Minnesota Legislature 15 , CD3 DFL

Rep. Heather Edelson (HD49A) Update: May 6, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

Today, the Governor announced a three-step timeline to end nearly all COVID-19 restrictions by May 28, and end the statewide masking requirement once 70% of Minnesotans aged 16 years and older get their vaccine, or by July 1.

This announcement comes as more than 2.6 million Minnesotans have been vaccinated and is on track to vaccinate 70% of Minnesotans by the end of June.

The most at-risk Minnesotans – seniors, long-term care residents, assisted living residents, educators, and front-line workers – have been vaccinated. Nearly 90 percent of Minnesotans over the age of 65 have received at least one dose.

House DFLers work to advance reforms to Minnesota’s corrections system

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Saturday, the House/Senate Conference Committee on the Public Safety & Judiciary budget discussed proposed reforms to the state’s corrections system. House DFLers on the committee presented well-crafted proposals to protect the safety of those in our state prisons and jails, to improve probation terms that can help those serving time to better their lives, and to stop practices that traumatize young people in our juvenile justice systems. Lawmakers heard from people who’ve lost loved ones in Minnesota jails as they considered proposals to improve safety within facilities.

“Everyone who enters a correction facility deserves to be safe and should have hope that as they re-enter society, they can be a successful, contributing member of their community. Today, we heard how our systems are falling short of those objectives,” said Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), Chair of the House Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform Committee. “We have the capacity to build a corrections system that both delivers the accountability that comes with wrongdoing, while recognizing the humanity and worth within each and every person.”

Commissioner Paul Schnell and other officials from the Minnesota Department of Corrections provided testimony on the budget proposals, including Deputy Commissioner Curtis Shanklin who discussed the importance of juvenile justice reforms. The committee discussed the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act, a proposed new sentencing approach allowing those incarcerated to earn early release by successfully completing goals within an Individualized Rehabilitation Plan. Lawmakers also discussed proposed reforms to how technical violations can best be handled for individuals on probation and new regulations regarding the use of jailhouse witnesses.

Changes to state sexual assault laws advance in the Legislature

Legislation to address a Minnesota Supreme Court case limiting prosecutions for sexual assault has advanced.

The court ruling had found that a state law on mental incapacitation relating to criminal sexual conduct does not apply to individuals who are voluntarily inebriated.

The bill would change the definition of mentally incapacitated “to remove a roadblock to prosecuting cases where the victim was intoxicated,” according to supporters. Continue reading.

Senate Republicans threaten to cut funding for Minnesota state parks, environmental programs over ‘clean cars’ rule

GOP bill cuts funding unless rules reducing emissions are stopped.

Minnesota’s state parks could shut down in July if the Walz administration does not bow to demands by Senate Republicans to drop plans for new “clean cars” emissions standards.

Along with parks, much of the environmental arm of state government would shut down over the impasse, which flared up during a conference committee meeting Tuesday on the Senate’s proposed omnibus environment budget.

If passed, the Senate’s version of the omnibus environment bill would slash tens of millions of dollars in environmental funding on a variety of projects, from combating chronic wasting disease in deer and the decline in pollinators to cleaning up forever chemicals in water supplies.

Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, told the committee it is the only budget he will consider, and that he will not pass anything at all unless the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) rule-making on clean cars is stopped. Continue reading.

Gazelka and GOP Continue To Play Politics With Pandemic, Public Health

At every turn, Senate Majority Leader Gazelka and the GOP have spread misinformation and mislead the public on the state of the pandemic

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Following Governor Walz’s timeline to roll back nearly all state COVID-19 restrictions, Senate Majority Leader Gazelka responded by putting politics ahead of public health. Unfortunately for Minnesotans, this is nothing new for Gazelka and his Republican colleagues, who repeatedly pushed to completely reopen Minnesota during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gazelka has continuously misled the public about the state of COVID-19 at virtually every turn. Almost a year ago, on July 13, 2020, he falsely claimed that “the emergency part of this pandemic is over.” Since this statement, the U.S. has lost more than 440,000 people to COVID-19.

Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on Governor Walz’s timeline to end COVID-19 restrictions

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements on Governor Walz’s timeline to end COVID-19 restrictions:

“Minnesotans have done a great job rolling up their sleeves and getting vaccinated, and that has gotten us close to the end of this pandemic,” said Speaker Hortman. “It’s my hope that Minnesotans continue getting vaccinated so that we can stay ahead of any variants, get our state fully opened, and get back to the things we have missed since COVID-19 started.”

“With new leadership in the White House and Minnesota’s robust public health infrastructure leading the nation in vaccine distribution, the end of this pandemic is near,” said Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “From the start, Republican politicians told Americans COVID-19 was ‘just the flu’ and Donald Trump told us it would go away ‘like a miracle.’ Democrats are defeating COVID because we have taken a public health approach informed by scientists, not armchair epidemiologists.”

Rep. Michael Nelson (HD40A) Update: May 4, 2021

Neighbors,

We’re in the final weeks of session, with our constitutional deadline of May 17 fast approaching. As all of our budget proposals have been voted off the House floor, our attention now turns to conference committees with our Senate counterparts to craft consensus legislation between our two very different budget proposals.

For my part, I’ve been appointed to the State Government Conference Committee, where I’ll be advocating against the Senate’s anti-democratic election proposals. It’s highly likely the bill we passed in the House will look much different when our conference committee’s work is finished, but that is the nature of compromise. As one of the only divided state governments in the nation, it’s up to us to show that coming together for bipartisan results is still possible.

Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (HD48B) Update: May 3, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

I want to start off with a BIG thank you and congratulations to our community – Minnesota led the nation in responding to the 2020 Census with a total of 75.1% self-responding, and we managed to beat that in Eden Prairie with an 84.4% self-response rate!

In addition to ensuring that Minnesota kept all eight congressional districts, an accurate census also ensures our community gets the resources it deserves, so thank you again for taking the time to make sure you and your family were counted.

You can read more about Minnesota’s impressive and narrow census victory here.

Rep. Kristin Bahner (HD34B) Update: May 3, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

The past few weeks have been an emotion roller coaster for our communities. One thing is clear, no verdict will bring back a father, a son, a brother, a friend.

While the justice system can grant accountability, we also know true justice would be for George Floyd to hold his daughter close once again and justice for every Minnesotan, would mean regardless of race or religion, to feel safe in the community. We will work towards justice, until everyone is free from fear.

I ask that we grant the grace and space for those hurting in our communities to heal and above all, hold close your family and friends to cherish one another – today and every day.

Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: April 30, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We are in the final stretch. All of the Senate Omnibus bills have been voted on and left the floor for conference committee. Conference committees are where the house and senate will come together to negotiate over each set of bills by topic (Transportation, Health and Human Services, Taxes etc.). These will be going on for the next week at least and potentially longer.

Once these bills leave conference committee they have to return to the floors of the house and senate to be approved before the Governor can sign them. We must have them all ready to go before May 17th as that is the day according to our constitution that session ends. Also, since this is a budget year, meaning all State agencies get their 2 year budgets in order, we must get them funded or we face potential shut downs. We all need to work together to assure we do the work entrusted to us and that our work gets done and done on time.

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