Dear Neighbor,

I was glad to see many of you out making your voices heard in our neighborhoods at precinct caucuses! No matter what party you belong to, it's a great opportunity to get together in our community and discuss issues that will impact our lives.

I hope you'll continue that civic engagement by voting in the presidential primary on or before next Tuesday. You can vote right now via absentee ballot, either by mail or in person at your county elections office. If you’re not sure whether you are registered to vote at your current address, you can check your registration status here. You can always register to vote at your polling place on Election Day. I’m grateful for your participation in the political process! 

High School Pages get to spend the week up close with the legislative process. I was glad I got to meet Noah, a Stillwater resident who is serving as a page this week!

It was fun to have a group of Stillwater students visit me at the Capitol! We talked about ways youth can and are getting engaged and moving conversations forward.

Lowering Prescription Drug Prices

Minnesotans shouldn’t lose their lives because they can’t afford the lifesaving medications they need. Over the last ten years insulin manufacturers have tripled the price of insulin, raking in billions of dollars in profits and forcing thousands of Minnesotans to ration a drug that's as necessary for them as air or water. Big Pharma needs to have a financial stake in solving this affordability crisis. 

Last night, the House passed our bill that ensures Minnesotans can get the insulin they need at a price they can afford. I was proud to cast my vote for the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act and will continue working toward making affordable health care a reality and tackling prescription drug costs.

Race on Marriage Licenses

Minnesota has a law on the books that requires couples to record their race during the marriage license application process. I believe it's intrusive and unnecessary - there is no reason Minnesotans should be required to share information about their race in order to get married. My bill repealing this requirement has been advancing through the committee process!

Stay Warm - Cold Weather Assistance

While it may sometimes seem like cold weather is behind us, we still have several weeks before we can permanently turn down the thermostat. If you need help keeping your home warm for the rest of winter I want to remind you of the resources available. First, if you need assistance paying your bills you can contact the Department of Commerce to see if you qualify. While utilities are still allowed to disconnect services during winter, under Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule they are required to meet several criteria before doing so. If you feel that a utility has not met these criteria you can reach out to the Public Utilities Commission or the Attorney General’s Office, both of which have resources to aid those facing disconnection of service. As always, feel free to contact my office if you need help!

Free Tax Filing

Quick reminder that tax filing help is available for many Minnesotans. Last year, almost 62 percent of Minnesotans qualified to file for free but over 780,000 of them didn't. You likely qualify if your income is $69,000 or less, if you’re eligible for the federal earned income tax credit, or if you’re an active duty military service member.

Find out more information here from the Department of Revenue. They also have a short video about free e-filing here.

If you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who wants to receive updates about the Legislature, let them know they can subscribe to my email list here. You’re also invited to like my Facebook page here.

If you have comments or questions about our work at the Capitol, I always welcome your feedback. You can reach me at rep.shelly.christensen@house.mn or (651) 296-4244. 

Sincerely,

Representative Shelly Christensen