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More Perfect Union@MorePerfectUS · Aug 6, 2024

BREAKING: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be the Democratic VP candidate, alongside Kamala Harris. Walz forged a…

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Summary

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been selected as Kamala Harris's Democratic VP running mate. The thread highlights his legislative accomplishments including free school meals, paid family leave, right-to-repair laws, student debt relief, labor protections, drug price caps, cannabis legalization, and climate goals.

Summarized by ThreadOut AI from the full thread. May miss nuance — read the thread below.

  1. #1

    BREAKING: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be the Democratic VP candidate, alongside Kamala Harris. Walz forged a reputation as a Governor who makes good policy happen. Last year he signed a law guaranteeing free breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota students. And that's not all 🧵

  2. #2

    Last year, Walz signed a law enacting paid family and medical leave, giving workers up to 20 weeks off. “Paid family and medical leave seemed like a pipe dream for 10 years,” he said. “It seemed like—why can other people have this and we can’t?” apnews.com/article/minnes…

  3. #3

    Last year, Walz also approved the nation's broadest right-to-repair law, allowing independent shops and owners of phones, laptops, and other electronic devices to more easily repair products without relying on corporations like Apple and Google. minnesotareformer.com/2023/05/30/min…

  4. #4

    Walz signed into law a financial aid program giving free college tuition to students whose families made less than $80k a year. The law had such an impact that North Dakota State University, fearing competition, began offering the same incentive. minnesotareformer.com/briefs/ndsu-cr…

  5. #5

    Under Walz, Minnesota banned noncompete agreements and captive audience meetings, and significantly expanded leverage for workers in meatpacking plants, warehouses, schools, and more. minnesotareformer.com/2023/05/17/lab…

  6. #6

    For example: that law created the nation’s first standards board for nursing home workers. This year, that board voted to set a minimum wage of more than $23 an hour starting in 2027. minnesotareformer.com/2024/04/29/min…

  7. #7

    In May, Walz signed a bill banning junk fees. “I think just giving transparency, giving some honesty about how these things are done, lets people make better-informed decisions, which is better for their bottom line,” he said. minnesotareformer.com/2024/05/20/gov…

  8. #8

    Walz signed the law legalizing recreational weed in Minnesota and expunging the records of people convicted for misdemeanor possession. The effort had been ongoing in Minnesota for at least a quarter of a century, going back to Gov. Jesse Ventura. apnews.com/article/mariju…

  9. #9

    At a time when most of the U.S. is struggling to retain nurses, Walz signed a pair of laws last year that invested tens of millions into recruiting nurses and expanded the state’s loan forgiveness program for nurses. kaaltv.com/news/gov-walz-…

  10. #10

    Walz also tackled the problem of hospital monopolies, signing a law that requires all potential mergers to be in the public interest and granting new powers to the state Attorney General to investigate mergers. boondoggle.substack.com/p/how-minnesot…

  11. #11

    In 2020, with the help of a divided legislature, Walz pushed for and signed the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act. The law capped insulin prices at $35. cbsnews.com/minnesota/news…

  12. #12

    More recently, he signed a law creating a prescription drug affordability board to rein in out-of-control drug costs more broadly. In June, the state began monitoring hundreds of drugs for price transparency to better inform patients and policymakers. mprnews.org/story/2024/01/…

  13. #13

    After the DFL won control of both legislative chambers in 2022, one of the first laws Walz signed mandated 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. Walz called it “an essential investment in our future that will continue to pay off for generations.” pluribusnews.com/news-and-event…

  14. #14

    Walz issued an order eliminating 4-year degree requirements for most state jobs. "By removing these requirements, we're expanding opportunities for people to enter the workforce, choose state service, and build a good-paying, family-sustaining career." cbsnews.com/minnesota/news…

  15. #15

    After vetoing a bill setting minimum pay & benefits for rideshare drivers last year, Walz and legislators struck a deal with drivers and rideshare firms in May. @TheMULDA president Eid Ali told MPU that Walz “did a wonderful job” and endorsed him for VP. cbsnews.com/minnesota/news…