Legislative Update - January 26, 2022

Dear Neighbors, 

It's cold outside but things are heating up at the Minnesota House of Representatives. We’re less than a week away from the first day of the 2022 legislative session, and my colleagues and I have been working to ensure we are hitting the ground running to deliver for Minnesota families, kids, and our communities. Over the last few months, we’ve been listening to Minnesotans and drafting bills to respond to their needs, and now we’re introducing some of our plans for the year. I’ll share more of our plans over the coming weeks.

2022 Economic Security Plan

Many Minnesotans are still struggling and facing an uncertain future due to COVID-19 and other challenges. Last week, House DFLers released a plan to address the urgent needs of Minnesotans and expand economic opportunity. As we prepare for the 2022 legislative session, we’re prioritizing responding to the needs of workers, students, and families - not the self-interested demands of the large corporations who’ve made record profits during the pandemic. 

The plan includes Paid Family & Medical Leave and Earned Sick & Safe Time, two critical policies that would give workers time to care for themselves and their loved ones. It also takes steps to increase the supply of safe and affordable housing, improve access to broadband, and support frontline workers. You can find more details here.

2022 Public Safety Plan 

Everyone deserves to be safe in their community and in Minnesota. On Monday, legislators announced a plan to improve public safety and address the recent rise in crime. The plan invests a total of $100 million in proven solutions like Innovation in Community Safety grants, which support nonprofit organizations that help communities prevent crime. The grants could be used for juvenile diversion efforts, community violence interruption, restorative justice programs, community-based mental health and social service centers, victim services, and more. The plan also contains $22 million for Crime Investigation grants to help solve more crimes. 

Other parts of the plan build on the Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020 and the Public Safety and Judiciary bill we passed last year, legislation to help ensure police officers receive adequate training and are held accountable for their actions. If you’d like to read more about this proposal, I encourage you to read the op-ed written by my colleague Rep. Cedrick Frazier to preview it. An outline of the plan is available here.

2022 Climate Action Plan 

House DFLers introduced an ambitious, science-based plan to address the climate crisis last week. It invests a total of $1 billion in more than 30 initiatives, such as the Pre-Weatherization and Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps Minnesotans make their homes more energy efficient. This program and others in the plan will help reduce Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs and helping people save money. 

Other notable investments include $200 million to build four more bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, $50 million to make walking and biking safer and more accessible, and $30 million to plant five million trees every year for the next four years. More information about this plan is available here.

Advocating for Housing Assistance

I was proud to stand with Minnesotans, partners, and my colleagues in support of the Bring It Home Minnesota legislation last week. By ensuring Minnesotans can afford their rent, this bill will help make sure people across the state have the resources they need to provide for themselves and their families.

Request Free COVID-19 Tests 

As you may have seen, the federal government launched a website where people can order free COVID-19 tests last week. You can request four tests per household, and they will be shipped directly to your home in late January. I encourage you to order tests and to spread the word to your family and friends.  

If you’d like to share feedback or your ideas for the 2022 legislative session, please feel free to reach out. You can contact me by email at rep.emma.greenman@house.mn or call (651) 296-4200.

Sincerely, 

Emma Greenman
State Representative