Legislative Update – May 1, 2023
Dear Neighbors,
Last week was another busy week at the State Capitol, having now passed all of our budget proposals off the House Floor. You can read into the specifics of our budget proposals in the House Public Information articles written on each: Higher Education, Legacy, Environment and Clean Energy, Housing, Veterans, Elections, State and Local Government, K-12 Education, Agriculture, Transportation, Early Learning, Children & Families, Jobs & Labor, Human Services, Pensions, Commerce, Judiciary & Public Safety, Tax, and Health.
Conference Committee Begins
Last week I joined my Senate counterpart, Senator Foung Hawj, for our first Legacy “conference committee” meeting. Conference Committees are committees made up of members from each house appointed to reconcile the differences between two versions of a bill—in this case, the Legacy budget bill. I am looking forward to the robust conversations with my colleagues as we work to build a bill that is reflective of our communities needs, putting together a final bill that honors our commitment to our outdoor heritage, clean water, parks and trails, and arts and cultural heritage.
In our first meeting, House and Senate nonpartisan staff walked through the differences between the two bills, which you can watch here. We have a lot in common with our Senate DFL counterparts and will be working hard this week to come to a final agreement.
Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis
Last Wednesday was a historic day at the House as we voted to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state of Minnesota. Our current cannabis laws are doing more harm than good, and passing this bill is far past due. This legislation creates a safe, well-regulated legal marketplace for Minnesotans over the age of 21. It prioritizes automatic expungement of prior marijuana convictions. Finally, the bill will help start-up cannabis businesses to ensure the communities disproportionately affected by prohibition can take part in the economic opportunity created by legalization. I was proud to vote “yes” on this legislation in 2021 and did so again this week.
The Governor’s State of the State Address
On April 19, Governor Walz delivered the State of the State address from the House Floor. Now that we’re 100 days into Walz’s second term, we can look back and see all of the great things we’ve done for Minnesotans together. We are making immense progress this session with leaders who are committed to ending gridlock and getting things done for Minnesotans. You can view the full address here.
Keep in Touch
If you have any questions, ideas, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to email me at rep.leon.lillie@house.mn.gov or give me a call at (651) 296-1188.
Sincerely,
Leon Lillie
State Representative