E-12 Education: Strong Schools, Successful Students

Our Minnesota State Constitution states that it is the duty of the legislature to establish a “uniform system of public schools” in order to maintain the stability of our republic. Jamie takes this duty seriously and makes supporting our public schools a top priority.

Jamie supports:

• Fully and equitably funding public schools, including indexing the per pupil formula to inflation.
• Reducing class sizes and supporting teachers so that every child can reach their full potential.
• Expanding access to voluntary public pre-K programs while maintaining options for families.
• Increasing in-school support services, such as access to mental health resources.

Good Jobs: Supporting Working Families

Jamie believes every Minnesotan should have access to a good job. When Jamie talks about good jobs, she means livable wages, meaningful benefits and the ability to retire. Working 60 hours a week at two jobs for low pay is not the solution.

Jamie supports:

• Paid family leave for all workers – giving individuals the ability to take care of a new baby, a sick child, or an aging parent without fear of losing their jobs.
• Increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
• Ensuring all Minnesotans are safe from workplace harassment and discrimination.
• Protecting workers’ ability to unionize for better pay, benefits and their own safety at work.
• Making it easier for all workers to save for retirement. Jamie is the chief author of the Secure Choice Retirement Plan, an AARP priority that streamlines pre-tax retirement contributions straight from your paycheck.

Protecting our environment, addressing climate change 

Jamie is a lifelong Minnesotan who grew up deer hunting, fishing, and harvesting wild rice with her family. She knows our suburban district is unique with many residents who value their time outside. Making sure we have clean water and air – and a healthy planet – for future generations is one of her top priorities.

Jamie serves on the Environment & Natural Resources Policy & Finance Committee and is a respected leader when it comes to outdoor issues. She is also the chief author of No Child Left Inside, a successful small grant program that supports schools and community organizations providing meaningful outdoor acess for kids.

Jamie has earned the following awards: 2017 Trailblazer Award from Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, 2017 Legislative Award from Sierra Club North Star Chapter,  2018 Legislator of the Year Award from Bluffland Whitetails Association, 2019 Legislator of the Year from Clean Water Action.

Jamie supports:

• Enforcing our environmental protection laws and holding polluters accountable. The costs of clean-up shouldn’t fall on tax payers.
• Working proactively to address threats like aquatic invasive species and chronic wasting disease. These threats affect our Minnesota traditions and impact our billion dollar outdoors economy.
• Accepting the realities of climate change and promoting transitions to renewable energy, including bringing more renewable energy jobs to Minnesota.
• Protecting our public land and resources. These resources belong to all of us and Jamie collaborates with hunters, anglers, hikers, bikers, and campers to make sure our great outdoors are accessible to all Minnesotans.

Taking Care of our Neighbors

Jamie prioritizes the safety the dignity of our seniors and those who aren’t always able to advocate for themselves. As the sibling of someone with physical disabilities, Jamie knows first hand how important it is to make sure our family members are safe and respected. She also serves on the Behavioral Health Policy Committee and is a strong advocate for improving access to mental health and addiction resources.

Jamie supports:

• Stronger regulation, reporting and licensing of nursing homes and memory care facilities to keep seniors safe.
• Increasing reimbursement rates for home care and residential staff so that quality care can be provided in whatever setting works best for individuals and their families.
• Increasing disability service funding so that people with disabilities can live full lives.

Building Safer Communities

Jamie previously worked as a prosecutor specializing in domestic violence cases, working closely alongside victim advocates to seek justice. Jamie currently serves as the Chair of the Judiciary Finance & Civil Law Committee, and has chief authored numerous bills to improve our legal systems for everyone. Jamie is also a leading voice speaking up for victims of sexual assault, harassment and domestic violence.

Jamie is also a hunter and gun owner who supports improvements to our gun laws that will make our communities safer.

Jamie supports:

• Preventing violence and sexual harassment by proactively working with those affected to find solutions.
• Background checks on all gun purchases and stronger enforcement of our current gun safety laws.
• Extreme risk gun violence protection orders to keep guns out of the hands of people who are found to be a danger to themselves or others.
  
• Taking care of firefighters and EMS workers, including providing resources for PTSD and other health problems resulting from serving our community.

Cannabis

• Adult Recreational Legalization
• Safe products on the shelves
• Expungement
• Creating an equitable cannabis industry in Minnesota

Reproductive Freedom and Affordable, Accessible Healthcare

Jamie is pro choice and will do everything she can to protect your right to make your own healthcare decisions. She is the Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus.

Jamie believes everyone has a right to quality healthcare. We need to work towards reform of the system instead of doubling down on insurance company bailouts.

Jamie supports:

• Protecting rights to contraceptives, abortion, and reproductive healthcare.
• Allowing more people the opportunity to buy in to MinnesotaCare, giving everyone the opportunity to benefit from lower prices in a larger pool.
• Doing what we can to make sure pre-existing condition protections stay in place.
• Cost transparency for procedures and prescription drugs.
• Working towards true parity for mental health coverage and building a mental health care system that works.

Higher Education: Building the Future

A college education or trade skills training shouldn’t tie students to a lifetime of debt. Jamie also believes that a traditional 4-year college degree is only one option as we build our future and an economy that works for everyone.

Jamie supports:

• Lowering tuition and investing in the University of Minnesota and other public colleges and universities.
• Helping high schools prepare students for the workforce by making sure all students have the opportunity to graduate with college credits or on-the-job experience.
• Increasing access to job skills training for all ages, such as construction trades apprenticeship programs that lead to stable union careers.