Neighbors, This week, our legislative committees heard a full slate of bills as our House DFL Economic Security Plan takes shape. Committee Highlights In Tuesday’s Early Childhood committee, Rep. Kelly Morrison presented legislation to establish a universal, voluntary home visiting program for families with infants. Evidence based and evidence informed home visiting programs provide early support for parents and creates opportunities for early identification and intervention for babies and their developing brains. Supporting Ukraine This week a bipartisan coalition of legislators announced a bill to sanction Russia for their aggression against Ukraine. I support the action to divest Minnesota’s pension fund from Russia. Committee Deadlines Each year the Legislature establishes deadlines for committee action on bills. Committee deadlines are announced during the first half of a session to narrow the list of topics to be considered in the session. This year the following dates have been set: Friday, March 25 is the first deadline for committees to act favorably on bills in the house of origin; either the House or Senate. Friday, April 1 is the second deadline for committees to act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, meeting the first deadline in the other house. Friday, April 8 is the third deadline for committees to act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills. The deadlines do not apply to the House Capital Investment, Ways and Means, Taxes, or Rules and Legislative Administration committees, or to the Senate committees on Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Administration. International Women’s Day This week we celebrated International Women’s Day and all the important contributions women have made in Minnesota and around the world!  COVID-19 Update While many mask mandates have been lifted, it’s still important to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and booster to keep you and your family safe. If you’re not feeling well, get tested. You can still order up to four free COVID tests for your household. Go to this link to order your test kits and many more resources. _____________ Stay connected with the legislature The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website here. Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to call or email me any time. You can also connect with me on Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent you at the State Capitol. Sincerely, Laurie Pryor State Representative |