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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Andrew Carlson (DFL)

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Legislative Update: Seeking Compromise

Friday, May 13, 2022

Dear Neighbors,

In ten days the 2022 legislative session will adjourn, and we are working day and night to approve compromise measures supporting the values of Minnesotans to help them thrive and succeed. As vice-chair of the State Government Committee, I am monitoring the conference committee and providing input as the panel strives to reach a compromise on the complex issues surrounding our elections and the operation of state government. The bill finances a variety of state agencies, boards, and constitutional offices, includes provisions strengthening Minnesota’s exemplary record of free, fair, and accessible elections and contains improvements to Minnesota’s state pensions plan.

Frontline Pay Becomes Law

You may be eligible for a bonus check for your in-person work during the early days of the pandemic. Check your eligibility at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry website and sign up here to receive information on the application process.

The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) has signed a contract with a vendor to build the Frontline Worker Pay application system and the department hopes to begin accepting applications by mid-June. After that, a 45-day application period will begin, with payments anticipated in late summer or early fall.

Visitors to frontlinepay.mn.gov may now choose their preferred language to view the website, using the drop-down option from Google Translate. While translation tools are never perfect, it's our fastest way to spread the word to all eligible applicants.

When the application is ready, a call center and help desk will be available to assist applicants in multiple languages.

I encourage everyone to use our resources to help spread the word to those workers who may be eligible to apply.

Frontline worker pay graphic

Public Television Award

Minnesota Public Television President Patty Mester presented me with the Good Neighbor Award this week. I’m honored to accept this prestigious award and recognize the diverse and exceptional programming and public service provided to all Minnesotans by this excellent group. The award announcement read as follows:

In recognition of your strong and consistent support for public television in Minnesota, we proudly declare you to be a most welcome neighbor to our Friends of Minnesota Public Television and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood!  We would like to recognize your service and support for public television with the 2022 Minnesota Public Television Good Neighbor Award.

The citizens of Minnesota greatly benefit from your fine service to promoting public television as an educational community resource and a safe haven and for quality children’s programming.  We are all better for your leadership and indebted to your service.

andrew

Sports Betting Approved by MN House

On Thursday, I voted yes on a bill passed in the Minnesota House to legalize sports betting in Minnesota. In 2018, the United States Supreme Court ended the federal ban on states legalizing sports betting. Since then, 30 states, including every state bordering Minnesota, have legalized the practice.

Among other provisions, the bill:

  • Allows sports betting in-person at tribal casinos and mobile platforms
  • Provides integrity monitoring to identify unfair betting patterns
  • Provides data protection for consumers 

Tax and fee revenue from the bill will be appropriated for costs regulating mobile sports betting, for gambling treatment programs, and 50% of tax and fee revenues will be appropriated to increase participation in youth sports in areas experiencing a disproportionately high rate of juvenile crime, and grants to organizations promoting the integrity of amateur sports.

Supporting Craft Brewers

This week, I voted yes – and the House passed – a bill updating Minnesota’s liquor laws. The new measure will:

  • Increase the growler cap for breweries from 20,000 barrels to 150,000 barrels of beer sold annually.
  • Eliminate overly prescriptive container size regulations for craft breweries, allowing them to sell six packs, four packs, and other small containers to the public.
  • Allow distilleries to sell more products to the public and removes the cap on cocktail rooms.

Avian Influenza Update

Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in more Minnesota locations. It is recommended bird feeders be removed for now and those who raise backyard chickens should keep the birds enclosed and separated from wildlife. 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

Americans over 50 and those 12 years and older who are immunocompromised are encouraged to get a second COVID-19 booster shot. Rapid at-home tests can be ordered from the federal government at CovidTests.gov and from the state at mn.gov/covid19. More information is available through the Minnesota Department of Health website, or the U of M Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP).

Stay in touch

The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services 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, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website here.  

You can stay up to date on our work by subscribing to these legislative updates and “liking” my official Facebook page. For any questions you have on the resources available to our community or our work in the Minnesota House, you can reach me at rep.andrew.carlson@house.mn or leave a voicemail at (651) 296-4218. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Andrew Carlson 

State Representative