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)! Read more about the work of the Minnesota Youth Council at the Capitol.
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
*Thanks to the co-authors of MYC’s 2021 legislative funding request- HF1314! Tell YOUR representatives that youth voice at the Capitol is essential and ask them to support HF1314/SF1818.
2021 MYC Testimony at the Legislature
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)
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)