DearFriendandNeighbor,
ItismyhonortoserveyouintheMinnesotaSenate. Everyday,Idomybesttorepresentall83,000ofmy constituents.Myexperiencevisiting21,780homesand meetingmanythousandsofresidentsremindsmeto representyourwiderangeoflifeexperiences, viewpoints,andgoals.Thatisnosmalltask,asyou mayimagineImakeanefforttoworkwithall membersoftheLegislatureandtheGovernortoget goodthingsdonetobenefitourareaandthestate Eventhoughlastsessionendedonaquiterockynote, Iremaincommittedtomyfocusofworkingonboth sidesoftheaisle.Thisishowgovernmentshouldwork, drawingthebestideasfromallpartiesandmaking ourcitiesandstateagreatplacetocallhome.Our childrendeserveaworld-classeducation,weshould feelsafeinourneighborhoods,seniorsandpersons withdisabilitiesshouldbewellcaredfor,andwe shouldholdthestateaccountableinthesameways wehavetorunourownhouseholds.
Istrivetofindconsensuswhereverpossibleon challengingissueslikethestrawpurchaseoffirearms ThetragicBurnsvilleshootingoftwopoliceanda firefighterwasbecauseofthissortofpurchaseI authoredlegislationtoincreasethepenaltiesfor personswhopurchasegunsforthosewhoare disallowedtoownoneorwhenthosegunsareused againstpolice.Ibelievethiscommonsensechange wouldsavemanylives
ServingastheleadfortheminorityontheSenate HumanServicesCommittee,Iprioritizequalityand safetyforseniorsandenhancingopportunitiesfor familiesandindividualswithdisabilities.Together, wehavehadmanysuccesses.YoumayrecallIserved aschairofthesamecommitteefor6yearsand workedveryhardtobuildabipartisanfocustomeet theneedsofthe100,000seniorsandpersonswith disabilities.
Supportingouractivearmedservicemenand womenandveteransisanotherkeyfocusforme. IamproudtheLegislaturecontinuestopass bipartisanlegislationfortheirinvaluablecontributions thathavegivenusouramazingfreedoms
YourinputisinvaluablePleasefeelfreetoreachout withyourthoughtsorifyourequireassistance. Together,wecanmakeadifference.
SENATORJIMABELER
2024 SESSION WRAP
SUMMERTIMESENSATION!
2024 SESSION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Whilelegislativeleadersdidnotreachan agreementforabondingbill,therewerestill somenotableprojectsthatmadetheirwayinto thisyear’ssupplementalbudgets.
InourcommunitiesofAnoka,CoonRapidsand Andover,Iampleasedtosharewereceived fundingforthefollowingprojectsandprograms:
ANOKACOUNTY
TrunkHighway65SafetyImprovements
$100,000forcommunitycrime interventionandpreventionprograms
$400,000forADAimprovementsto HumanServicesBuilding
$1.7millionforareplacementfacility fortheMillerBuildingonAnokaMetro RegionalTreatmentCenterCampus
TherearemanyprojectsIamstillworkingon inconcertwithourbipartisanlocallegislative delegation.TheseincludetheHwy610/EastRiver Roadaccessimprovement,anewAnokaDam (Itwillbeamazing!),andadditionalnewwater suppliestoreplacethecontaminatedwellsin theRedOaksneighborhoodofAndover.
ADDITIONAL SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
ManybillspassedthissessionthatIhada handinhelpingbecomelaw.Hereisabrieflist ofsomeofthebillsthatpassedforwhichI haveheardfromconstituentsonthisyear.
AfricanAmericanFamilyPreservation
Act:Establishesasocialservicesagencyand courtrequirementsforAfricanAmericansand otherdisproportionatelyrepresentedchildrenin thechildprotectionsystem.Iwasaco-authorof thislegislationalongwithSenatorBobbyJoe Champion.Thisnewprogramwillmakeareal differenceformanyfamilies.
FosteringIndependenceGrants:Provides$5 millionforgrantstostudentswhohavebeen throughthefostercaresystemtopursuehigher education.Iwasastrongadvocateforthis.
Foodinsecurity:Dedicates$5.4milliontoa summerEBTprogramforfoodbanks,food shelves,andTribalfoodsovereigntyprograms, andensurescollegestudentscanuseSNAP benefits Itistragichowmanyfamiliesfind themselvesinhunger Thiswillhelpmany
InterstateCompacts: AuthorizesMinnesotato enterinterstatelicensurecompactsforphysical therapists,occupationaltherapists,physician assistants,andsocialworkservices.Thisisavery timelyandsolidpolicytohelpusgetmore cliniciansfromoutofstate.
Ticketfees:Endshiddenfeestoensureticket buyersseethefullpriceupfront.Rememberthe TaylorSwiftdebacle?
Junkfees:Limitshiddenfeesthatother businessesaddtothecostofgoodsand servicesToooftenbuyersandcustomersare surprisedbylargeaddedfeesthattheyhadno ideawerebeingcharged.Thiswillmakeareal difference.
Workermisclassification:Increasesprotections topreventemployersfromcommitting misclassificationfraudandpreventing employeesfromlosingaccesstoimportant rightsandbenefitssuchasworker’s compensation,unemploymentinsurance, overtimeprotections,paidfamilyandmedical leave,andmore.Thisiscommonsense.
Housingandhomelessnessprevention:Provides fundingtopreventhomelessnessforseniorsand families,aswellastopreserveandstrengthen ourexistinghousingopportunities.Wehave madegreatstrides,andthisisonemoreuseful step
EMS AID PACKAGE
Thissession,inastrongbipartisaneffort,wepassed a$30millionaidpackageforruralemergency medicalservices.Ambulanceprovidersface financialstrainandasevereshortageofqualified staff,particularlyoutsideurbanareaswhereservices aredeclining.Thiswouldaffectarearesidentswho areupnorthorelsewhereataruralcabinandcould findthemselvestotallyunabletogetambulance service.
WhiletheGreaterMinnesotaambulanceneedsare profound,thismodestpackagewillgoalongwayto stabilizethesituationinmanyareas.Thisisa problemthatwillhavetobeaddressednextsession andinyearstocome.
R A
UberandLyft'spotentialdeparturefromthestate,dueto proposedrateincreasesbytheMinneapolisCityCouncil, causedconcern
WorkingwithSenatorOmarFateh,weco-authoredabillto addresstheissue,leadingtoanagreementonminimumpay standardsfordriversandpreventingridesharecompanies fromleavingpartsofthestate.Thiswasaveryrealrisk,and manywereconcernedthattheywouldlosetheir“Ubers.” Thankfully,thatwillnotbethecase.
Thestatewideminimumratesweresetatareasonablerate thatwilltreatboththedriversandpassengersfairly.
I'mpleasedtohavebeenpartofthissuccessfulconclusion.
CONSTITUENTS ATTHECAPITOL
Constituentarealwaysahighlightofmyday,andIamgratefulfor everyonewhotookthetimetovisitmethissession!
WhetherIamvisitedbyteachersandstudentsnurses,orUber drivers,everypersonbringsauniqueperspectivethatistruyvalued
@JIMABELER
