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Dear Neighbors,
Today, the Minnesota House and Senate each approved an agreement reached yesterday on the unemployment insurance/frontline worker bill. The agreement doubles the pool of money for frontline worker bonuses lawmakers agreed to last year — from $250 million to $500 million. As many as 667,000 workers will receive a $750 bonus. We can never thank the frontline workers enough for their dedication, but we can provide a monetary appreciation for their work.
In addition to bonuses for frontline workers, our final agreement prevents an unemployment insurance tax rate increase on small businesses and replenishes the unemployment insurance trust fund to pre-pandemic levels, so all workers have a safety net when they fall on hard times.
Governor Walz is expected to sign the measure in to law.
This week in the Minnesota House, our work focused on passing supplemental budget bills. The bills we have already approved fund Housing, Agriculture and Broadband, State Government, Pensions and Transportation, Education, and Higher Education. As this update is sent, we are debating the Public Safety legislation. Several budget areas remain and will be discussed over the next week.
The House bills differ significantly from the Senate measures, meaning both versions of the bills will go to bipartisan House and Senate conference committees with the goal of reaching agreements.
I serve as vice-chair of the State Government and Elections Committee and some of the most significant investments in this legislation are dedicated to the modernizing and securing of the state’s software IT systems and cybersecurity and puts resources where they’re needed most, sending a clear message that we take security seriously. The bill increases protections for our election officials who have faced unprecedented levels of threats and hostility and criminalizes threatening and harassing conduct. This legislation builds on investments to modernize state government and strengthens our democracy.
On Sunday, Governor Walz delivered his 4th State of the State address in the House of Representatives chamber. Governor Walz was optimistic about our future and determined to work with the legislature to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. If you missed the speech, you can watch a rebroadcast here.
Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in various Minnesota locations. The Raptor Center in St. Paul recommends removing bird feeders for now. For those who raise backyard chickens, keep the birds enclosed and separated from wildlife. Place mesh or tarps on the outside of the coop. Keep a lookout for any deceased birds or those in need of help – don’t touch the bird. Call the DNR, Raptor Center, or a new HPAI hotline at 1-833-454-0156 first for next steps.
The virus has not caused human illness, according to the CDC. Learn more from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or the Board of Animal Health.
The FDA has authorized a second booster shot for Americans over 50 and for those 12 years and older who are immunocompromised. You can read more from the U of M Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) recommendations here. If you have symptoms, have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, after traveling, or if you’ve attended a high-risk event, please get tested to slow the spread of COVID-19. You can order free rapid at-home tests from the federal government at CovidTests.gov and from the state at mn.gov/covid19.
The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website here.
You can stay up to date on our work by subscribing to these legislative updates and “liking” my official Facebook page. For any questions you have on the resources available to our community or our work in the Minnesota House, you can reach me at rep.andrew.carlson@house.mn or leave a voicemail at (651) 296-4218. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Andrew Carlson
State Representative
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