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Dear Neighbors,

Since my last newsletter, House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman announced a bipartisan power-sharing agreement that allowed the Minnesota House to begin lawfully conducting business last week. I am happy to share that we fought to protect the will of the voters, and we succeeded.

Democrats secured the power-sharing agreement we sought, and assurances that Representative Brad Tabke will be seated and will serve the term to which he was elected. Under the agreement, Republicans will control House Committees while they have a 67-66 advantage. They will both chair the committees and have a one-seat voting advantage. If the House returns to a 67-67 tie after a special election in Roseville, committees will be co-chaired by Democrats and Republicans and there will be an equal number of Democrats and Republicans on each committee. At that point, a bipartisan vote will be required to advance a bill out of committee. As per the Minnesota Constitution, passing any bill, including the budget, will take at least 68 votes. Full details of the agreement are available here. 

Had Democrats previously gone to the Capitol without a power sharing agreement in place, Republicans would have kicked out Rep. Tabke, usurping the election in Shakopee. They would also have seized control of the chamber for two years, even when we return to a tie. Minnesotans delivered a tied House on Election Night, and this power sharing agreement allows us to govern in a way that reflects that outcome. 

This year, I will be serving on the Capital Investment, Commerce Finance and Policy, and Health Finance and Policy Committees. I’m excited to work together to deliver on the top issues facing Minnesotans like affordable housing, education, healthcare, and more.

My Session Priorities

When I look at the work to be done this session, the word that keeps coming to mind is “Resolute.” 

There is a lot to be resolute about. This year, my commitment to advocating for our values, working to protect people whose well-being is under attack, and continuing to move toward a society that values diversity, equity, and inclusion remains stronger than ever.

At a time when this is under attack, we need to ensure our state is investing in people. This means fighting for the rights of our transgender and immigrant communities, supporting young single-parent families through funding for services that help them move into successful adult lives, and creating additional shelter space for people experiencing domestic violence. These aren't just bold ideals, they’re a call to action.

Together, we can further ease the impact of medical debt by partnering with Undue Medical Debt to buy and forgive qualifying patients’ debt from Minnesota hospitals, building on the success of the Minnesota Debt Fairness Act. We can also make care more accessible for patients with hard-to-diagnose or rare diseases, like covering gene therapy for people with sickle cell disease, and rein in the impact of private equity and other corporatization of healthcare.

Finally, there are critical investments in our Dakota County community and across Minnesota, including expanding recycling facilities that support Dakota and Scott counties, and promoting state funded infrastructure projects in being more climate resilient.

Join me for a Town Hall with Attorney General Ellison

Join me for a town hall Tuesday, February 18th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. I’ll be with Rep. Bianca Virnig, Sen. Jim Carlson, and Attorney General Keith Ellison. The location will be provided after RSVP’ing here. 

I hope to see you there!

Keep in Touch

If you have any questions or feedback you’d like to share, you can contact me by email at [email protected] or call (651) 296-4128. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.  

Sincerely,  

Liz Reyer  

State Representative