You’re also able to watch our debate on the House floor here. If you have any questions about the legislation we’re working on, please feel free to reach out. You can contact me at rep.michael.howard@house.mn or (651) 296-7158. I look forward to hearing from you. 

In partnership,

Michael Howard

Dear Neighbors, 

Starting tomorrow, all Minnesotans age 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is thanks to an increased supply of vaccine we’ll be receiving in early April from the federal government. While this is news many of us have been waiting for, opening up vaccine eligibility doesn’t necessarily mean that vaccine appointments will be available right away or close by. As has been the case with much of this pandemic, patience and diligence will be needed as we continue to prioritize at-risk Minnesotans.

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, I highly encourage you to check out Minnesota’s COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, a tool to help people find out when, where, and how to get a vaccine. It can let you know when you’re eligible to be vaccinated, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and alert you if there are vaccine opportunities nearby. To sign up, visit mn.gov/vaccineconnector or call 833-431-2053. Minnesotans can also contact their healthcare provider, local pharmacy or use theVaccine Locator Map to search for vaccine providers in their area.

Continue reading “Rep. Michael Howard (HD50A) Update: March 29, 2021”