2024 Session Wrap-Up





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Legislative Update ? May 24, 2024

2024 Session Wrap-Up

The 2024 Legislative Session adjourned on May 20, and this two-year biennium has been one of the most productive in state history! This term, we worked towards a better future and made strides to help Minnesotans who are struggling in our state.

I'm proud of our progress on issues like gun violence prevention, combatting climate change, and strengthening consumer protections- priorities that previously stalled under divided government. But there is still more work to do.

House DFL lawmakers will continue working with our neighbors and community members to lower the cost of living, deliver economic security for working families, and ensure everyone has the tools they need to thrive.

Pursell

As session was coming to a close last week, I sat down with Iowa State Rep. JD Scholten to talk [ [link removed] ] about the end of our session and some comparisons with our neighboring state.

You can hear more about the end of the legislative session on in my weekly radio interview with KYMN 95.1 The One by clicking the link below.

*Weekly KYMN Interview* [ [link removed] ]


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Bills Passed into Law!

This year I was proud to author several pieces of legislation that made it across the finish line and will soon be law!

I passed a bill that allows college campuses to hold an on-campus early voting location if the students or administration make that request (_HF 3447 [ [link removed] ]_), and a provision protecting local honey producers by ensuring labeling is consistent with federal regulations (_HF 5147 [ [link removed] ]_).?

In my first ever pensions bill, (HF 4656 [ [link removed] ]) teachers and other public employees with student debt can have their student loan payments count as their contribution to achieve an employer match of their pension! We also passed a modified version of my public waters definition bill (_HF 3385 [ [link removed] ]_), and were able to win funding for an update of our Public Waters Inventory which will clarify what water is private and what is considered public in Minnesota.

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Agriculture and Environment

As I mentioned in last week?s update, I was selected to serve on two conference committees, working alongside committee chairs from the House and Senate to build the strongest bills possible. As a first-term legislator, I was proud to bring my voice to both the Agriculture and Environment conference committees to advocate for our district, our farmers, and our environment!

Our _final Agriculture agreement [ [link removed] ]_?had many important provisions, but an incredibly important piece of our work this year was addressing elevated nitrate levels in southeast Minnesotans' drinking water, where karst geology can make groundwater especially susceptible to contamination from nitrogen fertilizer. Our bill includes $2.8 million for nitrate treatment systems and another $1.5 million for other initiatives such as soil health in southeast Minnesota.

In the _Environment and Natural Resources agreement [ [link removed] ]_, I fought for provisions that protect our water and soil for future generations. I secured $300,000 in tree planting grants for Northfield, and we passed policies that set goals to get a report and then reduce road salt and nitrogen fertilizer. We also provided the Department of Natural Resources and Pollution Control Agency funding to increase penalties on bad actors who put profit over environmental protection.

Pursell

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End of Session Action

I am proud of all the bills we carried across the finish line, but as a member of the _Environment and Natural Resources [ [link removed] ]_, _Agriculture [ [link removed] ]_, _Education Finance [ [link removed] ]_, and _Elections [ [link removed] ]_?committees, I?m especially proud of our efforts there!

We also passed a _gun violence prevention bill [ [link removed] ]_?that includes tougher penalties for straw purchasers and a ban on binary triggers, a _bill [ [link removed] ]_?that will increase wages for rideshare drivers while keeping companies operating in Minnesota, a health occupational _licensure and scoping bill [ [link removed] ]_, legislation _improving our child welfare services [ [link removed] ]_?and addressing racial disparities, and a _tenant?s right?s package [ [link removed] ]._

Working alongside the Governor and our Senate counterparts, we reached final agreements on all major budget bills. You can find nonpartisan summaries about the final agreements here: _Transportation, Labor and Housing [ [link removed] ]_, _Energy and Agriculture [ [link removed] ]_, _Public Safety and Judiciary [ [link removed] ]_, _Commerce and Cannabis [ [link removed] ]_, _Jobs and Economic Development [ [link removed] ]_, _Environment and Natural Resources [ [link removed] ]_, _K-12 Education [ [link removed] ]_, _Higher Education [ [link removed] ]_, _Human Services [ [link removed] ]_, _Health [ [link removed] ]_, and _Elections [ [link removed] ]_.

House Floor

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Representative Kristi Pursell

523 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155

Phone: 651-296-0171
Email:[email protected]" (replies to this newsletter are not monitored)"
Website:?[link removed] [ [link removed] ]
Legislative Assistant: Drew Jones,?651-296-4307







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