Monday, May 20, 2013
The bill was sponsored by District 46 legislators.
The Minnesota Child Victims Act sponsored by District 46 legislators is just a signature away from becoming law. The Senate approved the conference committee report on the bill 57-0 Friday, and the House signed off on the amended bill 123-3 the same day. The act now only awaits Gov. Mark Dayton’s approval. The Minnesota State Supreme Court has interpreted existing state law to mean that the statute of limitations on civil sexual abuse lawsuits closes by the time the plaintiff turns 24 years old. The Child Victims Act would remove the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits stemming from sexual abuse going forward. Victims would also be able to sue schools, churches or any other group that they accuse of failing to protect them. Sen. Ron …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Hopkins and St. Louis Park legislator offered an emotional speech on the House floor.
HOPKINS, MN -- Hopkins and St. Louis Park Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-District 46B) choked back tears as he told a parable during debate Thursday on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Simon described a rabbi asking his students what is the precise moment when night ends and a new day begins. “The moment when night ends and a new day begins is the moment when you look into the face of a stranger and see the face of your brother,” Simon said in between long pauses. “Until that moment, no matter what time it is, it’s still night. But at that moment, that’s when the new day begins. I like the sound of that—a new day—and I hope we can all go there together.” In the often-emotional five-minute speech, Simon described how the gay rights movement …
The Hopkins and St. Louis Park legislator said problems would arise if state law only referred to civil unions.
Unlike so many other same-sex marriage supporters, Hopkins and St. Louis Park Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-District 46B) called Rep. Tim Kelly (R-District 21A) “a friend.” But that didn’t make Simon any more likely to support Kelly’s proposal to remove the term “marriage” from state law for both heterosexual and homosexual couples. Simon said Kelly’s amendment to a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage would end marriage for 2.2 million Minnesotans. “This amendment would say they are no longer married,” Simon said on the House floor. He said the measure from Kelly—who was one of the few Republicans to oppose last year’s marriage amendment—was well intentioned but that it would cause real problems, such as difficulties calculating benefits on…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The Hopkins and St. Louis Park legislator has been a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage.
Hopkins and St. Louis Park Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-District 46B) was among the legislators who helped a same-sex marriage bill cleared the House Ways and Means Committee on Monday night. The voice vote before Ways and Means was the final committee vote before the bill heads to the House floor. Watch the committee discuss the bill in the video above. Simon has been a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage. Two years ago, a video of Simon went viral when he asked in a floor speech, “How many more gay people does God have to create before we ask ourselves whether or not God actually wants them around?” In a Monday Minnesota Public Radio article, Simon defended the latest bill against charges that it would infringe on religious beliefs. The local …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
The bill, which was authored by local legislators, would remove the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse lawsuits.
St. Louis Park and Hopkins Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-District 46B) has successfully pushed a bill through the state House that would remove the statute of limitations on sexual abuse cases. The House passed the Child Victims Act on a 115-7 vote Wednesday. A companion bill in the Senate—authored by Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 46), whose district includes Golden Valley, Hopkins, Plymouth and St. Louis Park—is still awaiting a floor vote. If it passes, a conference committee will take up the House and Senate versions of the bills to iron out differences. “This is a great day for justice for survivors of sexual abuse,” a news release from Simon’s office quoted the state representative. “Today’s vote signaled a strong bipartisan appetite for much-…
Thursday, April 11, 2013
A 1988 KARE 11 story captured the Hopkins and St. Louis Park legislator long before he took office.
Hopkins and St. Louis Park Rep. Steve Simon is no stranger to public speaking. Two years ago, a video of Simon went viral when he asked in a floor speech, “How many more gay people does God have to create before we ask ourselves whether or not God actually wants them around?” Simon wasn’t always a veteran speaker, though. YouTube user scottcommercials posted a video of a 1988 KARE 11 news story of the then-18-year-old Simon and the rest of the Hopkins High School debate team—“one of the hottest debate teams in the Midwest,” according to the report. Check out video of the future legislator in the news story above.
Friday, March 22, 2013
The District 46 legislator, who represents Hopkins and St. Louis Park, voted in favor of a proposal to tighten gun control measures Thursday.
Hopkins and St. Louis Park Rep. Steve Simon was among the 10 legislators in the House Public Safety Committee on Thursday who advanced a bill that would require background checks for private sales at gun shows. The committee passed the bill on a mostly party line vote—although Rep. John Ward, a Baxter DFLer, voted with Republicans against the bill. The bill also contains The bill does not require universal background checks on gun sales because the idea did not have enough supporters on the committee. However, the Senate version of the bill requires universal background checks and an amendment is likely to be offered on the House floor. The bill also contains less-controversial measures to keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them…
Monday, March 4, 2013
District 46 Sen. Ron Latz spoke to the committee about the bill Thursday.
Sen. Ron Latz (District 46) persuaded fellow Senate Judiciary Committee members to support the “Minnesota Child Victims Act” that he co-authored. The committee voted 5-3 on Thursday to approve a bill that would end the statute of limitations that requires victims of sexual abuse to file a lawsuit within six years of becoming an adult. If the bill becomes law, victims could file a lawsuit at any time, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Watch Latz speak to the committee in the video above. Latz—whose district includes Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley and Plymouth—told the committee that child sex abuse victims struggle to just tell their closest friends and family about what happened. Seeking legal action is even harder for…
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Watch live video at 10 a.m. Wednesday as he introduces the legislation at a press conference.
Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-District 46B), whose district includes Hopkins and St. Louis Park, is among the authors of a bill that will allow same-sex marriage in Minnesota, according to a Minnesotans United news release. On Wednesday morning, Simon, Minneapolis Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-District 61) and Minneapolis Rep. Karen Clark (DFL-District 62A) will discuss the bill they authored and why they think it’s important to pass the legislation in 2013. United Church of Christ Minnesota Conference Minister Karen Smith Sellers, Rabbi Michael Latz of Shir Tikvah Congregation and others will join the legislators at tomorrow’s event. The legislation is not yet posted on the Minnesota Legislature’s website. Watch the press conference live at 10 a.m. in …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The proposal would eliminate the statute of limitation in civil cases for sex abuse victims.
Local legislators are among the lawmakers pushing to end the statute of limitations that requires victims of sexual abuse to file a lawsuit within six years of becoming an adult. If the bill becomes law, victims could file a lawsuit at any time, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Sen. Ron Latz (District 46) and Rep. Steve Simon (District 46B) appeared at a news conference Wednesday to build support for the “Minnesota Child Victims Act.” Latz, who’s chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the proposal recognizes a healing process that can sometimes take decades for victims to confront abuse. “The Minnesota Child Victims Act is pretty simple and straightforward,” he said. "It gives an opportunity for victims of child …
Mike Hindin
11:19 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Thank s to Rep. Steve Simon and the efforts of many, family and friends will be able to celebrate their love and commitment starting in August. more ›