Neighbors and Friends,
Today marks the third legislative deadline and the start of our Easter/Passover break after which we head into the final few weeks of session. All session, House DFLers have focused on the challenges faced by hardworking families, and we crafted legislation to focus on family budgets.
This week in the Housing Finance & Policy committee, we presented and approved our Housing Finance bill. This legislation is the result of collaboration with housing advocates working across the state and across the housing continuum. We make historic housing investments and take major strides in addressing some of the state’s most pressing housing issues, reducing the racial home ownership gap, preserving, and protecting naturally occurring affordable housing, increasing the housing supply in the state, providing financial resources and overdue protections for renters, and helping those closest to experiencing homelessness.
As we know, nothing in life goes well without a safe place to live. This generational investment will have impacts far into the future and will assure more Minnesotans are safe and housed, creating a brighter future for everyone.
Next, the bill will be heard in the Ways and Means Committee and then move to the House floor for passage. Then we begin negotiations with the Senate. You can read more here and you can watch committee action on the House of Representatives’ YouTube Channel.
Avian Influenza
Yesterday, the Minnesota House voted to invest $1 million in the state’s response to H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Minnesota. The funding will be used for testing supplies and other emergency response activities, including disease surveillance.
The first cases of H5N1 in Minnesota were confirmed last month. The USDA updates the latest HPAI detections on its website. Listen to this MPR story.
The virus has not caused human illness. According to the CDC, Recent Bird Flu Infections in U.S. Wild Birds and Poultry Pose a Low Risk to the Public. You can read more from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or the Board of Animal Health.
The state has activated a new HPAI hotline for anyone with poultry to ask questions or for anyone to report sick birds at 1-833-454-0156.
Energy Assistance
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has raised the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program crisis benefit per household. Income-qualified homeowners or renters can now receive up to $3,000 to pay past-due energy bills, to prevent energy disconnections, and to cover costs for emergency fuel deliveries. Previously, the crisis benefit was $1,200. The grant is in addition to the up-to-$2,000 in non-crisis benefits a qualifying house receives.
COVID-19 Update
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.
Minnesota households are now eligible to receive two test kits (for a total of four tests) per home through the mail at mn.gov/covid19. You can also order free rapid at-home tests from the federal government at CovidTests.gov.
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, get tested to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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Staying Connected
You can watch legislative sessions and committee hearings by going to this link on the Minnesota House of Representatives website.
The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services also 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, you can utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website.
I welcome your questions and comments anytime. You can call me at (651) 296-3824 or email me at rep.alice.hausman@house.mn.
Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature.
Sincerely,
Alice