Dear Neighbors,

The 2020 legislative session has begun and I’m excited to be back at the Capitol with my colleagues working to build a Minnesota that works better for everybody. This session, we have the opportunity to focus on our key values like improving public education, making health care more affordable, and strengthening economic security for all Minnesotans.

I want to thank everyone who attended our pre-session Town Hall Meeting in Falcon Heights. Rep. Hausman, Sen. Marty and I are all grateful for the engaging, thoughtful conversation on a wide variety of topics and hope you will stay in touch throughout the session.

Ensuring Access to Insulin and Prescription Drugs

The skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs is forcing too many people to make impossible decisions. No Minnesotan should be forced to decide between paying for rent, groceries, or prescription drugs. This is happening as pharmaceutical companies rake in billions every year, and I’ve worked stop prescription drug price gouging and hold Big Pharma accountable. I’m the Chief Author of legislation which would prohibit the unconscionable price gouging that allows Big Pharma to profit at the expensive Minnesotans who need medication to survive.

Last year I had the honor to be appointed to serve on Attorney General Keith Ellison’s Advisory Task Force on Lowering Pharmaceutical Drug Prices. We worked extremely diligently to navigate our complex system of prescription drug pricing and ultimately developed 14 recommendations, and my anti-price gouging legislation is one of them. I joined my fellow members and Attorney General Ellison for a news conference this week to outline our proposal. WCCO provided coverage here.

One of the most prominent examples of price gouging we’ve seen in the news is insulin, a drug that diabetics need to stay alive the same way you and I need water and air. I support the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, legislation that ensures Minnesotans who are facing an emergency — those most in danger of rationing their insulin due to the high cost of the drug — have access to an immediate refill. The bill is named after a Minnesotan who tragically passed away after he had to ration is insulin supply because he couldn’t afford a trip to the pharmacy before his next paycheck. I’m hopeful we can move this legislation forward quickly in the House.

Ensuring Our State Constitution Reflects Our Values

On New Year’s Eve, St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell published a Facebook post sharing a resolution to have outdated language regarding slavery removed from our Minnesota Constitution. Yesterday, I joined Chief Axtell and several of my legislative colleagues to officially launch our effort to amend the constitution to remove a troublesome provision which states slavery is still allowed “as punishment for a crime of which the party has been convicted.”

Our state constitution should reflect our values. In Minnesota, it’s inappropriate that our constitution still permits slavery, even if it’s a narrowly constructed and obsolete manner. I’m hopeful both bodies of the Legislature will approve this proposal and voters will ultimately have a say in this November’s general election. MPR News covered our proposal here.

Minnesota Values Podcast

Season Two of the House DFL’s Minnesota Values Podcast is here. On the premiere episode, the hosts – Rep. Liz Olson of Duluth and Rep. Jamie Long from Minneapolis – interview a very special guest: Governor Tim Walz. You can listen anywhere podcasts are available, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.

I was a guest on the pod the last year to discuss my legislation to outlaw prescription drug price gouging.

Please continue to contact me with your feedback, input, and ideas. It’s an honor to represent you.

Sincerely,

John Lesch
State Representative