The legislative process can be daunting for the average citizen, at least it certainly was for me when I started working with the Public Policy department at HOME Line. But throughout my observation of this past legislative session, I learned some things that gave me hope, made me angry, and most importantly allowed me to see how easy and important it is to get involved as a citizen to support the causes you care about. Housing is something that affects everyone, and renters in Minnesota do not have the adequate protections to protect them from losing their homes. A home is the foundation for all other aspects of life, and without one, many people are left struggling. Some legislators are aware of this fact, and the passion that many of the legislators I watched had for housing issues was refreshing to see. I learned, from watching committee hearings and House floor sessions, that politicians (at least most of them) are not robots. Each one has a distinct personality that comes across in the way they attack policy, defend it, and create compromises. In the current political climate, I think we forget that state legislators are our neighbors and co-workers. They have regular jobs outside of a few months of the legislative session, and for the most part, they seem to be in tune with the opinions of their constituency. I can’t count the amount of hearings I watched in which a legislator would bring up an anecdote or opinion of one of their constituents. Not only was it nice to know there was some communication going on between legislator and constituency, but most of the legislators seemed to really care about how housing legislation would affect people in their district.
That being said, there were also times in the past few months where the legislative process was frustrating to watch. What surprised me is how repetitive some of these hearings were. Of course, I see why this is necessary. Each bill must go through multiple committees composed of different legislators, and this helps everyone build a comprehensive understanding of the policy. Where my frustration came in was that none of the debate or testimony seemed to change anyone’s mind. While some moderates were chief authors on relevant legislation, for the most part, every single legislator voted along party lines. There were times when it seemed no one was listening to each other, only waiting for their turn to speak. To me, it was disappointing to see such lack of compromise. This year, as I was told by my supervisor, was especially partisan, not only in Minnesota, but in the entire country due to the catastrophic events of the past year. I am glad legislators are passionate about the issues, but the consequence of this polarization is that bill passage mostly comes down to which party has the majority in the House and Senate. I know this is usually how it goes, but to watch it up close and personal really drove home that unfortunate fact.
That’s not to say the legislative process is fruitless or boring. For me, it was actually quite the opposite. I enjoyed watching the entire thing from start to finish, whether I was hopeful or annoyed. My biggest takeaway from all of this however, was the importance of grassroots organizations. I saw firsthand how instrumental nonprofits like HOME Line are in advocating for policy. Beyond that, the impact that individual citizens can have is significant. The most impactful testimony in hearings was usually that of a constituent who was connected to the issue in some way. Their testimony humanized the issues, and forced legislators to understand that this is affecting people’s everyday lives. We are heading into a frustrating, exciting and anxiety-ridden week as the legislative session ends, and if I could give one piece of advice to anyone even remotely interested in housing policy, or any other issue for that matter, it would be to get involved. There are a variety of reasons to do so, and chances are your voice will make an impact. Set up a meeting with your legislators, make them feel either your support or opposition to what’s happening in the legislature. Legislators need to know the opinions of their constituents in order to accurately represent them, so tell them what you think! If your problem is information, either you have questions about housing policy or are unsure of how to get involved, contacting HOME Line is a great way to start. Organizations like HOME Line not only provide information on their website about housing policy, but they also can provide guidance on how to affect the legislative process or your tenant community how you see fit. Coming together through organizations like HOME Line creates power, which in turn can help renters across Minnesota get the protection they deserve. Take a look at HOME Line’s state legislative public policy agenda or email Michael Dahl at michaeld@homelinemn.org to get started today.
Anna Baish is in her final semester at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Majoring in Political Science and Spanish, she is interning at HOME Line through the Inequality in America program of the Higher Education Consortium on Urban Affairs (HECUA).
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