Dear Neighbor,
A lot has been going on at the Capitol these last couple weeks. I’d like to share some information on a few of the bills I’ve authored so far this session.
First, I introduced HF 1361, which provides an opportunity for family members and public safety officials to initiate a proceeding to determine if someone is a threat, to themselves or others, and prevent them from possessing firearms. In my role as police officer I’ve visited with many families who have a loved one with a mental illness or chemical addiction that they wish to help, but all too often run into obstacles. Many times their concern is related to the fear of a family member harming themselves. This bill is a step in the direction of helping those families save lives. As expected this bill was not greeted favorably amongst gun groups. They have used the opportunity to scare more people into believing the government is coming for their guns. That is simply not the case. The Minnesota Legislature would not pass that and the United States Senate and House are certainly not going to pass that. We need people who are willing to sit down and listen to everyone's concerns and not just those of a few. I've done this in the past with the hard issues and I'll continue to do so in the future.
I also introduced HF 1553, which requires companies to label children’s products that contain priority chemicals. Priority chemicals, as determined by the Department of Health, are hazardous chemicals that have been demonstrated to cause cancers, developmental issues, disrupt the endocrine system, or damage vital systems and functions of the body. Parents should be allowed to make informed choices when buying the products their children play with or consume.
One of the bills I’ve authored that’s the closest to being signed by the Governor is HF 1140. This bill, which is ready for a vote of the full House of Representatives, would require the state, county and local police forces to report on their backlog of untested rape kits and what it would require to have them tested. It’s unfortunate that we have rape kits sitting and waiting to be tested in Minnesota. It’s vital that we learn how many we have waiting to be tested and get them tested as soon as possible. This bipartisan bill should be passed soon.
You can see the rest of the bills I’ve authored here. As always please feel free to contact me with issues and concerns at (651) 296-4342 or respond to this email.
Sincerely,
Dan Schoen