Senator Tou Xiong

Senator Tou Xiong represents Senate District 44 which includes Little Canada, Maplewood, North Saint Paul, and Oakdale. He is vice chair of the Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate Committee and serves on the Capital Investment Committee and the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

Statement on the Death of Amara Strande and PFAS Legislation

SAINT PAUL, MN – Amara Strande died April 14 at the age of 20 after a long battle with cancer. Strande grew up in Oakdale, graduated from Tartan High School and was enrolled at Augsburg University, where she majored in Music Production. As a teenager, Strande was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer resulting in tumors throughout her body. Strande had been exposed to per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” which were manufactured at a nearby 3M plant and leached into the water supply. Amara became an outspoken advocate for legislation to ban almost all uses of PFAS chemicals in consumer products and to require companies to disclose their use to the public, which included testifying before the Senate Environment and Climate Committee on March 2.

Minnesota Senate POCI Caucus Voices Support for Tennessee Lawmakers Expelled After Gun Reform Protest

ST. PAUL, Minn. — On Thursday, April 6, Tennessee’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to expel two Black lawmakers, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson—just failing to oust a third representative, Gloria Johnson, by one vote—a week after the three Democrats led a gun reform protest in the chamber. This follows yet another mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville that left three 9-year-olds and three adults dead.

Members of Senate POCI Caucus Praise Historic Passage of Restore the Vote and Drivers Licenses for All

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – In a victory for the rights and dignity of tens of thousands of Minnesotans, the Senate passed legislation Tuesday to Restore the Vote for formerly incarcerated people and then passed legislation early Wednesday morning to allow Driver’s Licenses for All Minnesotans regardless of immigration status. The legislation, HF 28 and HF 4, passed by votes of 35-30 and 34-31 respectively.

Student Loan Advocate Bill Passes Senate Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – On Tuesday, Senator Tou Xiong (DFL-Maplewood) presented and testified in support of his bill to create a student loan advocate role in the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The bill, SF 998, funds the new office and outlines the duties of the advocate, who would help to resolve complaints from borrowers, provide information on borrowers’ rights and responsibilities, and make public reports and recommendations, among other responsibilities.