NEWS RELEASE
Rep. Hodan Hassan
Minnesota House of Representatives
District 62B – 651-296-0294 – rep.hodan.hassan@house.mn.gov
597 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marlee Schlegel
651-296-9873 or marlee.schlegel@house.mn.gov
February 2, 2023
Rep. Hodan Hassan votes to pass the “Restore the Vote” Act and Juneteenth
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Tonight, the Minnesota House of Representatives voted to pass HF 28, known as the “Restore the Vote” Act, off the House floor. The bill would restore voting rights to individuals convicted of a felony upon completion of any incarceration imposed and executed by a court for the offense. The House also passed HF 48, which would recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Rep. Hodan Hassan (DFL – Minneapolis) is a co-author on both bills and voted to support them.
“Restoring voting rights is both an equity issue and a racial justice issue,” said Rep. Hassan. “In Minnesota, 20% of those deemed ineligible to vote are black, while black Minnesotans of voting age make up just 4% of the population. I’m glad we were able to move both of these bills forward as we begin Black History Month. This is just the beginning of the work we are committed to doing to rectify racial disparities in Minnesota.”
In the Senate, Restore the Vote is making its way through committee hearings. Juneteenth has been passed by the Senate and is now awaiting signature by Governor Walz.
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