Everyone deserves the freedom and power to choose their own path - to build a life of health, happiness and opportunity in a community they love.
As your state representative, I will always strive to tear down barriers and build a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
CLOSING OUR OPPORTUNITY GAP
In so many ways, Minnesota’s success starts in our schools. This past session we fought for a historic investment in our schools, but we need to more to close our unacceptable opportunity gap:
Make strong investments in pre-K education so that all students are better prepared to learn by kindergarten
Invest in housing, health and economic security for families - all essential for our kids to be best ready to learn and succeed
Reform standardized testing and offer more support for our teachers, who each day inspire students to learn, grow and succeed
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL
Every Minnesotan deserves health care they can count on when they need it. I had the honor of authoring and passing the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, ensuring that every Minnesotan has access to insulin when they need it. Now we must push for health care for all:
Make health care more affordable by creating Minnesota-Care for All, an affordable option for health care for every Minnesotan
Fight back against “Big Pharma” to create more price transparency and reduce the cost of prescription drugs
Support our nurses and front-line workers who are keeping Minnesotans safe
GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Last session we finally took action on gun violence prevention, but we know there is more work to be done. I will continue to stand up to the NRA and work with our young community leaders who are demanding urgent action to pass common-sense gun reforms:
Pass a Safe Storage Law to prevent gun violence and keep our kids safe
Ban bump stocks, restrict magazine capacity and prohibit future sale of military-style assault weapons
HOUSING FOR ALL
Everyone deserves to live in a quality home that is safe and affordable, but that is not the reality for far too many families. As Chair of the House Housing committee, I helped pass a historic $1 billion investment in housing that will improve the lives of thousands of Minnesotans. We still need to pursue policy and funding change that recognizes we must build more homes.
Build more homes - especially that are affordable - by eliminating exclusionary zoning so that more Minnesotans have an opportunity to buy a starter home or afford a quality home to rent.
Create a dedicated revenue source to supercharge our home building across the state
Empower tenants with stronger anti-discrimination protections to promote greater housing stability
EQUITY AND JUSTICE
It’s unacceptable that Minnesota has some of the worst racial inequities in the country. We cannot reach our potential as a state unless we commit to fundamental change that puts economic and social justice at the heart of our policymaking.
Work to close the wage gap by ending workplace discrimination and increasing the minimum wage
Fight alongside our immigrant communities for policies that create a more inclusive Minnesota with economic opportunity for all
Support and raise up the voices of community members and organizers who are building coalitions and fighting against unjust power systems
PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT
Climate change is a fundamental threat to Minnesota’s precious environment and natural resources. Where the Trump Administration has made things worse, Minnesota must lead, utilizing science in our decision-making and being proactive to protect our environment. My priorities:
Supported the 100% by 2050 campaign to put Minnesota on the path to a clean energy future (co-author)
Increase the use of electric vehicles and support the infrastructure needed to make this a more accessible and efficient option for Minnesotans
Protect our ground and drinking water, including significant investments to repair waste and drinking water infrastructure across our state
ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR WORKERS
Over the last decade, billions of dollars of wealth has been created, but it's those at the very top who have benefited. Meanwhile far too many Minnesotans are working hard each day struggling to get by. That must change.
Raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour
Implement our statewide paid parental leave policy to provide parents with the opportunity to bond with their children without risk of their job
Always stand up for workers and their right to organize and collectively bargain
IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
More than 500,000 Minnesotans live with a disability, yet too often they are left behind in our political process. We must include people with disabilities in the decisions that impact their lives and work together for change that will improve the quality of life for Minnesotans with disabilities.
Address our workforce shortage of home and health care workers for Minnesotans with disabilities by increasing funding to increase pay for those that provide vital care for our loved ones
Provide greater economic security to people with disabilities and their families through better access to good-paying jobs, transportation, and housing and preserve vital funding for disability services.
Fully fund special education and provide greater support to teacher and paraprofessionals that help improve the lives of children with disabilities
STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY
Make no mistake, our democracy is under attack. After the January 6th insurrection, legislators across the country have introduced legislation to restrict voting and undermine our very democratic ideals. We need to strengthen our democracy by protecting the freedom to vote.
Pass campaign finance reform that adds accountability and transparency to the huge sums of special interest spending dominating our campaigns
Take redistricting power, an obvious conflict of interest, out of the hands of legislators