Dear Neighbors,

I hope you and your family are doing well, and everyone close to you is safe and healthy. Here’s an update from the State Capitol.

Legislative Session Concludes

The most unique legislative session in memory – where lawmakers adapted to new technology to hold committee hearings over the internet and participate in House Floor sessions remotely – is now behind us. I’m extremely proud that we came together in a bipartisan fashion to quickly address some of COVID-19’s impacts, including funding for public health, resources for health care workers, aid for child care, housing and food security, small business assistance and more. We also worked together – bringing labor and management to the table – to secure workers’ compensation coverage for front line workers if they become afflicted with the virus.

Unfortunately, the session ended without a bipartisan consensus on some major remaining items. We were unable to reach agreement on our Jobs and Local Projects plan, which had investments in critical public infrastructure and would help aid our economic recovery by creating good-paying jobs. In our region, the package included projects such as the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, Twin Lakes Township’s water system, and the Carlton County Correctional Facility.

Work also remains on a COVID-19 Economic Security Agenda, and one pillar of this plan is high-speed broadband development. Our proposal would invest $15 million in a new Distance Learning Broadband Access Grant Program, $10 million in the state’s Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program to target to unserved areas, and $2 million in a new Telemedicine Equipment Reimbursement Grant Program to reimburse health care providers and counties who set up infrastructure to connect with patients remotely.

We’re also still working on a measure to distribute $600 million in new aid for cities, counties, and townships using federal CARES Act resources to ensure communities can continue receiving the critical public services they count on. While the session is over, our efforts to ensure Minnesotans can be safe and healthy, as well as economically secure, are not. I will keep working to make sure Minnesotans have the opportunity to succeed, both during the pandemic and beyond.

Stay Safe MN

Monday, Minnesota’s Stay at Home order expired and now we’ve moved to the next phase: Stay Safe Minnesota. Retail stores and main street businesses that create a safety plan can now open, but are limited to 50 percent capacity. Gatherings of 10 or fewer people are also permitted. The governor’s action is a cautious step as part of his plan to gradually reopen businesses and allow more types of gatherings while keeping Minnesotans safe. Governor Walz also announced this week that restaurants, bars, salons, barbershops and some other businesses can reopen June 1, with guardrails. Also starting June 1, the DNR will begin reopening campgrounds.

Businesses must follow CDC and OSHA guidance. More information about these requirements is available here. The governor has also issued an executive order protecting Minnesotans who are concerned about the safety of their work environment. It allows workers to raise concerns without fear of discrimination or retaliation and protects those who refuse to work under unsafe or unhealthy conditions. Workers can call the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry at 651-284-5050 to report these instances so they can be investigated.

COVID-19 remains a public health threat, and we all have a part to play in stopping the spread. Despite the governor’s new orders, we should all continue to take safety precautions like social distancing, wearing a mask in public, and staying home when sick. Additionally, people who may be vulnerable – like those with compromised immune systems – should continue to stay home. Read more about the Stay Safe MN plan here.

Memorial Day

I hope you and your family have an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. While you take some time to relax and have some fun, I also hope you’ll set aside some time to reflect on the servicemembers who didn’t come home, and gave their lives for this country. While we can never repay them and their families for their commitment to our country, we should all honor their bravery and sacrifice.

Instead of in-person programs this year, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is sponsoring a Virtual Memorial Day Program. TPT has created a 30-minute Memorial Day program entitled “Always Remember: A Minnesota Tribute to Veterans We’ve Lost,” that will be broadcast across the state on TPT’s Minnesota Channel on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and live streamed on TPT’s website.

The state COVID-19 Dashboard is a great resource for up-to-date info about our state’s response to the pandemic, and the House website also has a COVID-19 section with links to information and resources. As always, feel free to reach out to me if I can be of help at 651-296-4308 or rep.mike.sundin@house.mn.

It’s an honor to represent you.

Sincerely,

Mike Sundin