Dear Neighbor,
COVID-19 is once again is front and center of legislative news this week. On Tuesday, the House held a session to address separate proposals to further combat COVID-19, establish an insulin affordability program and help get Minnesota’s economy back on track.
People are becoming increasingly concerned and frustrated over executive orders issued by Gov. Tim Walz. I am hearing from many who say these unilateral decisions by the governor are causing them extreme economic strain. In response, House Republicans put forward a resolution geared toward easing the governor’s Peacetime Emergency Declaration restrictions, while also keeping in place important measures to protect veterans, small businesses and law enforcement as the state’s COVID-19 response continues.
The important thing to remember is that we all share the common goal of protecting the health and safety of Minnesotans. Meanwhile, we also need to move Minnesota’s economy forward by allowing people to work and earn a living. Businesses and families are suffering and we need to start working on ways to help them get going.
Data provided by the Minnesota Department of Health and the University of Minnesota shows that, by protecting the vulnerable and continuing to observe social distancing, we can begin the process of bringing our economy back. Let’s let that data be our guide so we can work on a balanced solution that prioritizes health and safety while also allowing us to avoid a sustained economic shutdown.
The resolution we put forward is a common-sense approach that would help us accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, it was blocked on a party-line vote. A similar measure brought by other lawmakers was also addressed Tuesday but failed to secure the votes necessary to earn a recorded vote.
The House did approve a couple of noteworthy bills on Tuesday, including:
COVID-19 legislation
A COVID-19 package was approved, the latest round of steps the Legislature has taken to ensure Minnesotans are protected during the pandemic. This bill included a variety of largely technical moves to help struggling farmers, extend deadlines, allow greater use of remote participation for public bodies such as city counties and allowing people to apply for marriage licenses online. This bill also implements provisions of the federal CARES Act, including coverage of COVID-19 testing as part of our ongoing response to the pandemic.
Insulin package
The House also approved a bill designed to make insulin more affordable for Minnesotans, ensuring that insulin is available in emergency situations. This bill also makes certain that insulin affordability programs will remain in place and provides life-saving assistance for those in emergency situations.
Look for more updates soon and, as always, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.
Sincerely,
Bud