Dear Neighbors,
My thoughts and condolences are with our Brooklyn Center neighbors, Katie and Aubrey Wright, who are mourning the loss of their child, Daunte Wright. His tragic death underscores the need to renew our efforts as lawmakers, community leaders, parents, and neighbors, to improve public safety for all.
As you may recall, the Legislature passed several bipartisan public safety reform measures last summer, with law enforcement stakeholders at the table. Some of the measures we passed with the Republican-led Minnesota Senate include a tougher standard for when police can use deadly force, a ban on “warrior training” and choke holds, a duty to intercede, and expanded Autism training. I’m committed to continuing this work in partnership with our Coon Rapids and Champlin residents and our local PDs and State Patrol. Balancing the state budget and ensuring safe communities for all are my top priorities in these final weeks of the session.
Budget Progress
With less than six weeks left in the legislative session, my colleagues and I have been working hard to develop a strong and equitable state budget to help us weather the ongoing pandemic’s impacts and to ensure our state is well poised in our economic recovery efforts.
Here are a couple highlights of our budget we passed this week in the House:
State Government, Elections and Veterans
As our state continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Government, Elections, and Veterans bill includes investments in the responsive and efficient state government Minnesotans deserve to meet this moment and assist in our economic recovery. The bill also invests in Minnesota’s veterans with additional funding for our state veterans’ homes, funding to help end veteran homelessness, strategies to prevent veteran suicide, and a pathway for veterans who have been charged with crimes stemming from service-related trauma to get mental health or substance abuse help as an alternative to incarceration.
Transportation
Minnesotans expect our roads and bridges to be safe and efficient, but across the state, our transportation infrastructure continues to deteriorate. Many bridges are near collapse. Our transportation budget makes direct investments in transportation to address the long-term safety risk posed by our aging roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure. The bill helps Minnesota grow our multimodal transportation system to help people get where they need to go no matter where they live.
Transportation
Minnesotans expect our roads and bridges to be safe and efficient, but across the state, our transportation infrastructure continues to deteriorate. Many bridges are near collapse. Our transportation budget makes direct investments in transportation to address the long-term safety risk posed by our aging roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure. The bill helps Minnesota grow our multimodal transportation system to help people get where they need to go no matter where they live.
Keep in Touch
Please contact me anytime with questions, input, or to let me know how I can be of assistance at rep.zack.stephenson@house.mn or 651-296-5513.
It’s an honor to serve our Champlin and Coon Rapids residents and families in the Minnesota House. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Zack Stephenson
State Representative