Representative Ecklund ready for new legislative session

Minnesota legislators are preparing for the first session of 2022. WTIP caught up with District 3A Rob Ecklund for an update as he prepares for the new year at the Capitol.

On January 20, he and other house committee leaders held a news conference to talk about housing, labor industry and veterans affairs, the jobs committee and more. Ecklund spoke about the ongoing broadband goals for the state of Minnesota and how the American Rescue Plan could be used to end the "digital divide."

On January 19, another legislative group, the House Climate Action Caucus members announced their plans for a $1 billion Climate Action Plan.  The plan is divided into five sectors: energy, transportation, the built environment, lands, and adaptation and resiliency. Ecklund told WTIP a lot of work went into this plan and he can see how it will benefit our schools through energy programs and our forests through reforestation proposals. Ecklund also noted a recent alarming study that shows that the ice out on our lakes is trending two weeks sooner.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence spoke with Representative Ecklund about these matters and the state budget overall. Here’s their conversation.