“Legislative bills become laws that affect our day-to-day reality. They dictate how society works and, in particular, have major implications on how our food and farming systems function, so it’s important for citizens to know how bills will affect us. By learning how to read bills as they are being debated, we gain the power to be informed and influence the process. However, the actual bill text is often difficult to read and understand because they often reference past bills and existing laws, the sentences don’t always make sense, and they use terms that are defined elsewhere.

If you’re new to the process, take the time to look at a bill’s references and past iterations, and then lean on the people whose job it is to understand. It was helpful for me to reach out to LSP staff and contact bill authors to directly ask about specific meanings and intentions. These people are here to help you so don’t forget to use them as a resource.” 

-Jake Kundert, St. Paul