2023 MINNESOTA LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Session Recap
Learn more about which priorities passed into law:
Lowering the Cost of Living
Prohibiting Corporate Price Gouging
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
When public emergencies strike, Minnesotans deserve to know they won’t face excessive prices for food, water, fuel, shelter, transportation, health care services, and medical supplies. This bill will stop bad actors from inflating prices on essential goods and services when an executive order declaring a public emergency is in place, meaning hard working Minnesotans can focus on providing for their families and rebuilding their communities when disaster strikes.
Payday Lending Reform
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
All Minnesotans deserve to be able to fully participate in their local economy and feel confident that the financial services being provided to them are fair. While payday lenders claim to offer emergency small loans for short terms, the reality is that the interest rates and terms of these loans cause consumers to quickly fall into a debt trap that can be impossible to escape. This bill will end harmful predatory lending practices in Minnesota so that borrowers are given a fair deal when they need it most, allowing borrowers the ability to get back on their feet and the freedom to provide for themselves and contribute to their communities.
Hunger-Free Schools
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
No child can learn on an empty stomach. This bill ensures that every Minnesota child is provided with breakfast and lunch at school. Students, families, and their communities all benefit when students are fed.
Free College for Families Most in Need
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
The costs of a higher education have soared in the last 20 years, putting many students and their families into debt that takes decades to get out of. This bill would create a free grant program to cover tuition & fees at Minnesota colleges for eligible students. Investing in college affordability will help more Minnesotans get the higher education needed to enter the workforce and contribute to our economy and communities.
Increasing the Freedom to Care for Family & Contribute to Community
Paid Family & Medical Leave Act
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
Every day, Minnesotans face impossible choices between losing a paycheck or caring for a new child, an aging loved one, or themselves. The Paid Family & Medical Leave Act supports employees, employers, and all Minnesotans. Employees will see increased economic security and job security during important life events, and employers will see lower staff turnover and increased productivity.
Driver’s Licenses for All
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
Working people in Minnesota need reliable and safe transportation to get to and from work, care for their families, and participate in their communities. Issuing Driver’s licenses to people who pass the driver’s test and live in Minnesota, regardless of immigration status, means safer roads for everyone and more economic opportunities for families and communities across Minnesota.
Earned Sick & Safe Time
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
Working people are the engine of our economy. When employees can take time to recover while sick and come back to work healthy and productive, businesses and local economies benefit. But when workers don’t have access to time off when they get sick or need medical treatment, they are forced to choose between caring for themselves or a paycheck and risk infecting others. This bill creates a pathway for all Minnesota workers to build up time to take off when they or a loved one gets sick.
Great Start Scholarships
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
Early education is so critical for the success of our students. Minnesota's $300MM investment in Great Start Scholarships will increase access to high-quality early care and learning programs for those most in need.
Creating a Department of Children, Youth, and Families
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
All Minnesota children deserve the same opportunities no matter their race, zipcode, or caregivers' income. Creating a new department of Children, Youth, and Families will put more focus at the state level into ensuring all kids get off to a great start.
Making Health Care More Affordable
Expanding Public Health Care Insurance Options for Minnesotans
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
By 2027, our state will have an expanded public healthcare option in place -- a step toward everyone being able to get affordable care no matter where in Minnesota they live or what they look like.
Everyone deserves access to health care. But many self-employed, small business owners, or under-insured Minnesotans are hit hard with high premiums and other health insurance costs, making quality health care out of reach. With racial disparities in health coverage widening even more in recent years, it's clear we need to do more to make sure more working families get the health care access they need. When more families are able to purchase affordable insurance options like MinnesotaCare, we see better health outcomes, lower rates of uncompensated care, and working people have more choices in their jobs and lives.
Prohibiting Prescription Drug Price Gouging
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
Families, seniors, and working people across Minnesota are facing skyrocketing costs when it comes to prescription medicine they need to survive. This bill protects Minnesotans from price hikes by holding pharmaceutical companies accountable.
Protecting Working People’s Voice in
Their Communities
Strengthening Workplace Safety Protections for Warehouse Workers
PASSED INTO LAW!
WHY IT MATTERS
All Minnesotans deserve to be safe and secure at work. Unfortunately some warehouse practices have become so grueling that employees don’t feel they can break for meals, restrooms, prayer breaks and don’t have clear expectations of their work quotas. Warehouses that deploy these tactics see a significantly higher injury rate than the industry average. Creating an economy that respects working people starts with ensuring basic safety for employees.