Dear neighbors, 

The 2020 legislative session began on February 11, and my colleagues and I hit the ground running. We passed our first bills off the House floor on Wednesday.

Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act

I’m pleased to report that the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act was the first bill to pass off the House floor this session. Passing this legislation was a priority for me and many of my colleagues.

The Commerce Committee, which I chair, heard the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act on the first day of the legislative session. During the hearing, Shari Wiltrout, the mother of two teenagers with type one diabetes, displayed a month’s worth of her daughters’ insulin next to $2,290 in cash – the price for the medication without insurance.

The Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act ensures that Minnesotans can get the insulin they need at a price they can afford in emergency situations and on an ongoing basis. It also holds the pharmaceutical industry accountable for inflating the cost of this lifesaving medication. Now it’s time for the Senate to listen to Minnesotans and join us in taking action.  

If you’d like to read more about Alec’s Bill, a Star Tribune article is available here.

Gun Violence Prevention

We passed two common-sense gun violence prevention bills yesterday – criminal background checks and extreme risk protection orders. Both measures would make our communities safer by keeping guns out of the hands of people who are dangerous to themselves or others. One requires criminal background checks on all gun sales, and the other establishes extreme risk protection orders, which allow law enforcement to temporarily restrict an individual’s access to guns if a court of law determines that it may not be safe for them to have a gun. States that already have criminal background checks and extreme risk protection orders have seen lower rates of firearm suicides and homicides.

Be a Voter in the 2020 Presidential Primary

Minnesota’s presidential primary is on Tuesday, March 3, and absentee voting is already underway. You can check your voter registration status and learn more about early voting here. If you’d like more information about the presidential primary, click here for answers to some frequently asked questions from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office.

On Wednesday, the House passed legislation that addresses voter privacy concerns that some of you have expressed. This legislation, which was recommended by Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, places restrictions on data that’s collected during presidential primaries. It limits who that data is shared with and allows voters to choose whether they’d like their information shared with a political party or parties. This change will require agreement from Senate Republicans, but it would take effect before data from the 2020 presidential primary is shared.

Eagan News

I recently met with Claudia Liverseed, a local student who’s participating in the House High School Page Program this week. We had a great conversation about her work as a member of the Women’s Empowerment Club. These passionate Eagan High School students recently started handing out free women’s hygiene products!

District 51 Town Hall

Sen. Jim Carlson, Rep. Sandy Masin, and I are holding a town hall meeting at Burnsville High School this Saturday, February 29 from 1-2:30p.m. I hope you can join us!

If you can’t attend the town hall, please feel free to call or email me with questions or feedback. You can reach me at 651-296-4128 or rep.laurie.halverson@house.mn.

Sincerely,

Laurie Halverson

State Representative