ADVOCACY:
2023/2024 LEGISLATIVE BIENNIUM
What is Self Advocacy? Self Advocacy is, quite simply, the act of representing oneself or one's views or interests. Special interest groups and lobbyists are as numerous as the opinions of the people (or industries/corporations) but only YOU know what your family needs represented in St. Paul and Washington DC.
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What does that really mean? YOU matter. Your family matters. Your needs and experiences matter. Our legislators need to know and hear from you. This page will keep current bills relevant to Health & Parental Rights posted so you can call, email and meet with your lawmakers.
Find out Who Represents You Here:
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You can always search & subscribe to follow bills here: https://www.leg.mn.gov/leg/legis
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SUPPORTS HEALTH & PARENTAL RIGHTS
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PASSED IN 2023 OMNIBUS BILL MN House File 52 / Senate File 406
Seeks to establish the right of a pregnant patient to always have a support person
Authors: Representatives Richardson, Hassan, Clardy, Agbaje, Hollins, Liebling, Curran​, Hemmingsen- Jaeger, Hussein, Senators Mann, Kunesh, Marty, Coleman​
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Seeks to prohibit pelvic examinations on unconscious patients without specific informed consent.
Authors: Representatives Robbins, Smith, Senator Housley
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Seeks to establish the Student Religious Liberties Act that protects religious expression and prohibits discrimination.
Authors: Representatives Quam, Jacob
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MN Senate File 76 / House File 353 / H. F. 1590
Seeks to establish a Parent's Bill of Rights.
Authors: Senators Gruenhagen, Bahr, Lucero, Mathews, Representatives Harder, Gillman, Schultz, Knudsen, Zeleznikar, Mekeland ​
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MN Senate File 204/ House File 1226/ House File 1381
Seeks to prohibit vaccination requirements by the government or businesses in Minnesota.
Authors: Senators Pratt, Abeler, Hoffman, Utke, Representatives Franson, Murphy, Jacob, Zeleznikar, Hudson, Altendorf, Bakeberg, Fogelman, Daniels and Burkel, Daudt, Bennett, Knudsen
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MN Senate File 216 / House File 326
Seeks to establish equal access to extracurriculars for non-public students.
Authors: Senator Eichorn, Representative Heintzeman​
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MN Senate File 223 / House File 324
Seeks to establish equal access to extracurriculars for Charter school students.
Authors: Senator Eichorn, Representative Heintzeman
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Seeks to establish equal access to extracurriculars for homeschool students.
Authors: Senator Eichorn
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Seeks to prohibit health insurance companies and hospitals from making board certification a requirement for payment. Authors: Senator Draheim
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Seeks to allow the medical board to decline to investigate complaints made solely on a provider's comments in a public forum that is not directly related to the care of a patient. Authors: Senator Draheim
MN Senate File 512/House File 666 AND Senate File 2579/House File 2799
No Patient Alone Act, seeks to establish a right for a patient or resident to choose to have a support person present while receiving care or services. Authors: Koran, Lieske, Davis, Zeleznikar, Rarick, Coleman, Abeler, Hoffman, ONeill, Nash, Davis, Niska, Knudsen,Harder, Kiel, Franson
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MN Senate File 540 / House File 619
Seeks to require parental notification of adverse incidents at school. Authors: Senators Limmer, Cwodzinski, Coleman, Representative Robbins
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Seeks to amend the Minnesota constitution to establish the right of a parent to direct the education of their child. Representatives Kresha, Heintzeman, Bakeberg, Knudsen, Anderson PE, Bennet, Hudson, Zeleznikar, Daniels​
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House File 724 / Senate File 735 / Senate File 1236
Seeks to allow parents to opt their children out of face covering requirements for school. Representatives Davis, Skraba, Senators Eichorn, Duckworth, Koran, Farnsworth, Drazkowski, Utke
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Senate File 734 / House File 549
Seeks to strengthen parental curriculum review and consent for sexual education curriculum. Senators Coleman, Eichorn, Wessenberg, Bahr, Farnsworth, Representatives Scott, Niska, Fogelman, Perryman, Mueller, Hudella, Robbins, Zeleznikar​
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Seeks to establish that conscientious exemptions in higher education also apply to facility specific mandates.
Senator Westrom, Representatives Franson, Knudsen, Fogelman, Bennett.
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Seeks to establish informed consent for sensitive examinations of
an anesthetized or unconscious patient. Senators Maye Quade, Coleman, Boldon, Morrison, Port.
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OPPOSES HEALTH & PARENTAL RIGHTS
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MN HOUSE FILE 367 / Senate File 610
Seeks to allow daycare centers to adopt policies refusing service to children with vaccine exemptions. Authors: Representative Freiberg, Senator Bolden, Mann, Klein.
First Senate Hearing 1/15/24 8:30am
Whole Hearing
Decision: Held of for Future Date. This means another hearing could be called or it could be included in the omnibus. If no action is taken, it will expire at the end of the 2024 session.
First House Hearing 3/19/24 8:30am
Our Written Testimony
MN House File 2280/SF 2236
Seeks to establish that 'every individual has the right to determine their own gender and related gender-affirming healthcare'. This policy would allow all children, regardless of age, to consent to body altering interventions without parental input, consent or notification.
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PASSED IN 2023 SESSION MN HOUSE FILE 146 / Senate File 63
Seeks create sanctuary state status for parents and minors seeking gender transition interventions. Modifies MN CPS statutes regarding children "in need of protection or services" to include those "denied access to gender affirming care" (Including counseling, cross sex hormones and surgeries). Representatives Finke, Reyer, Kozlowski, Curran, Becker-Finn, Frazier, Keeler, Hollins, Jordan, Peres-Vega, Hanson J, Stephenson, Olson L, Hassan, Moller, Edelson, Richardson, Long, Greenman, Sencer-Mura, Hill, Hortman, Feist, Pursell, ​Clardy, Hemminsen-Jaeger, Frederick, Lee F, Vang, Hansen R, Fischer, Tabke, Lee K, Hussein, Agbaje, Senators Maye Quade, Dibble, Oumou Verbeten, Port, McEwen
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PASSED IN 2023 SESSION MN House File 1269 / Senate File 1311
Seeks to amend current education statutes to require CRT, SEL, Gender affirming requirements, remove access to faith based PSEO options, etc... (The portion to require homeschools submit their standardized test scores to the state annually has been REMOVED). Representative Pryor, Senators Cwodzinski, Kunesh, Gustafson, Westlin, Boldon​
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BILLS TO WATCH
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Seeks to amend the Minnesota constitution to make quality PUBLIC school a RIGHT of a child. Though often misunderstood when focusing on the word 'quality', this bill poses issues for school choice when the focus is instead switched to "Public" and "Right". Read more HERE. Authors: Representatives Kresha
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MN HOUSE FILE 2322 / Senate File 2399
Seeks to establish a Department of Children, Youth, and Families; transferring responsibilities from
the Department of Education, Department of Human Services, and Department of
Public Safety to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families; requiring reports;
authorizing rulemaking; appropriating money. Representatives Pinto, Coulter, Kotyza-Witthuhn, Hanson J, Senators Wiklund
MN HOUSE FILE 3742 / Senate File 1468
Seeks to establish mental health screening programs for every k-12 school. Currently includes requiring parental consent but there would be concern that would not always be honored or could be removed later. Critics believe the schools should be for academics and medical and mental health services should be kept between a family and their chosen medical team. Senator Morrison, Representative Edelson.
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OLD BILLS FROM 2021-2022 BIENNIUM
[NONE OF THESE ARE ACTIVE, FOR HISTORICAL CONTEXT ONLY]
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SUPPORTED HEALTH & PARENTAL RIGHTS
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The No Patient Left Alone Act: Sought to establish a patient's right to always have a support person while receiving care in a clinic, hospital, long term care facility or residential care facility. Senator Koran, Mathews, Eichorn, Dornik, Hoffman,​ Representatives O'Neill, Nash, Novotny, Daniels, Bennett, Boe, Heintzeman, Grossell, Scott, Robbins, Franson, Raleigh, Theis, Demuth,​ Kiel, Albright, Pierson, Davids, Lucero, Bliss, Anderson, Green, Heinrich, West, Jurgens, Hertaus, Quam, Igo, Akland, Baker, Urdahl, O'Driscoll, Swedzinski, Neu Brindley, Erickson, Gruenhagen, Nelson, Mueller, Torkelson, Petersburg, Johnson, McDonald, Daniels, Poston, Haley.
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Parent's Bill of Rights: Sought to re-establish the fundamental rights of parents in directing the upbringing and care of their child(ren). Senators Mathews, Anderson, Gazelka, Benson, Koran, Kiffmeyer; Representatives Gruenhagen, Erickson, Lucero, Franson, Raleigh, Bennett, Urdahl, Mekeland, Urdahl, Robbins, Boe
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Health Freedom Sanctuary State: Sought to limit emergency powers, prohibit student masking mandates, prohibit vaccine mandates and passports. Representatives Franson, Lucero and Senators Chamberlain, Koran, Eichorn, Howe, Kiffmeyer, Johnson, Mathews.
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MN HF3158 / SF4489 Sought to prohibit government and private sector vaccine mandates. Representatives Daudt, Erickson, Dettmer, Luek, Poston, Boe, Bennett, Franson, Heintzeman, Burkel, Jurgens, Heinrich, Neu Brindley, Hertaus, Grossell, Senators Pratt, Utke.​
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MN SENATE FILE 292 / HOUSE FILE 452
Sought to add an immunization exemption for sincerely held religious beliefs. Authors: Senators Mathews, Coleman, Kiffmeyer, Housley and Johnson, Representatives Lucero, Poston, Drazkowski
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MN HOUSE FILE 533 / SENATE FILE 1264
Sought to establish exemptions to immunizations for adults in the workplace. Authors: Senators Draheim, Hoffman, Abler, Dornink, Representatives Gruenhagen, Erickson, Bennett, Dettmer, Boe, Backer, Lucero, and Bahr.
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Sought to prohibit mandatory contact tracing and medical passports. Authors: Senators Benson, Mathews, Koran, Johnson, Ruud, Representatives Scott, Lucero and Robbins.
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Sought to prohibit discrimination or coercion regarding vaccine administration. Authors: Senators Goggin, Coleman, Koran, Hoffman, Representatives Lucero, Bennett, Haley, Heinrich, Gruenhagen, Drazkowski, and Mekeland.
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Sought to require disclosing vaccine ingredients to patients, including the usage of aborted fetal cell lines. Authors: Senators Mathews, Abler, Eichorn, Utke, Representatives Gruenhagen, Dettmer, Lucero
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Sought to prohibit employment discrimination based on vaccination status. Authors: Senators Abeler, Mathews, Jasinski, Rosen & Kiffmeyer, Representative Scott.
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Sought to require a parent be present for the vaccination of a minor child. Representatives Munson, Drazkowski, Miller, Bahr, Franson, Lucero, Poston and Senator Koran.
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MN HF2691
Sought to prohibit state enforcement of federal vaccine passports. Representative Lucero
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MN HF2579
Sought to establish employer liability for mandated vaccines. Representatives Munson, Bahr, Miller, Drazkowski.
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MN HF3276
Sought to strengthen immunizations exemptions for daycares. Representatives Bennett, Franson, Poston, Urdhal, Daniels, Lucero, Petersburg.
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Sought to prohibit discrimination in healthcare based on vaccination status, including health insurance accessibility and pricing, entry and treatment in healthcare facilities and access to organ donations. Authors: Senators Johnson, Mathews, Utke, Benson, Lang, Representatives Scott.
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MN SF 3889
Sought to authorize Pharmacists to prescribe, dispense and administer ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine for preexposure prophylaxis use, postexposure prophylaxis use and for the treatment of COVID-19. Authors: Senators Westrom, Anderson, Mathews, Eichorn & Ingebrigtsen.
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Sought to allow parents to opt children out of school face covering requirements. Representatives Daudt, Neu Brindley, Heintzeman, Boe, Lucero, Kiel, Franson, Bennett, Scott, Robbins, Novotny, Davids, Poston, Akland, Backer, Senators Benson, Chamberlain, Johnson, Dornik, Eichorn.
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OPPOSED HEALTH & PARENTAL RIGHTS
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Sought to remove the conscientious exemption vaccines for all school aged children in Minnesota. Applies to HOMESCHOOL as well. Authors: Senator Eaton & Representative Freiberg.
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Sought to allow minors as young as 12 to consent to Covid 19 and all CDC recommended vaccinations..
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Sought to alter the daycare and school immunization statute to allow daycares to deny children with exemptions. Authors: Representative Freiberg, Huot, Senator Klein.
Sought to mandate the covid vaccine for all public and nonpublic school employees. Authors: Representative Freiberg, Senators Klein, Cwodzinski, Wiklund, Clausen & Marty.
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Sought to establish grants and contract for activities for school based health clinics. Authors: Representatives Sandell, Stephenson, Sundin, Keeler, Ecklund, Hansen R., Her, Bierman & Wazlawik.​
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Sought to amend the Minnesota constitution to make quality PUBLIC school a RIGHT of a child. Though often misunderstood when focusing on the word 'quality', this bill poses issues for school choice when the focus is instead switched to "Public" and "Right". Authors: Representatives Hassan, Kresha, Mariani, Erickson, Vang, Xiong J., Theis, Haley, Xiong T., Bennett, Baker, Albright, Keeler, Daniels, Poston, Lee & Demuth
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BILLS WE WATCHED
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Sought to repeal governor’s emergency powers. Authors: Representatives Mortensen, Munson, Drazkowski, Poston, Miller; Senators Koran, Land, Draheim, Pratt
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Pros: Would have prevented takeovers by a governor.
Cons: A total repeal (rather than a revision) of the emergency powers statute would have crippled the state's ability to respond quickly during true emergencies like tornadoes, floods, riots, etc....
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Sought to prohibit government vaccine mandates and require that private businesses accept antibody immunity. Representatives Lucero, Burkel, Franson, Poston, Dettmer, Bennett, Senators Mathews, Kiffmeyer​
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Pros: Would have prevented government mandates and provides for antibody immunity.
Cons: Did not prevent private sector mandates or allow for other forms of immunity (t-cell etc..)
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Sought to prohibit covid and flu vaccine mandates, prohibit vaccine passports, allow for civil penalties, retroactive enactment. Authors: Representative Mortensen.
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Pros: Would have prevented covid and flu mandates and vaccine passports.
Cons: Only addresses covid and flu mandates while healthcare workers are routinely required to report or obtain exemptions for flu, covid, hep b, chicken pox, mmr and tdap vaccination. This creates more problems than it helps by making two classes of vaccines- those that may not be mandated and, by default, those that may. It also would allow for people to sue businesses retroactively that were also under an unfair government mandate. It is unethical to change the laws and prosecute after.
Sought to make ivermectin an over the counter drug. Authors: Representative Mortensen.
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Pros: Would have made ivermectin accessible.
Cons: The state legislature cannot re-classify medications. That's the FDA's job and the state also cannot order them to re-classify medications. The bill has no legal authority.