What’s next after Minnesota’s legislative ‘miracle’

By Charles Hallman Staff Contributor

n June, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan along with other state officials met with senior White House officials in Washington, D.C. to celebrate Minnesota’s recent legislative victories, including paid family and medical leave. The paid family and medical leave program will provide all Minnesotans with partial wage replacement for medical leave, bonding or caring for a family member.

The paid family and medical leave was among nearly 80 “long overdue” bills that were passed in 2023, by the Minnesota legislature, and only the eighth time in 40 years that a special session wasn’t needed to pass the state budget. Many credit that to the fact that the DFL controls the governor’s office, the House, and the Senate.

Before their trip to D.C., Lt. Governor Flanagan spoke with the MSR about this year’s legislative session. “First of all, this session was incredible,” declared the second-term lieu- tenant governor. A former state legislator (201519), former Minneapolis school board member (2005-09), and long-time Native American activist and community organizer, Flanagan has been an advocate for working-class families and Indigenous communities.

“As someone who’s been doing this work, there’s a really important story to be told about how much work has been done over the last decade to make this happen,” said the St. Louis Park native. She called the 2023 legislative session, the passing of the baton from organizer to organizer, and legislature to legislature.

As an example, she offered Minnesota’s passing of the CROWN Act, which prohibits hair-based discrimination—similar to laws passed in 14 other states. Flanagan credits last year’s election of three Black women—Zaynab Mohammad, Claire Oumou Verbeten, Erin Maye Quade— to the Minnesota Senate in helping pass the law.

Other examples include the establishment of the first Office of Miss-