Greetings from the Floor,
We had the following two bills on the floor this week:
HF5: Paid Family and Medical Leave
HF2959: Funding for the Rural Finance Authority (RFA)
I voted for both bills. HF5 was the most controversial, and I supported it to set a benefits floor for all Minnesota workers. People shouldn’t have to make choices between caring for sick loved ones, spending time with newborn babies, staying home when they’re sick themselves or earning a paycheck. Many employers offer good benefits for their employees, including some form of paid family or medical leave. For what it’s worth, I thank them for that. However, not all workers have access to these benefits, and those most often impacted are people who earn lower wages and can’t afford not to work. HF2959 was a non-controversial, non-partisan bill that both caucuses have championed in the past.
I introduced one bill this week that opens income eligibility for tax credits folks can use to offset the costs of school supplies or after school activities (HF4066). This is a continuation of work I started last year on a bill to address the same issue. The bill this year would base the income eligibility on Adjusted Gross Income in the year previous to the year for which people want to claim the credit. Income eligibility under current law is based on household income in the year for which people are filing their taxes. HF4066 was written to bring down the cost of the changes.
Thank You for the Opportunity to Serve,
Ben