Neighbors,
You are invited to an in-person town hall TOMORROW, Saturday, May 7 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Sen. Nick Frentz and I will provide an update on the legislative session and answer your questions. The town hall will be held at the Mankato Intergovernmental Center – Mankato Room. See you at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow!
***A previous message incorrectly stated the time as 9:30-10:30***
Frontline Pay Becomes Law
Last week, Gov. Walz signed into law the frontline workers bonus pay bill I voted for, giving eligible workers a $750 bonus for their work during the first days of the pandemic. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has set up a website for updates. Sign up here to receive information on the application process.
Supplemental Budget Approved
With just over two weeks remaining in the session, this week we completed passing our supplemental budget bills. Legislation was approved for new tax credits and rebates to reduce costs for families. Most of the benefits in the House DFL tax plan go to families with young children, senior citizens living on fixed incomes, and people with student loan debt.
The House DFL tax bill reduces the cost of child care by providing a “Great Start Child Care Credit” of up to $3,000 for each child under five years of age, capped at $7,500 in total tax credits. It also provides a one-time “Child Tax Credit Rebate” of $325 for each child under 17 years of age.
The bill makes it possible for senior citizens with adjusted gross incomes up to $75,000 (married joint) or $58,600 to subtract 100 percent of taxable Social Security income included in adjusted gross income (AGI).
The bill reduces the cost of housing by making the biggest investment in property tax refunds and renter’s credits in decades. Democrats’ proposal expands eligibility and benefits and makes it easier for filers to apply.
Our plan also increases the student loan tax credit to $1,400 per person, up from $500. The Student Borrower Protection Center says approximately 750K Minnesota student loan borrowers currently have more than $2.9 billion in outstanding debt.
This week, we also passed legislation supporting Minnesota’s workers and small businesses. In addition, we also passed a bill to address the high health care costs Minnesotans are facing, along with solutions to attract, recruit, and retain dedicated professionals in fields such as direct care, long-term care, and behavioral health.
Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who took time to complete my legislative survey. I can see by the responses how much we care about each other and want everyone to succeed. You can view the results here.
Avian Influenza Update
Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in more Minnesota locations. The Raptor Center in St. Paul recommends removing bird feeders for now. For those who raise backyard chickens, keep the birds enclosed and separated from wildlife. Place mesh or tarps on the outside of the coop. 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
The FDA has authorized a second booster shot for Americans over 50 and for those 12 years and older who are immunocompromised. You can read more from the U of M Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) recommendations here. If you have symptoms, have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, after traveling, or if you’ve attended a high-risk event, please get tested to slow the spread of COVID-19. You can order free rapid at-home tests from the federal government at CovidTests.gov and from the state at mn.gov/covid19.
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Stay connected with the Legislature
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.
I welcome your questions and comments anytime. You can send an email to rep.luke.frederick@house.mn or can call my legislative assistant, Blake Wilcox, at 651-296-8803.
Also, please visit and “like” my Facebook page for more Capitol and community updates.
Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature.
Sincerely,
Luke Frederick
State Representative