Minnesota's legislative session begins on Monday, January 31 at noon, but readers may a sense of what may occupy lawmakers' time when the first House bill Introductions and Senate bill Introductions drop sometime Monday.
Interviewed on AM950's Matt McNeil Show on Friday, Minnesota state representative and House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee Chair Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, discussed his goals for the session, some past legislative successes and battles, a recent labor endorsement, his vision of innovative and creative policy that works for ordinary Minnesotans.
And the beauty of Southeastern Minnesota, where he grew up (and where he and his family were during the phone interview with McNeil) and that of the suburban Dakota County district that he's served since election in 2004. We've posted a photo at the top of this post.
More on Hansen's points and photography after the interview. Here's McNeil's tweet of the audio interview:
Our #DemocratOfTheDay yesterday was @reprickhansen from #52A! We talked with him about the fight for the environment, and clean energy, what to expect from the Republican Senate and his union endorsements! #Spotlight Interview! @MinnesotaDFL https://t.co/f61BN61IFb
— The Matt McNeil Show (@MattMcNeilShow) January 22, 2022
About those plans and backstories
There's a lot of substance in the interview. We include some helpful links for readers' reference.
Hansen notes that Rob Ecklund, DFL-International Falls, will be carrying a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) bill. Last January, we posted how Ecklund's HF219 passed out of MN House Environment committee on bipartisan 14-5 vote. Ecklund serves on the House Environment committee and was appointed to Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council last week. He chairs the Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee.
McNeil and Hansen touch on the work on CWD and prion disorders at the Chronic Wasting Disease Resource Center at the University of Minnesota's CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy) and the Minnesota Center for Prion Research & Outreach. Hansen's background is in science (biology and soil management), which underscores his approach to policy making.
A couple of recent Bluestem posts about this research: Concerned about CWD in MN deer? Learn about new research from MNPRO's Peter Larsen and CWD update: MN Center for Prion Research & Outreach's MN-QuIC field-deployment paper.
Hansen discusses the plan to fund the MLCAT and clean up the Pigs Eye Dump that we posted about in VIDEO: MN House Environment committee looks at MLCAT, landfills & Pig's Eye Dump cleanup and Should federal infrastructure & state surplus funds clean up Pig's Eye Lake Superfund site? .
Hansen waxes lyrical about climate action legislation and renewable energy, particularly solar energy, which is adaptable for "solar agriculture" and placement on existing roofs. Some of these visions are part of the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus 2022 proposals There's a delightful discussion of this project at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center at Morris: Researchers test solar energy’s shade benefits to dairy cows.
They hit upon the road blocks Senate Environment committee chair Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) put on environment and natural resources funding last year, attempting to crash fuel standards and electric vehicle adoptions. Hansen points out that six months later, not only are EVs catching on with drivers, automakers are announcing more EVs in their production. Example: Automotive News reports Chrysler CEO is ready for all-EV future by 2028. Charging stations are being built.
In case you've forgotten the melodrama about the MNGOP Senate threaty behavior:
- North to Alaska: coalition scolds Bill Ingebrigtsen for trip while dangling state park closure
- It's Bill Ingebrigtsen's agenda & he's sticking to it
- Free LCCMR: Hansen letter clarifies how constitutionally dedicated fund appropriations aren't tied to budget targets
- Lutefisk booya: new offer, new editorial, new morning of environment committee meeting
- OAH judge rules in favor of MN Clean Car Rules; @sen_inge quickly adjourns conference committee
- Enviro Conference Committee: in no-drama move, House releases offer hours before meeting
- In the spirit of compromise, Sen. Ingebrigtsen denies shutdown strategy, makes offer, takes Senate members, logs out and goes home
- Enviro Conference Committee: in no-drama move, House releases offer hours before meeting
- In the spirit of compromise, Sen. Ingebrigtsen denies shutdown strategy, makes offer, takes Senate members, logs out and goes home
- New low for #mnleg: Senate Republicans to shut down parks, Zoo & more over emission rules
- [Star Tribune] Senate Republicans threaten to cut funding for Minnesota state parks, environmental programs over 'clean cars' rule
Beautiful Minnesota
As McNeil notes at the beginning of the interview, Hansen's twitter account, @reprickhansen is worth following just for the beautiful photos of the Fillmore County farm. We believe the photographs of his suburban metro district often are just as lovely.
Some of the beautiful tweets from @reprickhansen:
✅At Pilot Knob in the Winter ❄️@Mendota_Heights Evidence the Mentonwan & Mdewakanton Bands of the Dacotah lived in area dates to appx 1500. They called the hill, O-He-Ya-Wa-He, meaning “a place much visited.” #mnleg #mnhouse pic.twitter.com/SaF9uNJ6Fh
— Rep. Rick Hansen (@reprickhansen) January 18, 2022
In Southeastern Minnesota:
Good Morning 🌞❄️🌞❄️🌞-5 degrees from the Minnesota / Iowa border pic.twitter.com/8KgZEMy5PH
— Rep. Rick Hansen (@reprickhansen) January 23, 2022
#deer 🦌crossing 🌞❄️🌞❄️🌞 pic.twitter.com/X4g8dfCIjr
— Rep. Rick Hansen (@reprickhansen) January 23, 2022
Photo: Rick Hansen at O-He-Ya-Wa-He or Pilot Knob. Via Twitter. Cropped.
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