With just weeks left in the legislative session, big bills are still being negotiated behind closed doors by leaders and governor. Meanwhile smaller bipartisan bills are moving along, such as a contest to create a new license plate honoring the state gemstone the agate. The effort reads like a classic tale of how a bill becomes a law with a citizen reaching out to his lawmaker for the first time and it became the first bill passed for that freshman legislator.
Lars Leafblad is a well-connected executive search consultant by day and he unleashed all his skills for his favorite rock. Here’s letters he sent to Democrats and Republicans who backed his bill that gives you a taste of his enthusiasm:
Dear inaugural honorary members of the Minnesota “Rockaucus”,
Thank you all for serving as authors of the “Agate Plate” bill (HF3699)!
(A belated welcome aboard to Rep. Zeleznikar!!)
On behalf of the 150,000+ Minnesotans who belong to any number of Lake Superior Agate fan/hobby groups on Facebook, thank you, thank you, thank you!
You and your legislative teams are all ROCKSTARS!!! ROCK ON!
If I can ever try and be helpful to any of you, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Life is all about reciprocal joy creation and serendipity acceleration.
Minnesota ROCKS because of leaders like you and campaigns like this.
Thank you again.
Onwards and upwards!!
Lars Leafblad
Congratulations (and thank you!) Rep. Gottfried for successfully leading the passage of HF3699 earlier today with bipartisan support!
You made the St. Olaf alumni community very proud on the floor!
The final vote was 110-22:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026/0/HF/3699/
A link to the YouTub clip from MN House media of Rep. Gottfried’s very punny opening remarks along with a floor endorsement from Rep. Skraba is below:
Thank you Senators Hauschild, Kunesh, Marty and Miller for your sponsorship of SF4374 and leadership to move this ahead.
https://www.agateplate.com
Thank you all!! You ROCK!
Lars
Much more coverage of the legislature on Almanac and check out the education chairs from this week’s Almanac at the Capitol and next week housing chairs will join me live in the House Gallery.
