Neighbors and Friends,
We are nearing two weeks until adjournment of the legislative session and this week we completed discussion and passage of our supplemental budget. Legislation for new tax credits and rebates to reduce costs and legislation supporting Minnesota’s workers and small businesses were both approved this week. We also approved the bill to address the high health care costs Minnesotans are facing, along with solutions to attract, recruit, and retain dedicated professionals in fields such as direct care, long-term care, and behavioral health.
Conference Committee Appointment
I have been appointed to serve on the Housing and Agriculture Conference Committee. We are charged with comparing the House and Senate versions of each bill and negotiate an agreement to be sent to Gov. Walz for his signature. This will certainly be a challenge, as the two bills significantly differ but I’m optimistic we can achieve a compromise.
Frontline Pay Becomes Law
Last week, Gov. Walz signed into law the frontline workers bonus pay bill, giving eligible workers a $750 bonus for their work during the first days of the pandemic. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has set up a website for updates. You can sign up here to receive information on the application process.
Avian Influenza Update
Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in more 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. Call the new HPAI hotline at 1-833-454-0156 for questions and learn more from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or the Board of Animal Health.
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. 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.
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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