Minnesota Conservatives Don’t Want You to Have Access to These 5 Essential Things

1. The right to abortion

During the 2022 midterms, Minnesotans made it clear that they expected elected officials to act and protect reproductive freedom.

And our progressive leaders at the Capitol followed through on their promises by codifying the right to abortion into Minnesota law.

Even though our progressive trifecta secured the passage of this critical legislation, every single conservative member of the Minnesota Senate voted against the bill. And they even launched an informal filibuster to prevent the bill from passing the Senate.

Minnesotans are sick and tired of having our rights put under attack. Abortion is essential health care. It is unacceptable that our conservative lawmakers continue to try to take away our reproductive rights.

2. Paid Family and Medical Leave 

Thanks to our progressive leaders, Minnesota workers will now have access to Paid Family and Medical Leave! 

But, conservatives in the House and Senate have roadblocked the legislation every step of the way. 

The Paid Family and Medical Leave bill will create a paid leave insurance program so that no Minnesotans have to make the unfair choice between a paycheck and taking time off to care for a new baby or a family member with a serious illness.

But instead of bolstering efforts to support Minnesota workers and families, conservatives opposed the bill and introduced insulting alternatives that put big corporations ahead of workers and small businesses. 

Every Minnesotan deserves time off when they or a loved one get sick. Enough is enough; we’re tired of conservatives putting corporate profits over the needs of our families and communities.

3. The right to vote 

Early this year, Minnesota progressives voted to restore voting rights for over 50,000 Minnesotans across the state!

Now that Governor Tim Walz has signed the bill into law, the Restore the Vote Act will return the right to vote for formerly incarcerated people who live, work, and contribute to our communities across the state.. 

Unsurprisingly, almost every conservative senator voted against the legislation. 

With Restore the Vote signed into law, Minnesota can strengthen our democracy to include the thousands of people unjustly affected by the carceral system. 

Conservatives should be embarrassed for opposing such essential, groundbreaking legislation.

4. Strong public schools 

In a momentous victory for students across the state, progressives in the Minnesota House and Senate passed a budget that makes record investments in Minnesota public schools! 

But that work hasn’t come without a fight. Year after year, Minnesota conservatives have underfunded our public schools and blocked efforts to support teachers and students. 

And this session was no different. Almost every conservative in the legislature voted against schools, teachers, and students and opposed the education budget. 

The bill includes unprecedented investment in school-based mental health and student support personnel, including nurses, counselors, workers, psychologists, and other student support jobs.

And it includes multiple measures to increase the number of teachers of color and teachers licensed to work with students with special needs.

Not to mention, the bill includes funding to provide free menstrual products in public schools and invest in new reading reform programs to keep Minnesota students thriving in the classroom. 

Every Minnesotan deserves access to an excellent public education. Minnesota conservatives need to realign their priorities and stick up for students and teachers. 

5. Affordable renting and homeownership 

Governor Walz and progressives in the Minnesota House and Senate passed and signed a budget into law, making historic investments in housing!

The budget commits to ending family and child homelessness, ensures Minnesota kids are safe from lead exposure in their homes, and includes funding to assist more than 4,000 new first-generation homeowners.

Of course, Minnesota conservatives stood in the way, putting landlords and corporate profits over the housing needs of Minnesota families. 

Almost every Minnesota conservative voted against the legislation, turning their heads on Minnesotans in need in favor of wealthy private developers. 

Housing is a human right, and all Minnesotans deserve a safe and affordable place they can call home. Despite conservative efforts, we’re thrilled to see our progressive leaders at the Capitol taking bold action to ensure every Minnesotan has a safe home to lay their heads down to sleep each night.

We need to hold conservatives accountable

Thanks to our progressive leaders, Minnesota is experiencing unprecedented progress. 

But conservatives have taken every opportunity to fight against legislation investing in our workers, schools, families, and communities. 

We need to hold conservatives accountable for opposing the things that matter most in favor of extreme agendas and large corporations so that we can continue to build a better Minnesota for the years to come.

Sign up to help us continue to hold conservatives accountable.