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Rep. Pinto

Dear Neighbors:

I’ve been meaning to write with this important update on the legislative session but have been dealing with the after-effects of illness. Slowly feeling better. There are a lot of bugs going around this year; wishing you and your family good health. Now to the update…

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*Republican Seizure of Minnesota House Ruled Unconstitutional*

Late last week, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled [ [link removed] ] that Republicans’ attempted power grab in the Minnesota House violated the state Constitution.

As described in my most recent update [ [link removed] ]: On the first day of the legislative session, Secretary of Steve Simon found that a quorum was not present in the House and adjourned, as required under the state constitution (and as he had previously explained [ [link removed] ] to House leaders). But Republicans disregarded him, elected a "speaker," and held a series of sham hearings - a grab for power that lasted for more than 10 days. The Court's ruling was that Secretary Simon was correct and that there was no authority for any of Republicans' subsequent actions.

The voters have delivered a state House where neither party has a 68-vote majority. Progress for Minnesota requires that we work together. But Republicans have indicated that if a quorum were present in the House, they would seize full power. In particular, they would refuse to seat Rep. Brad Tabke [ [link removed] ], disenfranchising 22,000 voters in Shakopee. Rep. Tabke won on election night, won in a recount, and won in court [ [link removed] ]. The will of the voters in Shakopee and around the state must be respected.

My House DFL colleagues and I continue to offer a reasonable path forward [ [link removed] ] where Republicans would have full control of the House when they have a temporary one-seat advantage, with a co-governing agreement if the House were to return to a tie (as is likely following an upcoming special election). This is similar to an agreement made between Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate [ [link removed] ].

Minnesota voters sent a clear message on Election Night – they expect us to govern together. Now that it is clear Republicans must work with Democrats for the House to operate, I’m hopeful that we can reach an agreement soon.

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*Work in the Community*

While my House DFL colleagues and I are not at the Capitol, we are meeting with constituents, House and agency staff, advocates, and our fellow legislators, as well as attending many community events. 

In my new role co-leading policy on workforce, labor, and economic development, I've taken particular advantage of this time to conduct site visits. This has included labor training facilities (like in the photo), workforce development centers, organizations that work with entrepreneurs, and more. This is allowing me to review hands-on the impact of past budget and policy decisions, and gain insights for the decisions that will come later in session.

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*Connecting*

To confirm, my legislative office continues to be open during this time. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me; the best way is to send an email to [email protected]. My legislative assistant Carl Kaase ([email protected]) is available to help with matters, including invitations to events or meetings, as well.

Thank you for the honor of serving you during this challenging time for our state and country,

Pinto signature

Legislative website: www.house.leg.state.mn.us/64b [ [link removed] ]
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