Minnesota Report
With the number of associations and organizations ascending to the legislature this week, offered a feeling of things getting back to an aspect of “normal.” This is a reflection of institutional changes, mainly the House opening its doors in the State Office Building (SOB), rallies at one moment and then displays of undergraduate research projects in the Capitol Rotunda, and the presence of student lobbying efforts from UMD, member of the MN Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA), MN Nurses Association (MNA), Rise + Repair: A Rally for Indigenous Rights and Climate Justice, a coalition comprised of many groups from the MN Council of Churches, Sierra Club, and Honor the Earth to name a few.
This change is breathing life back into the legislative complex. By all appearances, COVID is over.
The increased activity is a reflection of the frustration felt by people looking for change in the previous order issues of importance. The stagnation experienced in divided government, and prime impetus being the 17.6 billion budget surplus all are culminating in the elevation of funding expectations.
The legislature is a place where our community gathers and expresses itself by petitioning its government and the refreshing air of democracy breathes life back into our society, during the heart of winter.