Issues

Minnesota led the nation in voter turnout in 2020. And let’s be clear, this is no coincidence. It’s because we have the best election system in the country. Instead of trying to restrict voting access as some states have, we should be making it as easy as possible to allow every eligible voter to cast their ballot and participate in our democracy. This includes rejecting voter ID, just as Minnesota voters did in 2012, and enacting automatic voter registration and ranked choice voting. Politicians shouldn’t have the power to pick who their voters are to create gerrymandered districts. The Legislature has also consistently failed, decade after decade to draw the maps and every time, they eventually end up kicking the can to the courts. It’s why I’ve been a lead proponent for establishing a nonpartisan redistricting commission to oversee the redistricting process.

I was proud and honored to cosponsor marriage equality in 2013 and I have been a valiant defender of trans rights. I have also authored legislation to ban conversion therapy and establish a gubernatorial council on LGBTQIA+ Minnesotans.

The science of climate change is indisputable. We need to be doing everything in our power to reverse the course on the environmentally damaging practices and carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. In 2019, I was among the founding members of the Senate Clean Energy & Climate Caucus. In the 2020 session, I cosponsored the ban on the cancerous chemical TCE and this past session, I authored legislation to establish a state forest carbon sequestration goal and provide funding to plant 1 million trees to accomplish that goal. Currently, I’m pushing legislation to require the state to assess every action we take and every dollar we spend through a climate action lens. As a fisherman, I also understand the need for pristine waters which is why I have repeatedly called for a statewide water plan to secure clean and plentiful water for generations to come.

In the 2019 session my bill, Mitchell’s Law, inspired by a constituent, was signed into law to allow driver’s license applicants to list up to three emergency contacts on their driver’s licenses. I have also secured state dollars to fund projects within our district, including the Roseville Oval, the Rice Street bridge over I-694, installation and repair of railroad safety devices in Little Canada and Shoreview, and the Lexington Avenue and Highway 96 water mains in Arden Hills. This session, I am pushing for funding for a new firehouse for the Lake Johanna Fire Department and funding for pedestrian and bike trails at Mounds View High School.

Police brutality has disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and people of color and our criminal justice and law enforcement systems need structural reforms to address these injustices. The police reform packages signed into law in 2020 and 2021 were important first steps, but shouldn’t be the last. Officers can’t be a one size fits all solution for every problem we encounter and they need to be prepared with appropriate training for the unique needs of each community. I also support banning no-knock warrants with the exception of extreme circumstances and the responsible legalization of adult-use cannabis with the goal of reducing racial disparities in our criminal justice system.