Meeting Summary
The members of RCLLG and the Minnesota State Representatives talked about a variety of issues, including mental health, housing, education, crime, climate change, and more. We heard what bills our legislators are creating and supporting, especially those regarding mental health.
Housing: As the Collective Action Committee decided that RCLLG's primary legislative priority is to advocate for Housing Infrastructure Bond (HIB) money to expand the affordable housing stock in our communities, legislators spoke on this crucial issue of housing.
Rep. Alice Hausman recommends allocating bonding bill funds to NOAH (natural occurring affordable housing), as NOAH costs half the amount of new housing. Sen. Pappas suggested local governments looking at their own zoning laws to see what affordances they can make. Sen. Connie Bernardy wants to ensure residents have an opportunity to purchase their home & stay in their community rather than property being bought by private equity firms.
Mental Health: Addressing mental health is a top priority for many legislators. Legislators discussed how important a supplemental budget is, in order to hire additional social workers and nurses. Rep. Kelly Moller is involved with a bill to establish a comprehensive mental health lead with MDE. This person would be the schools’ resource to establish best practices to fill the gap in mental health programs.
Sen. John Marty discussed how investing in mental health upfront will save money for the future. He wants to ensure mental health courts and treatment courts are in every county, and he supports stopping the closure of mental health facilities such as St. Joe’s. Sen. Marty also wants to ensure that everyone has healthcare. Rep. Connie Bernardy supports mental health awareness programs at State college campuses, including campus supports to address stable housing and hunger.
Discussion and Q&A followed, in which we learned more on the issues and bills legislators are working on. We asked them what we, as members of our communities and of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments, can do.
What Can RCLLG Members Do:
-
Build relationships with legislators and local decision makers. Direct contact with your legislator is crucial.
-
Legislators need advocacy. RCLLG members can testify for bills and contact legislators. Share info w/ your community, on social media, etc.
-
Help ensure policies and proposals are as effective as possible.
-
Encourage your local governments to support bills and announce their support = amplify the message. Highlight how the proposal impacts/improves your community.
Thank you to the state representatives for joining us and thank you, everyone, for your public service!
