Issues

INVESTING in our students & SCHOOLS

Ami has worked in public schools in some capacity or another since she was in high school. She’s had the pleasure of meeting numerous teachers, staff, and volunteers over the years, and their passion and dedication to educating and supporting our students continues to inspire her.

Ami’s seen firsthand the struggles and difficulties facing our students, families, and school staff. She has seen students who aren’t reading at grade level struggle to keep up with their classmates, parents struggle to balance the demands of work and family life, and staff grow frustrated with the amount of time spent on testing and the insufficient support services for students who need them most. Minnesota continues to have a large and stubborn achievement gap which must be addressed in order to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the opportunities that education can provide.

 During the 2019 legislative session, Ami introduced several education bills that were included in the E-12 education budget that was signed into law by the Governor. These included bills that provide funding for the Minnesota Math Corps and improve teachers’ access to effective resources by expanding the definition of “textbook”.

In higher education, the budget passed this year provides counseling that will help borrowers pay off their loans, but the source of the student loan crisis needs to be addressed. Ami will continue to advocate for holding down the cost of tuition at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and for investing in the state grant program that provides students with financial assistance.

In protecting our students, Ami authored legislation that expands the definition of authority figure in cases of criminal misconduct with minors. Her bill establishes a 120 day look-back period for determining if a perpetrator was in a position of authority.  Legislation was approved as part of the public safety budget and will be signed into law.

protecting our Environment

Minnesota is a beautiful place to live, with many lakes, state parks, and other natural resources that we all enjoy. Wonderful local resources such as White Bear Lake, Tamarack Nature Center, and numerous local parks must be protected for their local recreation and environmental benefits. We must do all that we can to ensure that current and future generations of Minnesotans enjoy healthy lives and get to experience the beauty that is the North Star State.

During the 2019 session, Ami introduced bipartisan legislation to ban the cancer-causing chemical TCE, which passed the House 120-7. Unfortunately, the standalone bill was not brought up in the Senate for a vote, and it died in conference committee. She will continue to work with community members as well as local and state officials to protect Minnesotans from exposure to this toxic chemical.

As your State Representative, Ami will also continue to support reducing carbon dioxide emissions, developing community-owned clean energy, and providing Minnesotans with new opportunities to conserve energy and switch to cleaner energy sources.

ensuring healthcare access & affordability

Ami has talked with veterans, seniors, and working families in our community and one of their biggest concerns is healthcare costs. She believes that ALL Minnesotans should have access to high-quality, affordable healthcare, and that we  can work together to make this a reality.

This past session Ami helped preserve health care access for 1.2 million Minnesotans by securing permanent funding for the Health Care Access Fund. Ami also helped prevent efforts to eliminate dental and vision services for adults and protected 30,000 children from cuts that would make it more difficult for many Minnesota families to afford child care.

We can and should do more to increase prescription drug price transparency for consumers in Minnesota. Ami will support legislation similar to bills introduced in previous legislative sessions, including legislation that would establish a website to compare medication costs, require drug companies to file annual reports with MDH outlining the costs associated with creating high-cost prescription drugs, and permit pharmacists to tell patients if they are overpaying for their prescription medications.

This year also saw the passage of legislation to help address the opioid crisis which invests in prevention, treatment, and recovery by holding opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for their role in creating the crisis as well as helping communities deal with the financial costs of the opioid epidemic and support those who are struggling with addiction.

Preserving Minnesota

Here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, water recreation is a huge part of our culture. All Minnesotans should be able to enjoy swimming, boating, and spending time at our state’s lakes and rivers. Ami’s bill, which was incorporated into the Legacy omnibus legislation, provides low-income and at-risk kids with scholarships for swimming lessons.

Ami also introduced two bills to support efforts to preserve and celebrate Minnesota’s rich history and cultural heritage. The first one enables the Minnesota Historical Society to create statewide programs, support local organizations, and provide new opportunities for Minnesotans to learn more about our great state. The other helps MPR expand access to projects about Minnesota history. Both passed as part of the Legacy plan.

Ami is proud to support the bipartisan bill which cut taxes for more than 1.9 million taxpayers and simplified the filing process for most Minnesotans by doubling the standard deduction. We also lowered the income tax rate for the first time in two decades. The plan reduces taxes on Social Security benefits, expands tax credits for working families and small businesses, and increases local government aid so communities can invest in streets, public safety, and other improvements without relying on property tax increases.