Dear Neighbors,
The 2018 Session of the Minnesota Legislature began last Tuesday, and it was a busy first week at the Capitol.
Town Hall Meeting – March 3, 2018
As the 2018 Legislative Session begins, please join Senator Sandy Pappas and me for a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, March 3, from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm at the Oxford Community Center (270 Lexington Parkway N, St. Paul, MN 55104) to discuss issues that are important to you and your family during the legislative session.
State Employee Contracts
On Thursday, Republicans surprised DFLers by voting with us to suspend the House rules and take up the approval of contracts for 30,000 state employee that had been delayed since last October. At that time Republicans chose to not to ratify the contracts during a party line vote of the Subcommittee on Employee Relations. These contracts include modest 2% raises and pension security, and I thought it was only right that we approve their contracts negotiated in good faith before we pass a legislative budget for ourselves.
Regrettably, Republicans quickly moved to amend the contracts bill to make it harder to approve contracts in the future when the Legislature isn’t in session--a measure that would make it harder for workers to get their negotiated raises and benefits. After debate over the amendment, the state employee contracts motion was tabled, and we will have to debate and ratify them at some point in the near future. I want us to stop politicizing the hard work of our state employees.
Legislative Funding
After the debate over the state employee contracts, the House approved HF399, a conference committee report to provide funding to the legislative branch. I voted no because this bill pays for members own salaries before approving the contracts of the people who keep our state running. You can read the House Public Information Office coverage here.
Protesting to End Gun Violence
I was inspired to see thousands of Minnesotans make the trip to the Capitol last week to say we’ve had enough! We had two days full of everyday Minnesotans protesting to end gun violence in our country. I will keep pushing to pass meaningful gun violence prevention bills this session, and you may have read the Star Tribune editorial board Sunday with a strong endorsement of the bills I’ve co-authored to implement GVPO’s in Minnesota and force criminal background checks for all gun sales. We need to keep pushing and demanding changes to our gun laws to protect our communities and our kids!
Voices and Choices for Children Day on the Hill
Today I joined my colleagues at the Voices and Choices for Children Day on the Hill. Voices and Choices for Children is a coalition that works closely with Minnesota’s Children’s Cabinet, state ethnic councils, state agencies, early childhood funders, non-profits, community-based organizations, early childhood advocates and parents representing communities of color and American Indian communities across the state. Our coalition focuses on shaping more equitable practices and policies that will support better outcomes for children of color and American Indian children prenatal to 8 years old across the state. We believe that people of color and American Indians must be at the table as polices are created and decisions are made about and for our children. As I said when I spoke to the gathering, policy creates practice. We need advocates to be here at the Capitol on behalf of our babies. It matters that you come to talk your legislators to be seen and heard, because that makes them work for you.
Keep in Touch
Please contact me during the legislative session on the matters that are important to you and your family. I can be reached at 651-296-5158 or Rep.Rena.Moran@house.mn and I hope you’ll join us for the March 3rd town hall meeting.
Together, we are stronger!
Sincerely,
Rena Moran
Deputy Minority Leader
State Representative – District 65A