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Neighbors,
Rep. Zack Stephenson and I invite you to a Zoom Town Hall tomorrow, February 28, to discuss the legislative session. We look forward to your questions. To attend, please register here. We’ll send out the Zoom link shortly before the event.
All committees and floor sessions were cancelled at the Capitol just before the snow hit, so our colleagues from outside the Twin Cities metro area could travel safely to their districts. We are back at the Capitol today with a full slate of action and news about our latest budget forecast.
Prior to the storm last week, we passed several important bills.
For months, I have been hearing from constituents about the ongoing issue of catalytic converter theft. Last Monday, the Minnesota House passed catalytic converter theft prevention legislation. This bill prohibits scrap metal dealers from purchasing a catalytic converter not attached to a motor vehicle unless the catalytic converter contains identifying markings connecting the device to a vehicle. Furthermore, scrap metal dealers must collect certain information to aid law enforcement and enter data into an electronic database. Penalties for not complying with the law include a fine of up to $10,000 for unlawful possession and sale.
Minnesota ranks in the top five states for catalytic cover thefts and in November of 2022, a federal takedown of a catalytic converter theft ring of over a half-billion dollars included more than a dozen search warrants across Minnesota. I voted ‘yes’ on this bipartisan bill.
Also on Monday, I joined a bipartisan vote when the Minnesota House passed legislation to ban the discredited practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” The legislation would ban conversion therapy on children or vulnerable adults, prohibit conversion therapy from being offered under medical assistance coverage, and eliminate the misrepresentation of services or products associated with conversion therapy. This legislation supports families and children, and I was proud to vote ‘yes.’
It’s easy to stay in touch which the State Capitol activities. The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website.
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to call or email me any time. You can find my information on my House website. Also, make sure to ‘like’ my Facebook page.
It is an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Jerry Newton
State Representative
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