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Dear Neighbors,
This past week marked an exciting milestone for a bill I’m carrying. On Friday, the State Government Finance Conference Committee voted unanimously to incorporate the Veterans Restorative Justice Act into its budget. This is a huge deal because this means that both the House and the Senate conferees agreed unanimously that this would be in the final bill to be voted into law in both bodies.
I’m incredibly proud of how far this bill has come, in spite of adversity along the way. We had valuable, vigorous debates in the House and Senate on how the bill should be structured and who it should benefit and why. At the eleventh hour, we confronted new obstacles and had to work through them in a bipartisan, bicameral way. Incredibly, out of that process emerged language that remains meaningful and will impact the lives of veterans and their families, as well as public safety, across the state. The Veterans Restorative Justice Act is the first-of-its-kind bill in the nation, extending the rehabilitative treatment court sentencing model to counties where no treatment courts are located. This is a more just and more humane sentencing system. If you would like to read more about this, check out this article by Jennifer Brooks in the Star Tribune.
In these waning moments of the legislative session, my broader takeaway from the experience of carrying this bill is that the job of House Representative is a true challenge, a true joy, and a true honor. From the first moments of being sworn in on a Zoom screen to the most recent gruelling challenges and victories, these months of the legislative session have been exhilarating. Many thanks to District 41B for entrusting me to represent you!
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New CDC Guidelines
Thursday afternoon, Governor Walz announced the end of Minnesota’s statewide mask requirement, aligning Minnesota with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on face coverings. Minnesotans who are not fully vaccinated are still strongly recommended to wear face coverings indoors. Private businesses and local municipalities may still put in place face covering requirements. I understand that Minneapolis and Saint Paul have extended their mask ordinances.
The CDC announced that masks are no longer required for fully-vaccinated individuals, either indoors or outside. Minnesotans should follow CDC guidance and wear masks in medical settings and on public transportation, whether or not they are fully vaccinated.
And Minnesota’s Safe Learning Plan, along with the existing face covering guidance for schools and child care settings, remain in effect. For the remainder of the 2020-21 school year masks must continue to be worn by everyone inside school buildings or on a school bus.
 Civility Caucus Last Meeting for the Legislative Session
On Monday, we had a great Civility Caucus meeting with both Democrats and Republicans from the Minnesota House and Senate. I’ve found serving in the legislature alongside colleagues with different viewpoints to be an enlightening experience that has better helped me to identify with the underlying emotions and life experiences that result in these differing perspectives. While this doesn’t mean that we will come to an agreement on policy, it does help me to address the disagreement in a more compassionate and simultaneously dispassionate way in order to find a path forward in a bipartisan way. This ability is critically important if we want to actually achieve anything for the people of Minnesota, and I’m grateful for the Civility Caucus giving me more structured opportunities to get to know my Republican colleagues.
It’s been an honor to be in this Caucus this year with my colleagues, Representative Kristin Robbins, Senator Steve Cwodzinski, Senator Mark Koran, and Dave and Mariah from the Office of Conflict Resolution. Our focus is to build and improve bipartisan collaboration at the Capitol. I'm proud of the work we have done and will continue over the Summer.
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Adult-use Cannabis Passed the Minnesota House of Representatives
Thursday evening the Minnesota House passed legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis. The comprehensive and solidly vetted bill addresses many of my concerns, thanks in part to the robust state wide listening sessions held throughout Minnesota these past few years. The bill would create a responsibly regulated cannabis market and includes measures to address youth access, public health, and road safety concerns. With 12 committee hearings, it was one of the most carefully vetted pieces of legislation in recent memory. Last night, I voted in support of the legislation.
I empathize with the concerns raised by some about this shift in our approach to legislating cannabis. Change can be uncomfortable - especially this type of change, where we are making something legal that has a stigma attached. Nonetheless, the majority of Minnesotans are ready to make this change, and personally, I believe this is the right way forward. If we make it legal, we can regulate, restrict, tax, and control cannabis use much better than we do now.
In addition, legalizing adult-use cannabis will help address criminal justice inequities created by our current system and allow law enforcement to focus on more serious issues. Currently, Minnesota is spending significant law enforcement resources enforcing low-level cannabis offenses rather than focusing on more serious crimes. This has resulted in significant racial disparities in our criminal justice system and injustice in our communities.
I appreciate the level of correspondence I've received from the community on this legislation. Thanks to everyone who reached out to share your perspectives.
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American Rescue Plan: Aid Headed to Minnesota
Thanks to the American Rescue Plan that Congress and President Biden approved earlier this year, Minnesota is set to receive nearly $5 billion in aid. The state will receive $2.8 billion – about $200 million more than expected – and local governments will get $2.1 billion. While some of the aid is intended for specific purposes like rental assistance and small business loans, the rest can be used in a variety of ways. This flexibility will allow governments to work together and meet the unique needs of people and communities across Minnesota. I’ll keep you updated as we receive more information about these funds and how they’ll be used to support Minnesotans.
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 You can stay up to date on our work for the 2021 Legislative Session by subscribing to these legislative updates and “liking” my official Facebook page. For any questions you have on the resources available to our community or our work in the Minnesota House, you can reach me at rep.sandra.feist@house.mn or leave a voicemail at (651) 296-4331. I look forward to hearing from you.
In Solidarity,
Sandra Feist
Minnesota State representative (House District 41B)
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