Dear Neighbors,
We wrapped up the 2020 session yesterday. This session has been extraordinary in several ways, and we had to make difficult adjustments in order to pass needed legislation. By working together we passed significant COVID-19 legislation giving Minnesota some of the resources it needed to rise to the challenge. However, in the final week, Republicans decided to block a lot of important legislation, and while there may be an opportunity to reconsider these critical measures as we continue our efforts addressing COVID-19, this last weekend was our best shot at reaching a compromise. Here is some major legislation that we championed but were unable to pass through our Republicans colleagues in the final hours:
- ratification of state worker contracts; these state employees include nurses on the front lines of COVID-19, corrections officers, cleaning and sanitation workers, public health workers doing the essential job of testing, monitoring, tracing, and mitigating COVID-19 in Minnesota. They are critical to our fight against COVID-19 and Republicans let them down;
- $100 million in housing assistance for all Minnesotans; Minnesotans all across the state are facing difficulty paying their rent and mortgages, in order to fight this virus everyone needs a stable home;
- increased Minnesota Family Investment assistance for Minnesota families that need the most help;
- temporary wage increase for personal care assistants who are taking care of our most vulnerable;
- ensuring full pay for hourly school workers; these workers are helping raise and care for our children, they deserve to have financial assurance in these trying times;
- emergency loans for state small and minority owned businesses; this was something that I worked on because these businesses form the backbone of our communities and they need our assistance.
Early during the COVID-19 crisis there was a sense of togetherness and comradery. Unfortunately, our efforts to support Minnesotans became partisan as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle began to minimize the severity of the pandemic. I will continue to do my best to advocate for our district's needs.
House DFL Releases Jobs and Local Projects Bill
The Jobs and Local Projects Proposal or “bonding” bill, did not receive the 3/5 vote necessary to pass in the House of Representatives due to lack of support from House Republicans. Our bill would have invested in Minnesotans in a time when it’s needed most, it contained $2.524 billion in renovations, repairs, and replacement of public assets like higher education institutions, clean water for communities, correctional facilities, roads and bridges, parks and trails, municipal buildings and more. I fought for a portion of $55,000,000 for the D line bus rapid transit from Brooklyn Center to Bloomington.
I will continue to advocate for these local projects that our community needs. The language of the proposal is available here. A spreadsheet of included projects can be found here.
Assistance for Farmers Signed into Law
Over the weekend we approved a major piece of legislation that provides assistance for farmers who are facing economic hardship. We also appropriated resources for grain storage safety grants in response to increasing work-related accidents and deaths on the farm. The bill uses federal CARES Act dollars to invest in farmer mental health needs, including suicide prevention training and awareness of mental health resources. To enhance capacity for services and support to farmers for their economic well-being, it invests in essential services provided by the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Advocate program. The bill funds the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab equipment which is needed to respond to poultry and livestock diseases like HPAI and ASF. I’m happy that this bill was signed into law; our farmers are going through particularly hard times right now and this measure will go a long way towards supporting them.
Governor Adjust Stay at Home Order
Governor Walz announced that the current stay at home order will expire today, and will be replaced with an order allowing for more businesses and places in which people congregate to gradually reopen. This decision was made in consideration of the progress Minnesota has attained in slowing the spread of this virus, and increasing hospital capacity in conjunction with the progress of our efforts to prepare for a coming surge in cases.
However, we all still have a responsibility to take care of one another. The renewed order encourages people to continue to socially distance, avoid gathering in groups larger than 10, wear masks in public, and stay close to home when possible. Additionally, the new order allows for retail stores to reopen provided that they establish a protocol to protect workers and customers through social distancing while operating at no greater than 50% capacity. The order also indicates that plans will be made through the end of May to allow for bars, restaurants, and other places of public accommodation to reopen starting June 1st. Businesses can learn more here.
While this move charts an immediate path forward for reopening our economy, the safety decisions Minnesotans make in the coming days and weeks will determine if our progress remains stable, or if it is wiped away entirely. The situation in Minnesota continues to evolve, and all circumstances are subject to change. You can read the full executive order here.
Additional Info
- For the most up to date information on how COVID-19 is affecting Minnesota, visit this dashboard.
Stay in Touch
For all up to date information on COVID-19 and information on testing locations please visit mn.gov/covid19/.
Thank you for giving me the honor to represent you in the 2019-2020 session! Please reach out to my office if you need assistance with anything. I am best reached through email at rep.samantha.vang@house.mn or please contact my legislative assistant Chris, christopher.storey@house.mn. I always appreciate hearing from you. You can also follow along on my official Facebook page here.
Sincerely,
Rep. Samantha Vang
651-296-3709
rep.samantha.vang@house.mn