Duluth DFL lawmakers virtual town hall

This last Minnesota legislative session was fast and furious with Democrats controlling all branches of state government. Due to this majority, the DFL House and Senate sent a flurry of bills to DFL Governor Tim Walz for his signature.

Wednesday evening, three Duluth lawmakers held a virtual town hall highlighting legislative accomplishments that ranged from protecting abortion rights, to providing more resources for housing, to legalizing marijuana.

State Senator Jen McEwen said, “In my humble opinion, the work that took place this last session represented years of work on the part of the people of Minnesota that had in many ways been stymied because of political gridlock over the last decade and sometimes even more than a decade.”

State Representative Liish Koslowski said, “Another really important area was a new and expanded tenants rights package. This is the first time in 30 years, but really in the state of the Minnesota history that we have been able to move forward and strengthen tenant rights.”

And State Representative Liz Olson telling the online audience, “It’s really wonderful that we’re able to really clear the slate on a decade’s worth of work. You know, we worked together, our delegation was strong. We were clear-eyed about what our community had sent us to do, and we were able to do that. And that was not by accident.”

The Republican minority, largely sidelined on many issues complained at the end of the session that Democrats spent most of the $17-billion dollar budget surplus instead of returning it to taxpayers.

The Minnesota legislature now stands adjourned until February 12, 2024.