Dear neighbors, I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying the first days of spring! Here’s an update from the State Capitol: Advocating for Our CommunityThe White Bear Press and Hugo Citizen recently published a column about bills I’m championing that were inspired by stories and feedback shared by community members, as well as legislation that would address our community’s unique needs. You can read it here. Standing with UkraineWe’ve all seen harrowing images and heard heartbreaking stories from Ukraine over the past few weeks. Last week, legislators from the Minnesota House took a stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We passed the bill I mentioned in my last update – legislation that requires Minnesota to divest of all direct holdings of Russian assets – with a unanimous vote. Since the government of Belarus was complicit in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the bill requires the state to divest of Belarusian assets as well. This will primarily impact the state pension funds. The bill also codifies an Executive Order Governor Walz issued to bar state agencies from contracting with Russian companies.  Connecting with Local StudentsI met with several students from the AFSA K-12 Academy for Sciences and Agriculture on March 22, which was Agriculture Day in Minnesota. We had a great conversation about the school and FFA!  Apply for the Conservation Officer Prep ProgramThe Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Enforcement Division is currently recruiting candidates for their CO Prep program! This program helps Minnesotans who don’t have a law enforcement background gain the experience needed to become a conservation officer. Anyone with at least a two-year degree and a desire to protect our state’s natural resources is invited to apply. You can find more information about the CO Prep program here. Applications are due on Friday, April 8. If you have questions or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact me by email at rep.ami.wazlawik@house.mn or call (651) 296-3018. Sincerely, Ami Wazlawik
State Representative |