Dear Friends,
It has been a while – July in fact – since I have sent out one of these updates. As you may recall, campaign rules prohibit official correspondence for a period during an election year until after the November election has taken place.
Much has changed since I last wrote and much has stayed the same. The weather has certainly changed.
A spectacular summer has come and gone, and we were fortunate to also experience a warm, colorful September. It seemed like winter was coming way too early when October brought some near-record snowfalls and frigid temperatures and yet here we are entering the Holiday Season with some fairly moderate temps and hardly any snow at all.
What has stayed the same? We are still in the midst of this pandemic. Fortunately, with the arrival of the newest vaccines, there is promise in the new year.
Seven Special Sessions
For the first time in the history of the state, the Minnesota legislature has met every month. Because the constitution requires the legislature to be in session when the Governor renews his emergency powers, we have been called back every month. Each session, the GOP controlled Senate votes to end the emergency powers and the DFL controlled House prevents a vote from coming to the floor. This has been frustrating for many of you and certainly frustrating for us.
On December 14th, we were called back for our seventh special session. Once again, the Senate voted to end the emergency powers. There was a procedural House vote taken in the wee morning hours of December 15th to suspend the rules so members could vote on the emergency powers and, once again, the vote failed with just 62 voting in favor, a far cry from the supermajority of 90 votes required to suspend the rules.
I provide these details because, before and after every special session, my inbox is absolutely flooded with emails pleading with me to end the emergency powers. The reality is this:
without DFL votes, the emergency powers will stay in place.
New Restrictions
On Wednesday of this week, Governor Walz announced updated pandemic-related restrictions for businesses and others.
Here are the details of the updated restrictions:
- Social gatherings – Expanded slightly; limited to two households with no more than 10 ppl. Outdoor, no more than three households and 15 people.
- Gyms/fitness centers - 25% capacity up to 100 patrons. Expanding physical space to 12 feet. Masks always. No group classes until January 4th. Pools closed. Showers closed. Locker rooms can be used as long as 6 ft maintained.
- Bars/Restaurants - extending closure for dine-in until January 10. Outdoor dining will be allowed until 10PM, no more than 4 people per table and 6 feet apart.
- Outdoor entertainment - Allowed to open with limited capacity of up to 25%.
- Sports - January 4th youth sports can resume practice, but no games and no date set on when games can resume.
- Education – In person classes for elementary students may begin on a rolling basis starting January 4th through January 18th. Schools can make decision locally and education staff will be tested every other week. Families may choose to continue distance learning.
Legislators worked hard, gathering data and working with businesses, to make their case to the Governor. Unfortunately, I am concerned that the Governor’s latest restrictions do not always follow the data. For example, gyms and fitness centers were not sources of transmission before their closure, even at 50 percent capacity, but are being restricted to 25 percent in the new executive order. Additionally, there are no documented cases linked to pool areas at gyms or hotels, but pools will remain closed. These fitness centers and YMCA’s are critical to the physical and mental wellbeing of Minnesotans during this pandemic – and especially in these cold, winter months.
Business Relief Signed into Law
Despite this bad news for many small businesses in our community, I am pleased to share that the legislature approved a $216 million business relief package late Monday evening during the seventh special session, sending to the Governor's desk a bill to help small businesses and workers impacted by Governor Walz's business shutdowns.
This legislation will provide struggling businesses with the help they need to keep their doors open and our neighbors employed. While this bill is a step in the right direction, these businesses ultimately need to be allowed to reopen and safely serve customers and our community.
The business relief package includes direct grants to businesses, license and other fee relief, and a 13-week extension of unemployment insurance for workers. The grants are broken into three categories aimed at prioritizing speed.
- The first category will be $88 million in grants administered automatically by the Department of Revenue (DOR) to restaurants, bars, gyms, bowling alleys, and other businesses that have seen losses of more than 30% compared to last year.
- The second category is approximately $14 million administered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for movie theaters and large convention centers, and
- The third is $112 million in grants that will be administered at the county level. The county-based grants are intended to help additional businesses impacted by the recent closures that do not qualify for the first two grant categories, however, businesses who receive grants from the DOR are not precluded from receiving county-based grants.
A Final Farewell
Finally, my time as your state representative is ending as Representative-elect Spencer Igo is set to take the oath of office January 5th. Spencer is an energetic young man who is passionate about our area. I have no doubt that he will do an outstanding job representing the Northland.
On Monday, during the special session, I gave my farewell speech on the House floor. If interested, you can watch my speech here. It’s about 18 minutes in length.
A Brighter Year Ahead
We have lived through the toughest stretch of an historic pandemic. Each of us has a story to tell about how the year 2020 has changed our lives. While some businesses have thrived, others have had to close their doors forever. Some have lost livelihoods; others have lost family or friends to the pandemic. I do believe, with the availability of in-home testing and distribution of vaccines, we are turning the corner.
Christmas gives us a chance to reflect on the bigger picture, take a full measure of where we are, and count our blessings. I have much to be thankful for and, right near the top of the list, is my gratitude to all of you for trusting in me these past years to serve as your voice in St. Paul. Now, as I return to private life, I send you my very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year in 2021!
Sincerely,
