Advocacy
Youth voice as Law
Through their work at the state legislature, the MYC is the official voice for youth to the MN State Legislature and the Governor (passed into law in 2013)!
The MYC members hear testimony on bills related to education and young people 2-3 times each legislative session. After each meeting, the MYC develops and sends feedback letters to the authors of each bill heard.
Watch: MYC Legislative Committee meetings
2023 MYC TESTIMONY AT THE LEGISLATURE
January 31, 2023 Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Committee: SF194 (Cwodzinski) Minnesota Youth Advisory Council Established: MYC Representatives Charlie Schmit and Ava Roots testify
January 18, 2023 House Education Policy Committee: HF320 (Hassan) Teachers of Color Act strengthened, percentage of teachers of color and American Indian teacher in Minnesota increased: MYC Representative Sidarth Gazula (testimony starts at 1:17:40)
2023 Feedback Letters
HF362 (Comprehensive school mental health services)
HF24 (Replace lead drinking water service lines)
HF271 (nonexclusionary discipline)
HF905 (Minors age 16 or older authorized to consent to nonresidential mental health services)
SF206 (Equal access provision to school athletic teams and facilities)
2022 MYC TESTIMONY AT THE LEGISLATURE
Feb 2, 2022 House Education Finance Committee: Adri Arquin, Charlie Schmit, and Sara Maki (testimony starts at minute 13) (See also: Minnesota Reformer article House education committee hears directly from high school students)
Feb 9, 2022 House Education Policy Committee Increase Teachers of Color Act: Rhea Rajvansh (testimony starts at minute 19:40)
March 11, 2022 State Government Finance Committee: Minnesota Youth Advisory Council (testimony from Rep. Jim Davnie, Halla Henderson, Sage Hartman, Eric Li and Salma Abdi- starts at minute 2:20)
March 21, 2022 House Education Policy Committee HF341 Student Data Privacy Act– Sahasra Molleti and Charlie Schmitt (testimony starts at 1:06:35)
April 2022 E-12 Omnibus Bill Press Conference: Chae Lee
2022 Feedback Letters
April 24, 2022- HF2625 minor vaccine consent (eEp. Freiberg)
April 3, 2022- HF550: Climate Justice Education Bill (Rep Jordan)
March 27, 2022- HF2750: access to menstrual products (Rep Feist and Senator Cwodzinski)
2021 MYC Testimony at the Legislature
May 3, 2021 House Education Conference Committee (Omnibus Education Finance Bill); Salma Abdi, Sahasra Molleti and Isabelle Wong (testimony starts at 1:58:50)
March 18, 2021 HF 1644 (Flexible Learning Year and Distance Learning) – Salma Abdi (testimony starts at 56:02) and Eric Li (testimony starts at 59:00)
March 10, 2021 HF 1721 (Tobacco Tax Changes- e-cigarette)– Eric Li (testimony starts at 30:00)
March 4, 2021 HF1314 (Minnesota Youth Council funding)– Ava Kalenze, Paula Akakpo, Bridget Westrom, Weston Loughmiller, Neese Parker, and D’Andre Gordon (testimony on HF1314 starts at 18:34)- written testimony submitted by various youth and community members as well as Secretary of State Steve Simon
Feb 24, 2021 SF1044 (Student Unemployment Benefits)- written testimony submitted by the Minnesota Youth Council
Feb 24, 2021 HF358 (Comprehensive Sex Education)– Ava Kalenze (starts at 15:55), with written testimony submitted by Kaycie Brookens
Feb 16, 2021 HF168 (Cumulative Pollution Analysis Requirement)- Adri Arquin (starts at 31:35)
Feb 10, 2021 HF358 (Comprehensive Sex Education)– Ava Kalenze (starts at 14:57) and Trinity Hanif (starts at 20:20)
Feb 3, 2021 HF375 (Youth Mental Health)– Liv Steen (starts at 1:12:27) and Juwaria Jama (starts at 1:17:39)
Jan 27, 2021 HF217 (Increase Teachers of Color Act)– Salma Abdi (starts at 39:10)
Jan 12, 2021 House Education Finance Committee (First Meeting of the Session)- Jaden Henderson, Karen Guise, Katelyn Dorry, Salma Abdi and Kacyie Brookens
House Education Finance Committee (January 12, 2021)
April 26, 2021 Feedback letters
- HF 562: Establishing the Civics Standard Requirement (Representative Urdahl)
- HF 922: Juvenile Justice (Representative Long)
MARCH 26 2021 FEEDBACK LETTERS
- HF 375: Allow Minors Aged 16 and Up to Consent to Outpatient Mental Health Services (Representative Youakim)
- House File 1427: The Solar on Schools Act (Representative Acomb)
February 24 & 25, 2020 Feedback Letters
- HF 12 Prohibition of Conversion Therapy (presented by Representative Cantrell)
- HF 1363 Support our Students grant program (presented by Representative Huot and Mr. Smith)
- HF 1414 Comprehensive Sex Education (presented by Representative Lippert)
April 26, 2019 Feedback Letters
- SF 01 Mental Health Coverage (presented by Sue Abderholden of NAMI MN)
- SF 1674 School Resource Officers Requirements (presented by Senator Kent)
February 28, 2019 Feedback LEtters
- HF 09 “Red Flag” law- law enforcement and family members enabled to petition a court to prohibit people from possessing firearms if they pose a significant danger to themselves or others by possessing a firearm, (presented by former Rep. Erin Maye-Quade)
- HF 250- Affirmative Consent Instruction (Representative Kunesh-Podein)
January 17, 2019 house education finance committee
Hear members of the Minnesota Youth Council testify in front of the House Education Finance Committee on January 17th, 2019- the MYC was invited to share their insights and opinions into the issues most impacting our state’s young people!
April 20, 2018 Feedback LEtters
- HF 1027 Appropriation for AmeriCorps Promise Fellows (presented by Kori Redepenning, CEO of MN Alliance With Youth)
- HF 3594- Increase Teachers of Color Act strengthened, (Rep. Mariani)
- SF 1691 – Homeless families support services system redesign authorization and appropriation (Sen. Clausen)
- HF 2768 – Child sexual abuse, trafficking prevention (Rep. Jessup)
MYC Funding Bill Hearing- April 13, 2018
MARCH 27, 2018 FEEDBACK LETTERS
- HF960 School Linked Mental Health Programs (Rep. Backer)
- SF3279 Criminal background checks for firearm transfers requirement (Sen. Little)
- SF1386 Children 10 years and over right to counsel disclosure (Sen. Relph)