Volume 6, Issue 8
February 26, 2021
Thoughts on Senate File 1
Dear Constituents and Friends,
There have been many questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and availability, so this week we wanted to answer some frequently asked questions.
Q: Governor Walz said we will move onto the next priority group, but I am 65+ and have not received my vaccine yet. What is going on?
Dear Neighbors,
I hope this finds you well and enjoying the milder temperatures.
Twice each year, near the end of November and February, Minnesota Management & Budget (MMB) produces an economic budget ‘forecast’ for current and future bienniums. The announcement today shows there is no longer an anticipated shortfall; the projected positive balance is due to higher revenue forecast, lower state spending, and an increased balance for the current fiscal year.
It’s important to note that this is a projection; Minnesota’s forecast does not take into consideration future rates of inflation. Now more than ever, it’s going to be important we make sure we’re protecting prudent investments that put us on a strong road to recovery post-pandemic. I’ll have this in mind as we work on a bipartisan level to balance our state’s budget.
Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: February 26, 2021”
Neighbors,
I am still taking your feedback on issues that may be discussed this legislative session. Your priorities are important to me. Please take a moment to click on this link and complete my legislative survey.
You are invited to join Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn, Sen. Cwodzinski, and me on Tuesday, March 16 for a virtual town hall. Details to follow.
Paid Family Medical Leave
This week, we heard compelling testimony in the Early Childhood Finance and Policy Committee, of which I serve as Vice-Chair, on the Paid Family Medical Leave bill. Whether we need to stay home to care for ourselves when sick, bond with a new baby, or help an aging parent, every Minnesotan should have time to care for themselves or a loved one. You can watch the committee here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Anticipating more COVID-19 vaccine arriving in Minnesota, Governor Walz this week announced the strategy and next phases of vaccine distribution. Also announced was a plan to vaccinate 70% of all seniors by the end of March.
The Vaccine Connector is another tool to link Minnesotans with a vaccine. For now, there is more demand than supply, but every Minnesotan will have an opportunity to get vaccinated as more supply arrives in the weeks and months ahead. It will just take time, and the Vaccine Connector is another tool Minnesotans can use to be prepared.
Everyone can work to reduce the spread of COVID-19
Stay connected with the legislature
The Minnesota House will continue to operate remotely, as we did throughout most of 2020. The House will ensure openness and transparency for the public by expanding the number of simultaneous committees it can webcast live from a maximum of two to five, so you can stay current on issues moving through committees this budget session.
Also, 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.
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to call or email me any time. You can also connect with me on Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Laurie Pryor
State Representative
Neighbors,
I hope you’re all enjoying our February thaw. Days are getting brighter and optimism continues to grow as we receive a clearer picture for vaccine distribution in our state. This week, Minnesota announced a timeline of when Minnesotans could expect to receive the vaccine – based on components such as their age, occupation, and underlying medical conditions. The vaccine is expected to be available to all who want it by this summer.
Regardless of when you’re eligible to receive the vaccine, you should sign up for Minnesota’s Vaccine Connector, which will help notify when and where you can get your first dose.
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the House Commerce Committee discussed a consumer protection measure that would prohibit price gouging of essential goods and services during a national or local emergency. The legislation, authored by House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee Chair Zack Stephenson (DFL- Coon Rapids), would protect Minnesotans from exorbitant pricing of basic necessities, and enact a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per transaction on bad actors engaging in price gouging.
“A catastrophe or natural disaster isn’t the time for profiteering,” said Rep. Stephenson. “Minnesotans deserve to be protected from people who would try to turn our darkest hours in to opportunities to enrich themselves. While most businesses in Minnesota would never engage in this despicable behavior, those that would, should be held accountable.”
The bill received testimony of support from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Retailers Association.
“Protecting Minnesota consumers from being taken advantage of by predatory pricing practices in the middle of public health crises, weather disasters, and other emergencies is fundamental to helping all Minnesotans afford their lives and live with dignity and respect,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. “We should be proactive and ensure we have protections in place for Minnesotans before the next natural disaster or public health emergency strikes and leaves consumers at the mercy of price gouging.”
More information, including supporting materials, is available on the committee’s webpage. Video recording of today’s hearing will be made available on the House Public Information YouTube channel.
Dear Neighbors,
As of February 23, approximately 1,169,470 people have been vaccinated state-wide. While the increase in speed of distribution is heading in a hopeful direction, we need to continue to follow public health guidelines and hold out a little bit longer to ensure the safety of our neighbors. This week, I want to provide you with some answers about the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process in Minnesota, and connect you with some resources that may be helpful to you.
Right now, federal officials are sending states a very limited supply of vaccine. That is why we have to take a phased approach and give the first doses of vaccine to populations where we can have the greatest impact on health. Those priority populations were identified by the federal government. The graphic below breaks down the logistics of the process in a more visually digestive way.
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – A bipartisan group of legislators led by Reps. Hodan Hassan (D-Minneapolis), Heather Keeler (D-Moorhead), and Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) joined advocates to discuss progress made on the 2021 Increase Teachers of Color Act. The act is comprised of a package of comprehensive legislation that seeks to address the severe shortage of BIPOC teachers that remains stagnant at 5%, while the percentage of BIPOC students (currently ~34%) increases annually. The act includes HF 217/SF 446 and HF 1041/SF 797.
“It is so important to invest in our next generation and have a teaching staff that reflects our community and our students in the classrooms,” said Rep. Keeler. “Representation matters and as the lead author of the higher education bill for the Increase Teachers of Color Act, I have the opportunity to be the strong voice to stand up for the injustice so many of us have experienced and help our students navigate their future endeavors.”
“We owe it to our students to give them the best education possible, and the most important factor in a quality education is our educators,” said Rep. Hassan. “It has been shown repeatedly that all of our students benefit when they have teachers of color and American Indian teachers, but this is especially true for our students of color and indigenous students. This act will ensure that our school education system has adequate resources to hire and retain teachers of color and American Indian teachers, while also creating a space for culturally relevant learning to take place. I’m glad that this important legislation is moving forward with bipartisan support.”
Continue reading “Increase Teachers of Color Act Gains Momentum in the Legislature”
Governor’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget
and everything happening in the Legislature this week
Governor’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget
The Senate Tax Committee heard more than 90 minutes of mostly supportive testimony about Governor Walz’s tax budget proposal this week. The message was very clear: Minnesotans understand that responsible revenue will support investments to enable workers, families, and businesses to recover from the pandemic. Read more >>
COVID-19 vaccine updates: new priority groups, community sites, and resources available
Governor Walz announced that the vaccine priority groups will remain the same until at least 70% of Minnesotans aged 65+ are vaccinated, with the goal to reach this benchmark by the end of March. At that point, eligibility will expand to people with specific high-risk health conditions and targeted essential workers. Read more >>
Continue reading “Senate DFL Week in Review: February 26, 2021”SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL – Shoreview) and Sen. Ron Latz (DFL – St. Louis Park) officially introduced legislation to provide for Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), an effective tool to prevent tragedies as a result of gun violence. The bill would allow members of law enforcement or a family member to petition a court for the temporary removal of an individual’s access to firearms if a court determines they may be a threat to themselves or others.
“We should all agree that when someone has demonstrated a danger to themselves or others, firearms should be removed from the situation. ERPOs are a proven method to allow proactive, preemptive action to save lives,” said Rep. Moller. “On average, we lose one Minnesotan per day due to suicide by gun, and Minnesotans should have this tool available to them when they recognize a loved one is in crisis. All Minnesotans deserve to be safe in their homes, in their workplaces, at school, and everywhere else in their communities. By enacting an ERPO law in Minnesota, I’m confident we will prevent senseless tragedies.”
“Extreme Risk Protection Orders would equip law enforcement, family members and courts with the necessary tools to step in before warning signs spiral into tragedies,” said Senator Latz. “Often, they are among those who first see or learn of a person in crisis. If law enforcement or family members find a person who poses a significant or immediate danger of bodily harm or death to themselves or other persons by possessing a firearm, a petition for relief – if approved by a judge with due process protections — would require that person to give up their guns while the order is in effect, and help prevent a senseless tragedy from occurring.”
The Minnesota House approved the legislation in 2019, however, Senate Republicans blocked it from becoming law.
In the 19 states which have adopted them, plus the District of Columbia, laws enabling ERPOs – also known as “red flag” laws – have demonstrated success in preventing community violence, mass shootings, suicide, and domestic violence. A 2019 study found 21 cases in which ERPOs were used to remove guns from individuals who had threatened mass shootings in California. In the first three months of Maryland’s ERPO law, firearms were successfully removed from four separate individuals who threatened mass shootings.
ERPOs are also an especially effective tool to prevent suicides. Nationwide, the success rate of suicide by gun is nearly 90%, extremely higher than other methods. In Minnesota, 79% of all firearm deaths are due to suicide. A study of Connecticut’s law estimates for every 10 to 20 guns removed via ERPO, one life is saved.
In the House, the bill will be referred to the Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform Policy and Finance Committee. In the Senate, it has been referred to the Judiciary Committee. A copy of the legislation can be accessed here.
The nation’s most powerful business lobby has long been an ally of Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Now, that may be changing.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which calls itself the “world’s largest business organization,” and aims to “advocate for pro-business policies,” has spent $1.6 billion on federal lobbying — more than double the next largest interest group — and more than $116 million on political expenditures since 1998. But in recent years, it has shifted its rhetoric, embracing more bipartisanship and commonsense policy solutions, as citizens demand more social responsibility from businesses. Continue reading.
