Since joining the Minnesota Legislature at the beginning of 2023, I have made it a priority to fight for bills and priorities that will benefit our community and the entire state of Minnesota. Explore below for a compilation of my legislative work. I view my role as legislator as an opportunity to get bills that matter for our community and make good policy.
If you are interested in getting in touch with me at the Capitol, you can sign-up for my email updates, email me, or reach out to my Legislative Assistant.
COMMITTEE WORK
During my first term at the Legislature in the 2023-2024 Legislative Biennium, I was fortunate enough to have the following committee assignments:
VICE CHAIR
Sustainable Infrastructure Committee
All of these committee assignments speak to my professional experiences and policy interests.
I worked closely with all of the Chairs of my committees, my fellow members, partisan and nonpartisan staff, advocates, and state agency staff and leadership to consider bills and their impacts on our state.
I presented numerous bills in front of my colleagues.
Queer Legislators Caucus
The formation of the first MN House DFL Queer Caucus is an incredibly powerful piece of history, and I am honored to be part of it as Vice Chair. Attacks on the LGBTQ2S+ community, both in public spaces and in legislatures across the country, have highlighted the importance of banding together against hatred.
The 2023-2024 Legislative Biennium hosted the largest Queer Legislators Caucus in the history of our state, including both State Senators and Representatives.
Leaders of the Queer Legislative Caucus and House Speaker Melissa Hortman as she signs the enrollment for the Trans Refuge bill, the ban on Conversion “Therapy”, and protections for those who seek or provide gender-affirming health care in Minnesota in late April 2023.
Back L-R: Rep. Brion Curran, Rep. Liish Kozlowski, and House Majority Whip Rep. Athena Hollins. Front L-R: House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Rep. Leigh Finke
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Affordable access to gender affirming care for all Minnesotans, requiring health plans to provide coverage for physical or mental health services for gender-affirming care. Requires health plans to consider gender-affirming care as medically necessary as long as it meets professional standards, guidelines, or medical practices.
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Legal protections from discrimination in housing, medical care, the justice system, and many more.
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The Trans Refuge bill ensures access to life-saving healthcare for all families in the state of Minnesota, including age-appropriate, gender-affirming care. This health care is founded on sound research and echoed by positive outcomes. Minnesotans trust each other to make these decisions with their families and health care providers. The House of Representatives will protect the trans community and affirm the human rights, personal autonomy, and freedom of all trans, gender expansive, and two-spirit Minnesotans.
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The new Council on LGBTQIA2S+ — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, and more — Minnesotans will advise the governor and Legislature on bills, act as a liaison between advocacy organizations and the government and conduct studies focused on problems facing LGBTQ residents.
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We worked hard to pass the ERA in the MN House - and this year we want to do it again and then pass it in the Senate. If we do so, we would have one of the most inclusive and comprehensive Equal Rights Amendment to be put in front of voters.
Our work is not done!
As a leader in the Queer community and as a non-binary policymaker, I will continue to show up for all Minnesotans. It is vitally important that everyone in our state sees themselves in their government.
Legislation and Policy
I am proud to report that of the 47 bills I introduced in my first two years at the Legislature, 23 of them were signed into law by Governor Walz! In my first two years, I have been lucky enough to work on extremely meaningful legislation.
Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy