Proudly serving Senate District 18, including the cities of:

St. Peter, Nicollet, Courtland, Mankato, North Mankato, Eagle Lake, Kasota, Lafayette, and rural Nicollet County. 

One Month Down

Hello, constituents of Senate District 18! I hope you had an excellent January and your 2023 is off to a fantastic start. Many people in our district and across Minnesota have made the point in previous years that they want the legislature to work quickly, diligently, and finish on time. We are working at a productive pace - debating, amending, and passing single-subject bills through the committee process. 

This week, we voted and debated essential bills on the floor and got a lot of work done in committee. We took time to meet with constituents and voices from Greater Minnesota to hear about the issues that matter most. Please continue to write, call, email, and visit our office to let us know what you want us to get done in this legislative session.

In Committee

This week in the Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate Committee, we heard my 100% Clean Energy Bill, SF4. The bill aims to speed up Minnesota’s transition to carbon-neutral energy, so 100% of the energy generated and procured in Minnesota will be carbon-neutral by 2040, and 55% of utility energy generation will come from renewable sources by 2035. Our last goal was to reach 25% renewable energy by 2025 – Minnesota exceeded this goal 7 years early! 

The House companion of this bill (HF7) passed off the House floor last night, and the Senate will vote on the bill by next week. Cutting carbon emissions in our energy sector is essential for reducing climate change. The 100% by 2040 bill will achieve this goal while maintaining the reliability and affordability of Minnesota’s electrical grid.

On Wednesday morning, I had the honor to address 100% advocates who had their day on the hill to speak with their representatives and senators about this critical bill. Nearly 400 Minnesotans gathered to push for action on climate change, and the energy in the room was palpable. We heard from many Minnesotans who said this was a critical issue. With the potential passage of this bill, this is a promise kept to those Minnesotans.

On The Floor

On Jan 27th, the Senate will vote on the PRO Act (SF1) on the Senate Floor. This bill codifies reproductive healthcare options into state law. I plan to vote “Yes'' on the bill. This bill eliminates barriers to reproductive choice and guarantees the privacy of healthcare decisions for Minnesotans, already recognized in the 1995 Doe v Gomez case. Removing politicians from the decision-making process is the right thing. 

Additionally, this week, the Senate passed SF13 (Juneteenth State Holiday Recognition). Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, and recognizing it formally as a state holiday in Minnesota was long overdue. Another outstanding bill passed this week, SF44. This bill, better known as the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act, bans discrimination against a person based on their natural hair texture and style. I’m glad to see these two common-sense bills pass early this legislative session. 

Write in!

My office and I have been delighted to hear from so many of you over the past month, and we look forward to hearing from even more of you as the session goes on! Write, email, and call our office to discuss what matters to YOU - and if you make your way up to the Capitol, I will be SURE to say hello! In the meantime, take care and be safe.

Nick A. Frentz
Assistant Minority Leader
Minnesota Senate, District 18