Dear Neighbors,
I hope this email finds you and your family doing well. The 2022 Legislative Session got underway Monday and things are already moving at a hectic pace at the State Capitol as we work to help Minnesotans recover from the challenges they’ve have faced over the last two years. Here’s an update from Saint Paul. Here’s an update from Saint Paul.
2022 Session
The 2022 Legislative Session began on January 31st! Our economy is starting to turn the corner, but many Minnesotans are still struggling. Minnesotans are expecting lawmakers to work together to help address the difficulties workers, businesses, small businesses, schools, and communities are facing as we emerge from an incredibly challenging period.
This session, I’m hopeful we can enact a strong, bipartisan capital investment bill (a.k.a. a bonding bill), to fund public infrastructure projects across our state. We have a tremendous opportunity to invest in our public assets like higher education institutions, public safety facilities, parks and trails, roads and bridges, and more.
The city of Hibbing has requested $22 million for design, site preparation, demolishing current structures, construction, furnishing, and equipping a regional public safety center for fire, police, and first responders, training, and other community needs. Last Fall, I was able to showcase this project to the House Capital Investment Committee. In Buhl, there continues to be action in identifying the critical repairs of aging infrastructure and expansion along the Highway 169 corridor. Funding these and other important projects doesn’t just represent investments in bricks and mortar; it represents investments in strengthening our communities and our way of life. Governor Walz recently announced his proposed Local Jobs and Projects plan and soon, the Minnesota House will develop our own capital investment proposal.
In addition to these bonding projects, I am working to ensure the legislature makes overdue investments in areas like broadband, education, and child care to improve our economy for the entire state. We have a $7.7 billion budget surplus, to work with and while a good chunk of that is money only available one time, it still gives us a great opportunity to help further our state’s recovery. Working together to find common ground, I am positive we will continue in the right direction.
Supporting our Frontline Workers
Yesterday, we passed the first bill of the legislative session which will extend the presumption that if a public safety or health care worker contracts COVID-19, they did so during the course of their employment and are covered by workers’ compensation. The measure covers workers such as firefighters, peace officers, EMTs, health care workers, and child care workers. The previous law allowing for this presumption sunsetted on December 31, 2021, leaving 183,000 frontline workers without the guarantee of compensation in the event they contract COVID-19.
Our progress in battling COVID-19 is headed in the right direction, but many Minnesotans on the front lines are still facing an increased exposure to the pandemic. Health care workers, law enforcement, EMTs and other heroes in our communities deserve to know that if they get sick, we will have their backs. Extending the COVID-19 presumption is a critically important step to support them during this challenging time.
Redistricting
This session, I serve on the House Redistricting Committee. Now that we have all the data from the 2020 census, our committee is charged with developing new legislative and congressional district maps. Throughout last summer and fall we heard a variety of testimony from Minnesotans across the state who shared their thoughts for how the redistricting process should proceed. Legislators and other interested parties have submitted proposed maps which you can find here.
Unfortunately, it’s looking less and less likely the House and Senate will find agreement on a proposal by the statutory deadline of February 15. In the event lawmakers cannot agree, a special judicial panel has been appointed to develop the new maps, and judges have been holding public hearings and gathering testimony from Minnesotans. I would anticipate the panel will announce the new districts shortly after the deadline passes.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to contact me with your input, ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. You can contact me by phone at 651-296-0172 or email at rep.julie.sandstede@house.mn. You can also follow me on Facebook. It’s an honor to represent you.
Together,
Julie Sandstede
State Representative