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Dear Neighbors,  

Things are getting busy at the Capitol! Following last week’s power-sharing agreement, committee hearings and floor sessions have been underway. For me, that meant meetings of the House’s Taxes and Commerce committees - more on those in this update.

The nature of the Minnesota House for the next two years will need to be one of bipartisanship, and while I believe there’s a lot of common ground to be found, I’ll never sacrifice our shared principles and values that you voted for.

Though the State House is organized, the fight continues at the federal level, where we’ve seen so much uncertainty and chaos in recent days. However, I had a nice moment of solidarity when my fellow members of our House People of Color and Indigenous Caucus came together for a quick photo. I take solace in the fact that these champions and I - along with our entire DFL caucus - are committed to using every lever of power we have at the state level to defend our progress, our neighbors, and the fight to keep our state as a beacon of promise. 

Here are some highlights from a busy week!

Commerce Hearing on the Office of Cannabis Management Social Equity Applicants 

As part of our power-sharing agreement, once the House returns to a tie, we will return to the bipartisan co-chair arrangement. This means that though I’m currently serving as the DFL Lead in the House Commerce Committee, I will become the DFL Co-Chair next month. Regardless of my position, I look forward to fighting for Minnesotans in this committee. 

This week, our committee heard from the Office of Cannabis Management’s budget presentation. I was proud to vote for the legalization of adult-use cannabis in 2023, increasing options for people to treat conditions like PTSD and chronic pain while providing relief for the thousands of minor offenders who have been unfairly swept up in our criminal justice system.  

Cannabis license applications are scheduled to open on February 18. The office is also in the process of adopting rules to govern the cannabis marketplace in the state.

Additionally, The Office of Cannabis Management announced the new program CanRenew, a new grant initiative that will go to support marginalized communities that have faced challenges under the War on Drugs. Applications can be submitted on the Office of Cannabis Management's website. The deadline to apply is March 24.

Taxes hearing on Social Security

In the Taxes Committee, much of my work in these next two years will be focused on ensuring our tax system is working well for ALL Minnesotans, not just the wealthy and well-connected - and that argument was certainly present in our hearing this week.

Currently, 79% of Minnesotans do not pay social security tax. Tax breaks for those in brackets that need it most was the targeted work of the Minnesota House DFL last biennium. The GOP proposed a bill to expand that tax break to the highest earning 21%, which would cost nearly $1 billion! Thank you Arlene of Faith In Minnesota for your strong testimony against these additional tax breaks for the wealthiest Minnesotans, and your advocacy for investing in a system that truly helps seniors and struggling families.

Improving Mental Health Services with NAMI

Now that we’re back at the State Capitol, I’m so grateful to the advocates that continue to meet with us on the issues that matter most. 

This week, I met with NAMI to go over our priorities to address the mental health crisis experienced by communities across Minnesota this session.

Early treatment of psychosis greatly increases the chance of successful recovery. The longer psychotic symptoms go untreated, the greater the risk of additional problems. Like many illnesses, intervening early for a mental illness is critical for a person's long-term well-being and ability to minimize and cope with symptoms. This is why NAMI is introducing a bill requiring First Episode of Psychosis and Assertive Community Treatment coverage under private insurance, and for plans to cover work done by clinical trainees.

Important Updates to Local Infrastructure - Summit Ave & Pelham Blvd

This week, I met with staff at the City of Saint Paul and the Mayor's office to gain a better understanding of the Summit Avenue Regional Trail.  As the city plans for the future, balancing aging infrastructure and livability must be coupled with the voices of impacted residents. 

This iconic and historic street is a gem of St. Paul. Preserving the past while planning for changes to prepare our city for the future is a delicate and challenging balance, but one worth doing. You can check out a summary of the regional trail plan here. 

Next year, the City of Saint Paul will also be reconstructing Pelham Boulevard between Mississippi River Boulevard and Franklin Avenue, replacing underground utilities, sidewalks, street surfaces, curbs, lighting, and pedestrian ramps. 

I met with both city officials and MNDOT planners on coordinating work to best serve our community.

Kids Count On Us

Kids Count On Us has been organizing for years around affordable and accessible childcare. As childcare centers continue to close across the state, providers, teachers, and staff of childcare facilities convened a roundtable to raise the alarm bells on how close every childcare center in the state is from shutting their doors. Despite long hours, these dedicated professionals made time to inform and educate us.

It was wonderful to be among friends and partners fighting for our smallest Minnesotans. I am hopeful we can continue to make progress on this issue. 

Stay Connected

Please continue to reach out to my office at 651-296-8799 or [email protected], and you’ll hear back from me or my Legislative Assistant, Emma. I always appreciate hearing from you!

You can also follow along on my official Facebook page, and subscribe to these regular emails if you haven’t already. 

Thank you again for the incredible honor of representing our community!

Sincerely, 

Kaohly Vang Her

State Representative