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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Rena Moran (DFL)

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Legislative Update - February 27, 2017

Monday, February 27, 2017

Dear Neighbors, 

This has been a busy month at the Capitol! I’ve put updates below on a few topics of interest. 

Thank You for Town Hall Participation 

I was so pleased with the excellent participation Senator Pappas and I had at our town hall on February 16th.

House Image

We had excellent discussions on many issues! 

Anti-Protest Bills

Last week the Public Safety Committee heard HF 390 and HF 1066- two bills that would increase criminal penalties for blocking highways, airports and public transit to a gross misdemeanor. Speaker Daudt has called this “a top priority,” and at a press conference this week both of the bill authors expressed that they authored these bills to put protesters in jail.

The increased penalties in these bills would subject nonviolent protesters to penalties stronger than those for first time offenders of violent crimes like assault, domestic violence and sexual assault. These anti-protest bills seek to prevent peaceful protest by arresting people, instead of addressing the issues Minnesotans are protesting to solve. 

If you have thoughts on these bills, I would encourage you to call Governor Dayton's office and share your concerns at 651-201-3400.  

I will continue to fight these bills because I think it is essential to protecting the First Amendment rights of all Minnesotans. It is even more important during Black History Month, when we celebrate the nonviolent protests and civil disobedience of Dr. King and other Civil Rights icons that lead to greater equality under the law for all Americans.   

Celebrating Black History Month

The House floor has had many speeches during February commemorating the contributions of Black Americans to the rich history of our Nation. I was proud to rise earlier this month to speak about the important contributions of Coretta Scott King. You can watch my floor speech by clicking on the link here.  

U of M Regents

A joint convention of the House and Senate met last Wednesday night to elect Regents to govern the University of Minnesota. This year, four Regents were elected, one each from the 2nd, 3rd and 8th Congressional Districts and one at-large to serve six-year terms. The Regent Candidate Advisory Council interviewed 17 candidates and forwarded twelve candidates to the Joint Legislative Committee. The Joint Senate and House Committee devolved into partisan nominations, and this broken political process resulted in the election of four white men to the board, instead of some of the highly qualified women and people of color who were suggested by the Advisory Council. It seems obvious to me that we need a Board of Regents that contains the perspectives of more than just white men.  

Gun Violence Prevention

Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action were at the Capitol last week with a press conference and visits to legislative offices. The same day, Governor Dayton declared June 2nd will be National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Minnesota. Many individuals shared stories of loved ones they had lost to gun violence, including Senator Jeff Hayden, whose sister Taylor was killed by gun violence last year. The supporters outlined bills they’re pushing that would reduce gun violence. I’m proud to coauthor common sense measures to reduce gun violence in the House (HF 1669 and HF 1678). 

Protecting Transgender Students

Last Thursday, Governor Dayton encouraged schools to comply with the Obama-era guidance on inclusive policies for transgender students. Governor Dayton is right- this is not a state’s rights issue, it’s a human rights issue and we need to stand strongly in support of every single student in our schools and their ability to learn in a safe and supportive environment.   

Real ID

Thursday evening the House voted on HF 3, the Real ID bill. It would bring Minnesota into compliance with the federal Real ID requirements, allowing Minnesotans to board airplanes and enter Federal and military facilities. The bill included an unrelated provision that would prevent undocumented immigrants from being able to obtain a driver's license. These undocumented immigrants need a safe pathway to drivers training and auto insurance, but there was no need to have that debate during the passage of this bill.  

DFL Representatives offered an alternative which was a clean vote for Real ID, without the language relating to undocumented immigrants, which failed by a vote of 74-57.

Please contact me if you have questions about these topics, or any other legislative issue. You can reach me at rep.rena.moran@house.mn or 651-296-5158.  

Together, we are stronger!

Rena