Proudly serving Senate District 18, including the cities of: St. Peter, Nicollet, Courtland, Mankato, North Mankato, Eagle Lake, Kasota, Lafayette, and rural Nicollet County. 

Hello citizens of SD18, and happy Friday! Another two weeks have gone by and we have arrived at the first legislative deadline of the session. Each deadline marks a new point in the session where bills are required to be moved along favorably in the legislative process. It’s hard to believe we are already at first deadline - this week marks the halfway point of the session and we have gotten an incredible amount of work done already. We have a lot more important work to continue to get done - and meanwhile, we continue to meet with constituents and hear about what work YOU want us to prioritize! 

I wanted to start the newsletter this week highlighting a couple of those constituent meetings. Last week, I met with students from Immanuel Lutheran Grade School while they were here on a field trip. They also got to see the beginning of our Energy Committee and witness the legislative process unfolding in real time. It was my distinct pleasure to host these schoolchildren and speak with them about the work we do here in the legislature, and I was proud to hear their insights and see their interest and enthusiasm for public policy at such a young age. I also met with a small group of Mankato West High School and Maple River High School students who were at the Capitol to advocate for agricultural policies. I also discussed the Fair Repair act with them which was being heard in the Commerce Committee that day. I am excited to see what lies ahead for these young people in all of their chosen fields!

Clean Energy Business Day

Yesterday was Clean Energy Business Day at the Capitol. I took the chance to speak to a large group of clean energy business owners and advocates along with Representative Patty Acomb, my colleague and Chair of the Energy Committee in the House. We discussed the power of citizen advocacy on issues that matter to them, citing the people-powered work that helped get our 100% Clean Energy bill across the finish line during this session. We also discussed the path forward for further clean energy legislation, and I talked about how important it is to strike a balance across all sectors of our economy and use a measured approach to ensure solving a problem in one area of our economy does not create more problems in another. It was a productive and engaging conversation, and I was happy to see so many clean energy advocates present at the Capitol to discuss this rapidly growing and flourishing industry.

GMG Visit

In addition to Clean Energy Business Day yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with many business owners and constituents from Greater Mankato Growth yesterday. We got a chance to tour the Senate chamber floor, and I had a great conversation on the floor with everyone - each year the group has grown in size, and this year was by far our biggest group yet. Thanks to everyone who came for the day, and I look forward to seeing everyone again soon - both at the Capitol and in-district!

On the Floor

One bill I am particularly proud of that passed off the floor last week is Senator Marty’s bill to curb catalytic converter theft in Minnesota, SF5. The bill establishes purchase requirements for catalytic converters being sold to scrap metal yards - in order to sell a catalytic converter to a scrap metal yard, you must have the vehicle identification number (or other relevant identifying information) that the catalytic converter was taken off of. Senator Marty carried this bill for the past 3 years and we were finally able to pass it with the new DFL majority. I am excited to finally have some regulations in place which should curb what has become a serious problem for vehicle owners in recent years. You can see a recording of the floor session where a large portion of the debate occurred here.

Bill Highlight - SF1622

This week, we had a press conference to announce a deal on state matching funds to the tune of 115 million dollars. These dollars, appropriated through SF1622, will match federal funds provided through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to invest in clean energy projects in Minnesota. It is estimated that the return on investment from these funds could result in nearly a billion dollars of revenue and growth for our state in the fields of clean energy, electrification, weatherization, and more. I am extremely excited and proud of this bill - it is essential that we remain competitive in the field of clean energy, and these dollars will go a long way in helping us achieve 100% carbon neutrality by 2040. The bill is being heard in Finance next week on Wednesday - you will be able to watch the committee live here when it begins!

Write in!

We have continued to receive a steady stream of constituent emails, calls, and letters from you all, and it is deeply appreciated! Hearing what you want us to be working on and knowing how you feel about the legislation we are moving informs my work as your Senator and my staff and I look forward to speaking with you all on a regular basis. Thank you all, and take care!

-- Nick A. Frentz
Assistant Majority Leader
Minnesota Senate, District 18