Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This past Friday was the first committee deadline of the 2022 session, the date by which bills must receive at least one committee hearing in either the House or Senate to continue being considered for the remainder of the session. The second committee deadline (April 1) is when committees must pass a bill that met the first deadline in the other body (House or Senate). The third committee deadline (April 8) is when a bill must pass its last committee or be included within a major appropriation finance bill. Bills not meeting first, second, and third deadlines are considered dead.
Rep. Lucero Wednesday at the Capitol visiting with medical freedom warrior Patti Carroll from the Vaccine Safety Council of Minnesota.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Scores
According to Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, “The world must act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions … and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a ‘Great Reset’ of capitalism.”
Progressives continue their quest to “fundamentally transform America” as former President Obama admitted was his goal. Their ongoing objective is to replace Free-Market Capitalism with Socialism and replace our Constitutional Republic designed to protect individual liberty with dangerous direct democracy. To this end, progressives have evolved their strategy to leverage the influence of large corporations and other businesses to advance their leftist causes. Such actions pose a major threat to our freedoms.
The new progressive strategy seeks to usurp individual choice by imposing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards via a scoring system that evaluates companies based on the company’s commitment to liberal social justice and environmental causes. Companies with a higher ESG score will be rewarded for being politically correct while companies with lower ESG scores will be boycotted and pressured to publicly take politically correct positions.
The second phase of ESG targets individuals similar to the social credit scoring system used by Communist China. Progressives are working hard to have financial and other institutions also evaluate individual ESG scores, in addition to credit scores for example, when making decisions to approve loans, etc.
A recent publication by the Heartland Institute cannot articulate the threat more clear, “The widespread use of ESG, coupled with massive amounts of money printing, allow central banks, financial institutions, corporations, and government to work together to severely restrict individual and economic rights by making an end run around the U.S. Constitution and other limits on government power.”
Because of the threat to us, our individual liberties, and our livelihoods, I chief authored HF 4574 to prohibit financial institutions from discriminating based on ESG and for the State of Minnesota to divest of companies actively engaged in ESG.
Rep. Lucero Thursday at the Capitol visiting with Kelly with Child Protection League Action. CPLA is fighting to protect our children from the perversion of CSE and divisive poison of CRT.
RUSSIA
HF 4165 is a bill that was brought to the House Floor Thursday requiring the Minnesota State Board of Investment to identify and divest from companies with ties to Russia. The bill is in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
I drafted several amendments to HF 4165 to highlight truth and other areas Minnesota should divest from:
- A3: Would have prohibited investments in nations identified as state sponsors of terrorism
- A4: Would have prohibited investments in nations supporting human trafficking
- A5: Would have prohibited investments in nations supporting child labor
- A6: Would have added the language from my bill HF 4574 to prohibit ESG investments and discrimination
Unfortunately, the majority was committed to blocking all attempts to amend the bill to keep the focus on Russia and thus my amendments were not added. The degree to which corporate media heavily influences decision making at the Capitol is very frustrating. While human trafficking and child slave labor may not be front and center splashed across media outlets for days on end, these topics are no less important and no less devastating to the millions negatively impacted every day. Nevertheless, I am 100% committed to continue fighting for truth despite truth not being given the attention it deserves!
Rep. Lucero invited to a home fellowship Sunday to discuss Biblical Citizenship and the ongoing battle to defend truth.
AVIAN FLU
Cases of highly pathogenetic avian flu have been detected in the upper Midwest as farmers are concerned that another avian flu outbreak could be heading our way, similar to the 2015 outbreak. Over the weekend the Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) confirmed the bird flu virus was discovered in two different flocks in each Meeker and Mower Counties.
The 2015 avian flu outbreak was devastating to Minnesota’s agricultural community. In response, the MN Legislature provided significant funds to help deal with the emergency and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) instituted numerous biosecurity measures meant to slow the spread of avian flu if another outbreak came to Minnesota. These biosecurity measures have us in a much better place this year compared to 2015.
Back in 2015, 9 million birds in Minnesota were killed by the virus or euthanized to slow its spread. Our largest poultry farms are often the center of media attention when it comes to stories surrounding HPAI, but the infection can be just as devastating to many backyard flocks across the state.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has some tips available regarding biosecurity and points of contact if you have questions or concerns regarding HPAI. For more information on this subject, including ways to help prevent outbreaks, please visit the BAH website at the following links found here and here.
Rep. Lucero with colleague Rep. Steve Drazkowski on the MN House Floor with a MAJOR tax cut bill. "Hardworking families and businesses across Minnesota are being crushed with high taxes and rapid price increases due to Biden-Walz inflation while government sits flush with mountains of excess cash," said State Rep. Eric Lucero. "I'm proud to co-author State Rep. Steve Drazkowski's massive tax cut bill to enact deep, permanent tax cuts to all Minnesotans. 83% of the bill consists of tax repealers including the tax on social security, estate tax, sick tax, alternative minimum tax, state general tax, and more!"
STAYING IN TOUCH
Each and every day I’m continuously humbled at the opportunity to represent and fight for the values and priorities of our great community!
Please contact me to share any issues, concerns, or feedback you have to assist me best represent you. The best way to reach me is by email at Rep.Eric.Lucero@House.MN or by phone at 651-296-1534.
Sincerely,
Eric Lucero
State Representative District 30B Albertville, Hanover, Otsego, Saint Michael, and the Wright County portion of Dayton