ST. PAUL—Minnesota state legislators gathered at the Capitol today for the first day of the 2017 Legislative Session. The 90th session of the state legislature includes 23 new members of the Minnesota House of Representatives who were sworn into office at noon on Tuesday, along with their colleagues, including first-term Representative Mary Kunesh-Podein (DFL—New Brighton). Rep. Kunesh-Podein takes over from former Rep. Carolyn Laine who was elected to the Minnesota Senate in November.
“It is humbling to represent my neighbors and community in St. Paul,” said Rep. Kunesh-Podein. “Minnesota’s strength has always been and will be its people. I will focus on policies that will help every Minnesotan succeed.”
Rep. Kunesh-Podein will represent the cities of Hilltop, St. Anthony, Colombia Heights, and southern New Brighton. As an educator as well as a longtime community volunteer, she plans to focus on issues such as educational opportunities, a modern transportation infrastructure, economic growth and improving the health care system, among others.
In late December, Speaker Kurt Daudt appointed Rep. Kunesh-Podein to three committees: Education Innovation Policy; Agriculture Policy; and State Government Finance.
Committed to serving the best interests of all Minnesotans, Rep. Kunesh-Podein will put people before politics with a spirit of bi-partisanship and common-ground solutions.
“I am very excited for my committee assignments. As a teacher who grew up in central Minnesota I’m ready to hit the ground running to move Minnesota forward,” said Rep. Kuesh-Podein.
Rep. Kunesh-Podein encourages constituents to contact her with any comments, questions, concerns, or ideas on any legislative topic. Rep. Kunesh-Podein can be reached by phone at 651-296-4331 or by email at rep.mary.kuneshpodein@house.mn. Rep. Kunesh-Podein also encourages community members to sign up for periodic email updates at her House website www.house.mn/41b.
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