Expanding Vaccine Eligibility

Dear Neighbors, 

Exciting news! Starting Tuesday, March 30, all Minnesotans 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. While eligibility opens up at the end of this month, it may be the case that an appointment won’t be available for a few weeks. At-risk Minnesotans are still a priority, and it’ll take some patience and diligence to fully get through this process - but there is light at the end of this dark tunnel.

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, I highly encourage you to check out Minnesota’s COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, a tool to help people find out when, where, and how to get a vaccine. It can let you know when you’re eligible to be vaccinated, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and alert you if there are vaccine opportunities nearby. To sign up, visit mn.gov/vaccineconnector or call 833-431-2053. Minnesotans can also contact their healthcare provider, local pharmacy or use the Vaccine Locator Map to search for vaccine providers in their area.

Supporting Women, Workers, and Frontline Heroes

This has been a busy week in the Minnesota House, with several important bills passing off the House floor yesterday, including the Preventing Discrimination Act. For every dollar that a White man is paid, Asian women make 85¢, White women make 82¢, Black women make 61¢, Indigenous women make 58¢, and Latina women make 53¢. One of the reasons that this gap exists is that employers can ask job applicants about their pay history and use it to make compensation decisions, which perpetuates the cycle of discrimination. I was extremely proud to support legislation that brings us one step closer to closing the pay gap.

Other bills we passed included extending worker’s compensation benefits for public safety and health care workers, providing assistance for laid off hospitality and service sector workers, and establishing Earned Sick and Safe Time for all Minnesotans - which I co-authored. 

Too many Minnesotans have to decide between a paycheck or taking care of a loved one or themselves. Regardless of whether we’re in a pandemic, staying home when we’re sick makes sense, and employees deserve the economic freedom to do so when they need to. 

Under this legislation, workers would earn at least one hour of paid Earned Sick and Safe Time for every 30 hours worked, up to at least 48 hours per year. Minnesotans can use this time to tend to their own physical or mental health needs, or a family member’s.

These were all incredibly important bills, and I hope my colleagues in the Republican-controlled Senate can see the importance in coming to the table to negotiate these issues. These measures are important to Minnesotans, and they’d make our state stronger. 

Legislative Survey - I want to hear from you!

I want to check in with you to get your feedback as we hit the halfway point of the 2021 legislative session. I’m asking you to please complete this survey to help inform my decisions as we head into crunch time here at the Capitol.

I believe our work is at its best when it’s open and responsive to the needs of our community, so anything you can share with me is appreciated. 

Support for Our Students

As a retired teacher, I feel so much for the struggles our students and schools have gone through over the past year. This week, we took another step in significantly investing in the tools and resources needed to put our students first by advancing our Summer Learning Plan - with more steps to come.

The legislation invests in summer programs for students of various ages, field trips and hands-on learning, mental health services, and more. It will help meet students’ academic and emotional needs and make sure they have the tools to succeed as we move forward.  

Stay Connected

We’re off the next week for our Easter and Passover break, and now is a great time to check in with any questions or comments you have on the legislative process. You can also “like” and follow my official Facebook page. 

If you have any questions or comments for me, the best way to touch base is through email (rep.shelly.christensen@house.mn) or phone (651/296-4244). I appreciate hearing from you. 

Sincerely,

Representative Shelly Christensen