As the legislature enters its second month, Common Cause Minnesota is calling on legislators to make changes to ensure public access is protected during the budgetary and legislative process.  

Currently, the State Office Building and pedestrian tunnel are closed due to construction. This has displaced legislators that are usually very accessible in the State Office Building to temporary offices that are tightly controlled, require advance appointments and have a heavier security presence – that could discourage some constituents – than normal.  

Additionally, partisan games in the State House in the first month have delayed their work and made reaching State Representatives to discuss policy harder.  

Common Cause Minnesota asked its members to reach out to both State Senators and State Representatives to communicate the people’s priorities this legislative session. While Senators have been more responsive than Representatives, there remain challenges to in-person meetings and communication between constituents and their elected officials. We’ve received direct feedback from almost 200 members confirming that none of their calls were answered, with a few saying they received template answers to their emails and nothing more.

Due to construction, chaos and difficulty achieving in-person meetings, Common Cause Minnesota is asking for the following: 

• In-district town halls to hear from their communities during an important budgetary session 

• Clear messaging to the public on how they can enjoy the same level of access to their elected officials as they have previously experienced 

• Dedicated space in the Capitol complex for the public to meet with legislators  

 “The people are not being heard, and they are not able to contact their legislators in the same way as they are used to in Minnesota. Chaos and construction cannot prevail over access for the public. The current set-up does not allow adequate public access, and legislative leaders need to communicate changes to support public comment and interaction,” said Annastacia Belladonna-Carrera, Executive Director of Common Cause Minnesota.