Dear Neighbors,
The 2022 Legislative Session is underway. While many economic indicators point to economic recovery – including a $7.7 billion positive state budget balance and decreasing unemployment – too many Minnesotans are still facing challenges, including high costs. It’s critically important for lawmakers to ensure all Minnesotans can experience economic recovery, not just the very wealthiest and large corporations who continued to rake in more money while workers and families struggle. It’s been a difficult two years, but Minnesotans are resilient. This session, House DFLers are committed to building a state that works better for everyone.
Virtual Town Hall Meeting
Along with my Saint Paul legislative colleagues Sen. Sandy Pappas and Rep. Rena Moran, I invite you to join us for a Virtual Town Hall Meeting this coming Tuesday, February 15 at 7 p.m. We look forward to addressing your priorities and answering your questions as we look ahead to the rest of the legislative session.
The meeting will take place on Zoom, and you can register and submit questions here. You can also watch streaming video on Facebook Live. We deeply value your engagement and hope you can join us.
Delivering Proven Public Safety Solutions
The nationwide rise in crime in the aftermath of COVID-19 is on top of mind for Minnesotans, who deserve proven, innovative approaches to public safety. House DFLers are delivering a comprehensive package with necessary funding, innovative tools, and thoughtful collaboration with local mayors, police chiefs, and prosecutors to help enhance safety in communities across the state. Just prior to session, we announced an initial $100 million package of permanent, ongoing investments in community safety, local policing, tools to strengthen crime investigations, and other solutions to keep communities safe. Last week, the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Committee, which I chair, held three days of public hearings on the package, giving us the opportunity to listen to community leaders, members of law enforcement, crime victims, and criminal justice experts about the urgency to deliver solutions. Last month, Rep. Cedrick Frazier, the committee vice chair and author of the bill, wrote an op-ed explaining the proposal.
Last week, we were heartbroken by the tragic killing of Amir Locke in Minneapolis following a no-knock warrant. Amir was yet another Black man whose life was senselessly taken by police in Minneapolis. The family deserves answers and the community deserves changes. This week, Rep. Athena Hollins, a member of our committee, introduced legislation to ban nearly all no-knock warrants. I plan to hold a hearing on the proposal very soon.
We’re working to advance other innovative approaches too. This week, the Public Safety Committee advanced legislation to help police safely recover stolen vehicles using GPS technology, strengthen our statewide response to substance abuse, combat sex trafficking, invest in grants for crime victims, and prevent domestic violence. While our Senate Republican counterparts are advancing political slogans instead of proven solutions, House Democrats are making significant investments toward addressing the root problems causing increases in violence, resources to help solve crimes, and solutions to help ensure law enforcement in our state can maintain the standards of excellence Minnesotans deserve. We will continue working in a collaborative way to meet the critical needs in communities across the state. I encourage you to follow along with our committee’s work on our webpage.
Stay in Touch
To stay up to date with what’s happening at the State Capitol, the Minnesota House Public Information Services office has a variety of timely, non-partisan resources. You can subscribe to Session Daily which provides regular updates of legislative activity, watch live and archived floor sessions or committee meetings on YouTube, and check out informative publications with information about the legislature and our state government.
Please continue to be in touch with your ideas, viewpoints, or if I can ever be of assistance. You can reach me by email at rep.carlos.mariani@house.mn, and my Capitol phone number is 651-224-6647. I also invite you to follow me on Facebook. If you have neighbors, coworkers, or friends who you think would be interested in receiving these updates, share this with them and encourage them to subscribe here.
It’s an honor to represent you.
Sincerely,
Carlos Mariani
State Representative