Wolgamott Weekly Update - Passing My Bill for our Heroes on the Front Lines

Dear Granite City Neighbors, 

Before we depart for the Legislature’s Easter and Passover break, we’re finalizing some important work in Minnesota House, including passing my bill  (with broad bipartisan support) to continue ensuring that our frontline responders in this pandemic have access to workers’ compensation benefits in the event that they are sickened or exposed to COVID-19.

I’m extremely proud of the broad coalition I worked with for this bill, which includes police officers, firefighters, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, corrections officers, healthcare workers and child care providers. While many of our frontline responders now have the opportunity to receive their vaccines, these heroes continue to work in some of the most exposed positions as they strive to keep Minnesota safe and healthy.

We’re not out of the woods yet, and we have a moral responsibility to ensure that these public safety and health care professionals have the financial peace of mind to do their jobs. These are the Minnesotans that always have our backs - we need to continue to have theirs.

Now, it’s time for the GOP-controlled Senate to do the same. 

Legislative Survey -  I want to hear from you!

I want to check in with you to get your feedback as we hit the halfway point of the 2021 legislative session. I’m asking you to please complete this survey to help inform my decisions on what I should prioritize as we head into crunch time here at the Capitol.

I will personally review each survey response, and tally each answer to ensure my work is directly rooted in your thoughts and feedback. I work for you, you are my boss, so always feel free to contact me and let me know how I can best serve you.

Vaccine Eligibility Expands Starting Tuesday

Starting Tuesday, March 30, all Minnesotans 16 and older will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine!

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, I encourage you to check out Minnesota’s COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, a tool to help people find out when, where, and how to get a vaccine. It can let you know when you’re eligible to be vaccinated, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and alert you if there are vaccine opportunities nearby. To sign up, visit mn.gov/vaccineconnector or call 833-431-2053. Minnesotans can also contact their healthcare provider, local pharmacy, or use the Vaccine Locator Map to search for vaccine providers in their area.

Support and Accountability in Keeping Communities Safe

With the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin underway, I want to reflect on how George Floyd’s tragic death has laid bare the deeply rooted inequalities in our communities and the profound need for changes.

In July of 2020, I partnered with police and advocates to pass historic reforms to make public safety more transparent and accountable. I voted for the Minnesota Police Accountability Act, which included over 20 measures to improve public safety.

Additionally, I voted to pass a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. This is an important step toward dismantling structural racism in state government and having an honest conversation about the generational health impacts of racism on Minnesotans of color.

Read more from my monthly column in today’s St. Cloud Times.

Support Our Students

Another important bill passed this week would help Minnesota’s students as we bounce back from the impacts of this pandemic. I thought about my daughter Lily and her classmates at South Jr. High when I voted YES to pass our Summer Learning Plan.

Our kids have been through so much this past year, and they deserve a comprehensive investment in their education to address the learning loss resulting from the pandemic. The robust summer learning package we passed on Tuesday would help address learning loss through hands-on tutoring and programming, ensure our students have an opportunity to get caught up, and provide critical mental health support to those who need it. 

Stay Connected

Especially during our break, I want to hear from you! If you have any questions or comments on our work in the Minnesota House, please feel free to email me at rep.dan.wolgamott@house.mn, or give me a call at (651) 296-6612. You can also follow along with my work on my member page, “like” my official Facebook page, and subscribe to and share these legislative updates. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Rep. Dan Wolgamott