Minnesota Legislature 24 , CD3 DFL

Rep. Andrew Carlson (HD50B) Update: April 9, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

The recent weather we’ve been having is a hopeful start to finally return to a normal summer full of community events, travel, and outdoor activities. Vaccinations are approaching the finish line and Minnesota has managed to champion distribution efforts nationally! With all Minnesotans currently available to receive their COVID-19 vaccine, it is now important to stay on top of available appointments and grab your spot in line for a shot or two.

Governor Tim Walz and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a new federal Community Vaccination Clinic in Minnesota: The site will be located at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and receive 168,000 doses over eight weeks. It will prepare to administer a combination of Pfizer and J&J doses, which will result in over 100,000 total people being vaccinated during the eight week period. Vaccinations will begin at the Fairgrounds on April 14 and serve Minnesotans living in the highest Social Vulnerability Index zip codes near the Fairgrounds.

Senate DFL Week in Review: April 9, 2021

2021 Budget Bills
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

Budget bills begin to take shape

The first year of the biennium is the year that the Legislature creates a budget to fund state agencies, programs. It is this funding that pays for the essential services that Minnesotans have depended on as we weather the COVID-19 pandemic: the health department that is responsible for testing, vaccinating, and managing the pandemic; the educators who are trying to keep our kids afloat during a crisis; the department administering unemployment and job-retraining for laid off workers. Read more >>

DFL Senators lead in advocacy for legislation to reform Minnesota’s criminal sexual conduct statutes

In March of this year the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in the case State v. Khalil that under current Minnesota law, an individual charged with sexual assault of a person that is mentally incapacitated due to consumption of drugs or alcohol may not be found guilty if the victim is voluntarily intoxicated, due to a poorly written definition found in state statute. Senate DFL members joined House DFL and Republican members for a bipartisan press conference this week to bring attention to legislative solutions proposed in the bill. Read more >>

Rep. Heather Edelson (HD49A) Update: April 8, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

I hope those of you who celebrate Easter had a great weekend, and others were able to relax and enjoy the nice weather in Minnesota over the Spring Break! We are extremely close to the finish line of this pandemic with speedy vaccine distributions and economic recovery. I urge you all to reach out to friends and neighbors negatively impacted by the pandemic; here at the legislature, we are committed to do everything in our power for a renewed sense of normal as we approach the end of the session.

Make sure you are signed up for the Vaccine Connector for accessible information and appointments.

Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislators and Advocates Call for Strengthened Sexual Assault Laws

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House and Senate urged swift adoption of legislation to comprehensively update Minnesota’s criminal sexual conduct code to address contradictions, loopholes, and other shortcomings which create barriers for survivors to receive justice. The push follows a recent Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that when prosecuting a sexual assault case, “mentally incapacitated” doesn’t include a person who became intoxicated after voluntarily consuming alcohol.

“Minnesotans are rightfully demanding action, as a result of the decision, to ensure those who experience the unthinkable trauma of a sexual assault while voluntarily intoxicated have a pathway to receive justice,” said Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL – Shoreview), the bill’s chief author in the House. “While the recent Supreme Court decision highlighted the voluntary intoxication loophole, there are other problems with our current laws that don’t adequately protect victims of sexual assault, particularly children and those subject to sexual extortion. I’m grateful for the bipartisan support for the solutions before us to ensure accountability for those responsible for these reprehensible actions.”

Last year, a legislatively created working group thoroughly examined the current criminal sexual conduct law and offered a comprehensive series of recommendations which are included in Rep. Moller and Sen. Senjem’s legislation. The bill makes a variety of changes to the state’s sexual assault laws including:

Minnesota House DFL Releases Tax, Education, Labor and Workforce Budget Bills

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House DFL leaders and legislators released tax, education, labor, and workforce budget bills today. The legislation includes significant ongoing investments in education, prioritizes economic assistance to those most impacted by COVID-19, and asks big corporations and the wealthiest to pay their fair share in order to fund these needed investments.

“The House DFL budget assists those most impacted by COVID-19: our students, workers, families, and small businesses,” said Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Our budget raises progressive revenue to fund the priorities that Minnesotans value, help them weather what’s left of the pandemic and then thrive once it’s behind us. Minnesotans deserve a budget that will help them recover, not a Republican plan that makes unnecessary cuts and prioritizes those who did the best during COVID.”

“Minnesotans have been working hard and making enormous sacrifices to survive the pandemic, and they need their state government to be there for them so they can emerge stronger,” said Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “The rich and well-connected are doing better than ever, and they can afford to be part of the solution. Under the House DFL budget, the biggest corporations and richest Minnesotans will pay their fair share to help families and workers emerge stronger from the pandemic.”

Anti-Asian hate crimes heighten calls for new legislation in Minnesota, Congress

DFL-backed bills seek better hate-crime reporting, police training.

A troubling rise in anti-Asian incidents reported to Minnesota community groups started a month before COVID-19 appeared in the state last year.

As the pandemic worsened, so did reports to groups like the St. Paul-based Coalition of Asian American Leaders. In one call to the group, a couple said an angry fellow grocery shopper blamed them for the coronavirus and shoved the husband in the parking lot.

“This time it was shoving. What if next time someone wants to run them over with their car?” said Bo Thao-Urabe, the group’s executive director. Continue reading.

Rep. Patty Acomb (HD44B) Update: April 1, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this email finds you and your family well and enjoying the start of spring! Here’s the latest news from the Capitol:

Expanding Access to Earned Sick and Safe Time

Many of us are caregivers or will become caregivers at some point in the future. Last week, I voted for a bill that would give more Minnesotans time away from work so they can care for their loved ones and themselves. Under this legislation, all workers would earn, at a minimum, one hour of Earned Sick and Safe Time for every 30 hours worked, up to at least 48 hours per year. Minnesotans could use this paid time off to take care of a family member, stay home when they’re sick, or get help if they experience events like domestic violence or sexual assault.

Rep. Steve Elkins (HD49B) Update: March 31, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

Due to the pandemic, drivers whose licenses had expired were given until March 31st to renew their expired drivers licenses. Many people waited until the last minute only to be met by long lines and scarce appointment availability at local deputy Driver & Vehicle Services (DVS) offices. Since the Legislature is away for spring break, this week, there will be no immediate legislative extension of this grace period. If you find yourself in this predicament, the best advice that I can give you, right now, is that you should book a reservation at a local DVS office as soon as you can (the wait might be measured in weeks) and carry a printed copy of the reservation confirmation with you in the car in case you are stopped. There is no guarantee that this will prevent you from receiving a ticket for driving without a valid license, but it’s worth a try.

I would be remiss if I did not also remind you that the new deadline to apply for a “RealID” driver’s license, which will be required for air travel, is now October 1st. The state Department of Driver & Vehicle Services is working on improvements to the application process which will enable you to scan and upload/email/fax your qualifying documents to them, in advance, for verification before you leave for your in-person appointment. This should alleviate the problem of people bringing the wrong set of documents to the office and being turned away. Personally, speaking as someone who has been through the process, the federal instructions are really confusing. Minnesota has simplified its part of the guidelines as much as it can through legislation that I initiated, last session. In addition to regular DVS license bureaus, there is a dedicated RealID application processing office at MSP and this will be the best option for many of us.

Sen. Dibble, Rep. Hornstein, and Rep. Long statement on President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment Plan

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis), DFL-Lead on the Senate Transportation Committee, Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis), Chair of the House Transportation Committee, and Rep. Jamie Long (DFL-Minneapolis), Chair of the House Climate and Energy Committee released the following statement this afternoon following President Biden’s announcement of a $2.2 trillion infrastructure investment plan:

“We applaud President Biden for today’s release of a bold, visionary plan to invest in America’s infrastructure. We support the President’s emphasis on improving roads, bridges, public transportation, and building a clean energy economy. As Minnesota state legislators, we strongly agree with the plan’s focus on building a strong economy and addressing the climate crisis.

Next week, House and Senate DFLers will release detailed plans to invest in Minnesota’s transportation and energy infrastructure with a focus on job creation, equity, and action to address climate change.”

Rep. Michael Nelson (HD40A) Update: March 30, 2021

Neighbors,

Since my recent update on the vaccine eligibility in our state, we already have an exciting change. Starting today, all Minnesotans age 16 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. While eligible, it’s still not the case that doses are readily available, and many locations are fully booked for appointments for the time being. An increased supply of vaccines is expected from the federal government in early April, so look for more opportunities to get your first dose in the coming weeks.

At-risk Minnesotans are still being prioritized, so patience is key as we wait our turns.

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Expanding Access to Earned Sick and Safe Time

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