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House passes COVID-19 economic security, hourly school employee pay, and election legislation

Saturday, May 9, 2020





























Rep. Winkler



































Dear neighbor,



The Minnesota House of Representatives continues working to do all we can to help Minnesotans navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope you are all safe and healthy. A quick update on a busy week of legislative activity is below. The Legislative Session ends on May 18.



Sunday is also Mother’s Day — Happy Mother’s Day to all of our moms and thank you for all you do!



 



House passes new COVID-19 economic security legislation



On Thursday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed a new package of COVID-19 economic security legislation. The bill, HF 1507, contains provisions for housing assistance, a temporary wage increase for personal care assistants, funding to expand broadband access, and small business loans.



Minnesota has the resources we need to address this crisis; we just need the will to act. Minnesotans need investments in the things that will help them make it through this crisis and thrive after it, including quality health care, economic security, a good education, and safe and healthy communities. Minnesota can and should invest in Minnesotans to ensure their economic security now and into the future.







 































House Economic Agenda







 































The legislation includes $100 million in assistance for Minnesota renters, homeowners, and landlords. In addition to support for rent and mortgages, qualified applicants can receive help paying utility bills and property taxes. The proposal has received broad support, ranging from the Homes for All Coalition, representing 250 Minnesota housing organizations, to the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association, which represents property management companies throughout the state.  



Minnesota’s personal care assistants (PCA) serve Minnesotans with disabilities, our seniors, and other vulnerable populations. The bill delivers a 15 percent temporary rate increase for personal care assistance services during the COVID-19 pandemic and makes other program modifications to help ensure vulnerable Minnesotans get the care they need. In addition to the 15 percent rate increase, PCAs can now be paid for 310 hours of services per month, up from 275. The bill allows a parent or legal guardian of a minor PCA recipient, or a spouse of a PCA recipient, to earn wages for providing PCA services during the peacetime emergency.



HF 1507 invests $15 million in a new Distance Learning Broadband Access Grant Program to provide students with the equipment necessary to access learning materials on the internet and reimburse school districts for costs to provide broadband access. It also invests $10 million in the state’s Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program to expand high-speed broadband, with the funding targeted to unserved areas. Finally, it invests $2 million in the new Telemedicine Equipment Reimbursement Grant Program to reimburse health care providers and counties that purchase and install telemedicine equipment to provide COVID-19-related health care services.



Finally, the legislation appropriates $55 million to the Small Business Emergency Loan Program at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), which was launched by Executive Order 20-15 from Gov. Walz on March 23. The program’s original $30 million has since been exhausted.



 



House passes bill providing compensation for hourly school workers



On Monday, the Minnesota House of Representatives approved the COVID-19 response legislation for hourly school workers.



The legislation provides compensation for hourly school employees and allows entities that contract with schools to provide services to be reimbursed for paying their employees, for changes in school employment practices as a result of COVID-19 related school closures and the conversion to distance learning programs.



Hourly School Workers - No Date



Our school employees — paraprofessionals, lunch staff, child care workers, bus drivers, and others — are front-line workers in the COVID pandemic, providing essential services to our students and families. Like all Minnesotans, we need to ensure they have economic security during and after this crisis. Minnesotans are looking to us for help and we need to deliver.



The bill also addresses school finance formula glitches resulting from the conversion to the distance learning model. The legislation creates and legislatively approves certain waivers of state law regarding assessments, graduation and course requirements, and potential licensure issues faced by prospective and current teachers.



The legislation awaits action in the Minnesota Senate.



 



Minnesota House approves Help America Vote Act funding, elections modifications



Earlier this week, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation allowing for the utilization of federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds, and additional measures to ensure Minnesota’s elections remain safe and secure.



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Following the 2016 elections and threats of foreign influence, the Department of Homeland Security designated elections as critical infrastructure, and the federal government disbursed grants to help states update and improve election security. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional funds were made available for virus-specific measures through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.



This bill helps ensure Minnesotans can safely exercise their fundamental right to vote, even during a public health crisis. Minnesotans rightfully expect to make their voices heard, and House DFLers will continue working to improve access to the ballot for everyone.



In addition to improving accessibility and modernizing election security, HAVA funds will be used to ensure the health and safety of election officials and in-person voters. This includes preparation for increased absentee voting, new polling place locations, the purchase of sanitation and disinfectant supplies, and public outreach for implementing social distancing guidelines related to voting.



The legislation can be found here, and video of Monday’s floor debate is available here.



 



Adult-use cannabis legislation introduced



This week, I introduced legislation that would legalize the adult use of cannabis. The legislation is the result of months of public discussions on how to responsibly legalize and regulate cannabis.



We made a commitment to introduce legislation this session, and we wanted to follow through on that commitment. Our current priority is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but after the town halls and discussions around this issue, we still wanted to put a strong bill forward. As we look to come out of this crisis as a better, stronger Minnesota, we need to continue working toward legalizing cannabis for responsible adult use.



The bill includes the following:




  • Creates a regulatory structure focused on developing micro-businesses and a craft market

  • Provides for expungement of most cannabis convictions

  • Provides for a limited allowance of home grow

  • Requires testing and labeling of products

  • Restricts packaging based on dosage size

  • Provides funding for public health awareness, youth access prevention, and substance abuse addiction and treatment

  • Provides grants, loans, technical assistance, and training for small businesses

  • Uses best practices from other states to account for negative externalities



 



Minnesotans have been loud and clear that our current cannabis laws are doing more harm than good. By creating a regulatory framework we can address the harms caused by cannabis and establish a more sensible set of laws to improve our health care and criminal justice systems and ensure better outcomes for communities.



The text of the bill, HF 4632, can be found here.



 



Minnesota receives an updated budget projection



Minnesota Management and Budget released an updated budget projection this week showing a projected $2.426 billion deficit in the current biennium. Minnesota currently has $350 million in the state’s cash flow account and $2.359 billion in the budget reserves.



Minnesota has the resources we need to address this crisis; we just need the will to act. We must stay the course to reduce the impact of COVID-19, save lives, and help Minnesotans get through the storm. Minnesotans need investments in the things that will help them make it through this crisis and thrive after it, including quality health care, economic security, a good education, and safe and healthy communities.



You can find more information on the budget projection here.



 



Town hall meeting with Iron Range leaders



On Wednesday, I held a virtual town hall meeting today with state Representative Dave Lislegard (DFL - Aurora) and Iron Range leaders. We discussed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on northeastern Minnesota and the Iron Range, and possible future legislative action.



The COVID-19 pandemic has upended all of our lives and has hit the Iron Range especially hard. Minnesotans deserve economic security during this public health crisis, and those least likely to have it are being hardest hit. We are continuing to work on solutions to ensure Minnesotans can make ends meet during the pandemic and beyond.



Participants included:




  • Chris Vreeland, Mayor of Hoyt Lakes

  • Douglas Gregor, Mayor of Aurora

  • Sandy Karnowski, Public Relations, Cleveland Cliffs

  • Rick Crum, CEO of Northeast Technical Services and President of Laurentian Chamber of Commerce

  • Robin Harkonen, Director of East Range Developmental Achievement Center

  • Luke Soderling – Supervisor Biwabik Township – Broadband activist

  • Shawntel Gruba, Owner/Operator of Iron Range Tykes Learning Center – Child care center

  • Cathy Drummond, USW –Assistant to the Director

  • John Arbogast, USW – District 11 Director

  • Steve Giorgi, Executive Director – Range Association of Municipalities and Schools (RAMS)



 



Town hall meeting with domestic violence prevention advocates



I held a virtual town hall meeting with state representatives and domestic violence prevention advocates. We discussed the increased rates of domestic and sexual violence during the stay-at-home order, and the needs of Minnesotans suffering from domestic violence and funding for victims services.



During the COVID-19 pandemic, domestic and sexual violence programs are on the front lines supporting our most vulnerable community members. Tragically, Stay-at-Home policies — while slowing the spread of COVID-19 — leave many victims stranded at home with their abusers, closed off from access to others – in the workplace, through their children’s schools, and at social events. We have to ensure our advocacy organizations have the resources they need to assist Minnesotans, and continue to spread the word that these services remain available during this time.



"As advocates working to end domestic and sexual violence, we are gravely concerned with the current crisis within a crisis today and in the coming months,” said Liz Richards, Executive Director of Violence Free MN. “Currently, people experiencing abuse are faced with incredible barriers to safety due to isolation and a lack of community resources. In the coming months, the economic impact of this moment will present survivors and their children with even more challenges as we anticipate a surge in the need for safe affordable housing, healthcare, and financial stability. We are grateful our elected officials are taking proactive steps to ensure that survivors and their children are at the forefront of their minds as they make policy decisions for the safety and well-being of all Minnesotans."



Domestic violence programs and shelters are critical services and remain open. If you are experiencing abuse in your home, please reach out to someone you trust. Call the 24/7 crisis hotline at 1.866.223.1111 or text 612.399.9995.



Programs are also in need of supplies. Please consider donating to your local program. Find your local program here: https://www.vfmn.org/find-a-program



Participants included:




  • Liz Richards, Executive Director of Violence Free MN

  • Katie Kramer, Policy Director of Violence Free MN

  • Lindsay Brice, Law and Policy Director of MNCASA

  • Artika Roller, Executive Director of MNCASA

  • Kelly Moller (DFL - Shoreview)

  • Ruth Richardson (DFL - Mendota Heights)



 



Contact me



My office will continue to be a resource to find answers to your questions and provide updates about the status of this public health crisis. Please reach out if I can be of assistance and consider sharing this email with your neighbor or relatives. If you know of anyone who would appreciate these updates, please let them know they can subscribe to my email list here.



House staff are tele-commuting in order to comply with public health guidance, so if you call my office at 651-296-7026, please be prepared to leave a voicemail message. You can also send an email to rep.ryan.winkler@house.mn.



Despite receiving a high volume of communication in recent days, I will respond to your messages as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone for doing your part in fighting the spread of COVID-19.



 



Sincerely,



Rep. Ryan Winkler

House Majority Leader








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