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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL)

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Legislative Update - September 23, 2019

Monday, September 23, 2019

Dear neighbors,

As I mentioned in my last email, I attended the Mississippi River Conference last week. This bipartisan event, sponsored by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, is an opportunity for lawmakers from several states to work together on issues that impact the health of the Mississippi River and the communities along it. I look forward to collaborating with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative and attending the conference when it’s held in Bemidji next year.

During the conference, I moderated a panel on the Farm Bill and other federal initiatives. I focused on implementing conservation programs.

We were fortunate to meet Andrew Young, a former Congressman, Ambassador, and Mayor of Atlanta who was part of the Civil Rights movement.

Addressing the Climate Crisis

Thousands of Minnesotans participated in the Youth Climate Strike last Friday. Demonstrations led by students took place in more than a dozen Minnesota cities and around the world. I joined the students who were striking at the State Capitol to show my support.

My colleagues and I also showed our support by forming a new Climate Action Caucus. This dedicated group of legislators, which I’m proud to be a part of, will work with Minnesotans on a bold, comprehensive plan to fight climate change and create a future in which we all thrive. You can watch the press conference where we announced this news here.

More information about the Climate Action Caucus is available here. Please stay tuned for updates on our work.

Minnesota Climate Week

Today, Governor Walz issued a proclamation declaring September 23 – 29 as Climate Week in Minnesota. The proclamation, which you can read here, emphasizes that Minnesotans are already seeing the impacts of climate change – and they’re threatening the things that make our state such a great place to live. I’m looking forward to working with Governor Walz to find solutions to existing issues and prevent further consequences.

In honor of Climate Week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued a statement describing the work they’re doing to help our state adapt to the changing climate and reduce negative impacts to Minnesota’s resources. It’s available here.

High School Page Program

The House High School Page Program is currently accepting applications for next session. This program gives students the opportunity to see state government in action while spending a week at the Capitol. It’s a valuable opportunity to see how the legislative process works and gain some great experience. More information about the program is available here.

I encourage high school juniors to apply! The deadline is Thursday, November 21.

Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on this issue or others that are important to you.

Sincerely,

Rick Hansen
State Representative