|
Dear neighbor,
The July special session is underway, and we are hard at work trying to address the extraordinary challenges Minnesota is facing right now. I was on WCCO Radio on Monday morning to discuss the start of the special session — you can listen here.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues in Minnesota and around the country. We’re seeing very concerning spikes in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in states like Florida, Texas, Arizona and others. Minnesota is in much better shape, but it won’t take much for our situation to deteriorate quickly. We need to get ahead of this and stay ahead of this, and not wait until we are the next outbreak. You can watch my floor speech on this here.
The Minnesota House is continuing our efforts to pass strong police accountability legislation and help Minneapolis and St. Paul rebuild following the civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd. Small businesses at Lake, Midway, and Broadway -- many of which are BIPOC-owned -- are running out of time. The Promise Act will help these vibrant corridors come back better than before, we just need to get it to the governor's desk.
The Minnesota House of Representatives is also advancing a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis, with a final vote on the House floor likely to occur Monday, July 20. Click here to download a copy.
Authored by Rep. Ruth Richardson, the declaration applies to the entire state and affirms that the Minnesota House will be an active participant in the dismantling of racism. It creates a House Select Committee on Minnesota’s response tasked with analyzing legislative work through an intersectional race equity lens.
The Minnesota House as an institution can and should play an active role in dismantling systems that have denied dignity, respect, and compassion to so many. Our nation is facing a historic moment and the Minnesota House plans to be on the side of justice and human rights.
Finally, we are working to pass a robust jobs and local projects bill, also known as a bonding bill. We are in the middle of a recession, and we know that people are hurting from the impact of COVID-19. This legislation is our chance to help in a way that safely creates statewide economic activity.
Investing in jobs and local projects now will quicken our economic recovery and help Minnesotans thrive for generations. Republicans need to join us in passing this legislation.
Last email update
This is my last email update until after the election. Whether running or not, legislators cannot use state resources for unsolicited communications during an election period because it might create an unfair advantage. My office will continue to be a resource to find answers to your questions and provide updates about police reform, racial justice, COVID-19, and special session. Please reach out if I can be of assistance. You can keep up with what’s happening at the Capitol by liking my Facebook page.
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 for all you are doing to care for your neighbors during these extremely challenging times.
Sincerely,
Rep. Ryan Winkler
House Majority Leader
|