First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who attended our first District 44 town hall of the year! Rep. Klevorn, Sen. Johnson Stewart, and I appreciate hearing your questions and concerns. Please continue to reach out throughout the legislative session.
If you weren’t able to join us, you can watch a recording of the town hall here.
COVID-19 Business Relief Payments
The Minnesota Department of Revenue recently issued $67.3 million in COVID-19 Business Relief Payments to 3,981 restaurants, bars, gyms, and similar businesses across the state. These payments were part of the bipartisan assistance package that the Minnesota Legislature passed in December.
Businesses that don’t receive a payment but think they meet the program criteria can contact the Department of Revenue through an online inquiry process. The inquiry process will be open until Friday, February 5. An additional round of payments will be made after that date for businesses that qualify.
Defending and Strengthening Our Democracy
On Wednesday, as our new President and Vice President took the oath of office, I was reminded of how our democracy has been challenged over the last few months. Thankfully, it has held together despite a global pandemic, an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and the spread of harmful disinformation. However, these events showed that we cannot take our democracy for granted.
Yesterday, my House DFL colleagues introduced the Democracy for the People Act. This new bill would defend and strengthen our democracy by expanding voter registration and absentee voting, prohibiting harassment and intimidation of voters and election officials, reducing the influence of corporations and dark money, and creating more opportunities for Minnesotans to get involved. You can find more details here.
Minnesota’s Fight Against Climate Change
Yesterday, the House Energy and Climate Committee held a public hearing on a bill that would lead our state to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2040! This bill, which has support from Governor Walz and House and Senate DFLers, is one of the most ambitious clean energy plans in the nation. It would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create well-paying jobs, and help preserve our earth for future generations. I look forward to supporting this proposal and other bills to address the climate crisis this session.
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and input. You can contact me by email at rep.patty.acomb@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-9934.
During President Biden’s inauguration there were several calls for unity and healing, and as the only divided state government in the nation I believe this is a worthy goal for us. We can disagree on policy but I hope we can all agree that we want to do all we can to make Minnesota a better place to live for everyone. If we have a different perspective on an issue, we should be able to talk it through without questioning each other’s motives and heart. I hope this moment indicates that we have truly turned a corner and have entered a new political era of mutual respect and courtesy.
Vaccine Pilot Program Launches
This week, Minnesota announced an important next step in the process of delivering the COVID-19 vaccine to certain priority groups. A pilot program will establish new vaccination sites throughout the state, and individuals who are 65 years or older, as well as school staff and child care workers (who have been notified by their employer that they’re eligible), will now be able to make appointments to receive the vaccine. If you are a school staff member or child care worker you will schedule an appointment through your employer.
If you fall into these groups, initial appointments are now full as they were extremely limited. You can book appointments online here, or by phone at 612-426-7230 or toll free at 833-431-2053. New appointments won’t be available until Tuesday, January 26 at 12 pm. If you encounter additional problems or need help navigating this process, please contact me.
Clean Cars rules and everything happening in the Legislature this week
Clean Cars rules continue to be topic of discussion in Republican Senate
Senate Republicans held two hearings this week to once again discuss Governor Walz’s proposed Clean Cars rules, despite having held hearings on the topic within the past year. A joint hearing was held by the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee and the Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee, and another hearing on the topic was held later in the week by the Transportation Committee. Read more >>
Minnesota vaccination plans prep for expansion
The Health and Human Services Committee received an update from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on vaccine rollout and the new community pilot program that started this week. Vaccinations in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are moving steadily, either through a federal pharmacy program or in partnership with local vaccinators. Read more >>
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, House DFL leaders and legislators introduced new legislation to defend and strengthen our democracy, which has been tested by disinformation, division, and attacks on voters that culminated in a violent insurrection at our nation’s Capital. The bill, authored by Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL – Minneapolis), aims to build a strong, inclusive democracy that works for Minnesotans of every race, region, political party, and generation.
“This is a critical moment for our democracy,” said Rep. Greenman. “As Minnesotans and Americans, we must work together to protect and expand the right to vote and build a resilient, inclusive democracy centered on peoples’ needs and voices.”
In response to escalating attempts to undermine free and fair elections, the bill defends Minnesota voters and our democratic institutions. It prohibits intimidating and harassing voters or elections officials and using deceptive practices to disenfranchise voters. The bill also ensures state and local elections officials can access the critical federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds they need for election security and infrastructure.
We’re just two weeks into the 2021 Legislative Session, but I imagine for many of you that has been overshadowed by the violent insurrection in D.C. and the news of other similar events throughout our nation. Now more than ever we need to work against disinformation and violence.
While it’s been a dark start to the year for our country, there are bright spots ahead. The days are getting longer, many students will soon be heading back to classrooms, and I’m confident in our ability to rise up and meet the challenges that face us. I look forward to the good work we will do together this session.
The 2021 Legislative Session
When I first took office two years ago, the first day of session saw the House floor packed with families and friends as my legislative colleagues and I took our oath of office together. I will remember that day fondly, because my dad was able to be with me in the chamber before he passed away later in the year. And this year, my five-month-old son joined me in my office! Although the swearing-in procedures were mostly virtual this year, it was still a day of celebration. I am proud to be one of the record-breaking 72 women serving in the Minnesota legislature this biennium.
When Sen. Jerry Relph fell ill after an election victory gala and died, it underlined the consequences of the party’s rejection of health experts’ guidance.
Republicans in the Minnesota Senate were feeling jubilant after the November election. They had held onto a slim majority following an onslaught by Democrats trying to win control. Now, it was time to party.
More than 100 senators, their spouses and their staff members gathered for a celebratory dinner at a catering hall outside the Twin Cities on Nov. 5, two days after Election Day. Masks were offered to guests on arrival, but there was little mask wearing over hours of dining and drinking, at a moment when a long-predicted surge in coronavirus infections was gripping the state.
At least four senators in attendance tested positive for COVID-19 in the days that followed. One was the Republican majority leader, Paul Gazelka, the state’s most outspoken opponent of mask mandates and shutdown orders during the pandemic. He compared his symptoms to a “moderate flu” and recovered. So did two other senators who had tested positive after the dinner. Continue reading.
I hope you all had a great weekend of service to celebrate one of this nation’s greatest civil rights voices on Martin Luther King day. The celebration of joy and progress is just as essential as the work that we must continue to do for racial justice in our communities.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update: January 19, 2021
Minnesotans eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will be able to sign up for appointments at one of the state’s nine community vaccination pilot clinics through a new website and call center launched today by the State of Minnesota. The clinics will initially serve adults age 65 and older, as well as pre-kindergarten through grade 12 educators, staff, and child care workers.
For me, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day I spend contemplating the ways in which I can work for justice, and a day that makes me nostalgic for my time as a college student at Boston University (BU), where Dr. King received his PhD.
In the fall of 1989, I took a course from Professor John H. Cartwright called, “The Life and Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr.” I spent many hours in the School of Theology’s library, studying the theologians who influenced Dr. King, and learning about Dr. King’s life and work. I felt so proud and inspired to be attending the same institution he had, reading some of the very same texts.
We are rounding out week two of the regular 2021 legislative session. I proudly serve as Assistant Senate DFL Leader. This week, I joined other Assistant Senate DFL Leader Senator Nick Frentz and Senate DFL Leader Susan Kent for The Minnesota Senate DFL Call of the Senate podcast to kick off its third season. In this episode, we cover top priorities for the Minnesota Senate DFL’s 2021 Legislative Session.
This year, I serve on the Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy, Finance, and Human Services Reform Finance and Policy committees. As of now, we have only had informational hearings in these committees. It is already clear that a balanced budget will continue to be the main topic of conversation for this legislative session. I will continue to advocate for spending that helps us get through the pandemic, come out of the pandemic, and thrive heading into the future. In the Finance Committee, we will continue to look at the budget and spending in order to best help all Minnesotans. As of this time, all committee hearings are heard virtually, you can watch and follow along on the Senate website.
I hope you continue to stay safe and healthy this upcoming week. If you need anything please reach out to melisaf@senate.mn or jess.yeganeh@senate.mn, we look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Melisa
With threats of armed protest, please avoid the Capitol
Following the insurrection in the U.S. Capitol, reports have surfaced of the potential of white nationalist and far-right groups instigating violence at state capitols throughout the country — including at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, over the next few days through the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden.
While the State Capitol Complex will be secure and under the protection of the Minnesota State Patrol and the Minnesota National Guard, I encourage Minnesotans to avoid the state capitol and counter protesting in the proximity of these potentially dangerous gatherings until the threat has passed.
The reports of planned demonstrations by white supremacists, militia members, and other extremists should concern each and every Minnesotan — and present a real and credible danger to the community and public. The first priority must be the safety of Minnesotans and each other. We are discouraging people and groups from planning any counter protests that may be targeted by these groups over the next week.
Legislature receives an update on vaccination planning and rollout
This week the Aging and Long-Term Care Policy and Health and Human Services Committees heard updates on Minnesota’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. This week Minnesota has been steadily working through Phase 1a of vaccinations, which includes health care workers and long-term care residents and staff. Over 150,000 doses have been administered so far and thousands have already received their second dose. A new vaccine data dashboard gives an overview of how many vaccines have been distributed and administered throughout the state.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made some game-changing vaccine announcements. After a request from Governor Walz and eight other governors, HHS announced they would be releasing millions of vaccine doses that were being withheld. They also indicated the next priority group should be individuals 65 and older, as well as those aged 18-64 with chronic underlying health conditions. This would be a significant addition to the priority phases the state was planning for, which included essential frontline workers and adults aged 75+ in the next group.
More vaccine supply would help this process move faster, but at this point, no additional doses have been made available to the state. We need the federal government to provide more detail about the supply of vaccine available for Minnesota and when it will arrive. The state is ready to take on more doses of vaccine, but until then, we’re still working with an extremely limited allocation of around 60,000 doses each week. Vaccine administration has been getting faster and more efficient, but it’s important to be deliberate and do this right so that vaccine is not wasted or mishandled. As more doses become available and providers can vaccinate more people each day, things will go faster.
We all know how important it is to move through COVID-19 vaccinations as quickly and as safely as possible so we can all return to a more normal life. As the Minnesota Department of Health and vaccine advisory partners sort through the shifting federal guidance and learn more from the new Biden administration, we will work closely with state health officials and partners at the local level to communicate where we are throughout this process and provide as much information as possible.
Minnesotans can check mn.gov/vaccine for the latest information.
Unemployment Insurance updates
Soon after the state passed an extension for unemployment insurance (UI), the federal government took action at the end of December and passed an 11-week Unemployment Insurance extension. The federal extension includes the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. Additionally, a $300 per week supplemental payment to anyone receiving unemployment benefits was also included.
While the federal government paid for the benefit extension, state governments are responsible for determining who qualifies and distributes the money. Those seeking unemployment can apply through the State of Minnesota.
In 2020, the UI program paid out $9,680,185,156 when accounting for regular and new federal benefits. This represents 23,010,049 actual payments. A recent DEED press release included the following, “Over the course of 2020, DEED received over a million new applications for unemployment insurance with payments going out to more than 814,000 individuals compared to 120,000 new applicants in 2019.”
Businesses get assistance from the Legislature
The Legislature approved and Governor Walz signed into law a bill that provided $216 million in relief to businesses in December 2020. The money was divided into three areas: business relief payments ($88 million), movie theater and conventions center grants ($14 million), and county relief grants ($114.8 million).
Business relief payments ($88 million): The first distribution of business relief payments (3,893 checks totaling $67,320,000 million) should be arriving in the mail for qualifying businesses in mid-January. Qualifying businesses generally include restaurants, breweries, wineries, bars, gyms, and bowling centers that saw a 30% reduction in business as a result of COVID-19. Businesses did not need to take action to receive these payments, the Department of Revenue used information on file.
Movie theaters ($14 million): Grants are available for application for convention centers with a seating capacity of over 1,500, and movie theaters. A per screen formula is used in determining the allocation for movie theaters while there are several criteria for convention centers.
County relief grants ($114.8 million): The largest pot of money was given to counties to distribute to businesses and nonprofits in their communities impacted by the pandemic. Counties were given a lot of discretion in how the funds would be deployed in the communities encompassed within their borders. The money for counties was allocated based on $200,000 or a per capita population formula, whichever is greater. To see how/when funding will be allocated contact your county.
Federal assistance: In December, the federal government passed a second package that provided additional assistance for businesses. Information on the availability of federal assistance can be found on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s website.
With the second week of session behind us the work is already moving swiftly. Bills are being printed and dropped and critical discussions about the budget are being prepared. Due to the inability to get bills jacketed and sent over in person, we had to develop new and innovative ways to get our jacketed bills over to the other chamber. There is already a massive influx of the bill requests and the the added new process makes it somewhat of a challenge. Never the less, the legislative session will only ramp up from here and it is full speed ahead!
Today is my daughter Hope’s birthday. Happy Birthday Hope, you continue to educate this dad and I love you so much. Happy Birthday.
I would also like to acknowledge that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is this coming Monday. This is a day of reflection as we consider the service and sacrifice of a man that showed us what it is to dream of excellence and solidarity, and as a country he unified us in many ways. It is also a day to reflect on how far we still have to go to create a just world for all. Thank you for your service and reminding all of us that we can and should dream for inclusion and justice for all. Here is to you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
And thank you all for the honor of serving as your State Senator. Please reach out if you have any ideas and thoughts to share, all of my offices contact information is at the bottom of the page. I can only represent you at my best when you have reached out to let me know what you think.
Sincerely,
John
Meetings for the Year
We will be starting the year in a hybrid legislative format, meaning that some Senators will continue to work remotely while others will be in-person at the Capitol. Most Monday through Thursdays, I will be at the Capitol and you’ll see me on the Senate Floor.
Committees this year will start this year with all members on Zoom. As vaccine distribution increases, and cases of COVID-19 wane, we will enter a hybrid model of committee attendance. Due to the unpredictable nature of the virus, we do not have a rigid timeline when this will happen but will update you as we are informed of changes. You can watch committees and floor online by clicking HERE.
With threats of armed protest, the Senate encourages Minnesotans to avoid the Capitol
Following the assault on the U.S. Capitol, reports have surfaced of the potential of white nationalist and far-right groups instigating violence at state capitols throughout the country — including at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, over the next few days through the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden.
While the State Capitol Complex will be secure and under the protection of the Minnesota State Patrol and the Minnesota National Guard, the Senate DFL is encouraging Minnesotans to avoid the state capitol and counter protesting in the proximity of these potentially dangerous gatherings until the threat has passed.
The reports of planned demonstrations by supremacists, militia members, and other extremists right here in Minnesota should concern each and every Minnesotan — and present a real and credible danger to the community and public. The first priority must be the safety of Minnesotans and each other. We are thankful for the fast response of our State Patrol in keeping our Capitol safe. We are discouraging people and groups from planning any counter protests that may be targeted by these groups over the next week. Stay home and stay safe.
Health and Human Services
The Senate Human Services Reform Committee heard a presentation this week on our state’s Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP). This program serves some of our lowest-income families with children. Parents are expected to work, and the state provides cash and food assistance to help families meet their basic needs. About 27,000 families and 55,000 children in Minnesota rely on temporary help from MFIP while they seek financial stability through employment. Families participating have had very little access to COVID-19 relief as they are not eligible for unemployment insurance and many did not receive the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus relief checks.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Regent candidate recommendations announced This week the Regent Candidacy Council recommended 12 candidates to fill four open spots on the University Board of Regents. The Board of Regents fulfills a critical role with the University of Minnesota as it helps govern, sets budgets, and works with the administration to achieve all aspects of the University’s mission.
Four seats are open for appointment every two years, for a six-year term. The board seats to be filled this year are from Minnesota’s 1st, 4th, 6th and 7th Congressional Districts. The Senate Higher Education Committee announced the candidates moving forward to the Legislature are:
• CD1: Val Aarsvold, Ruth Johnson and Randy Simonson (incumbent). • CD4: Daryl Alkire, James Farnsworth and Karen Schanfield. • CD6: David Hoang, Michael Hsu (incumbent) and Kodi Verhalen • CD7: Doug Huebsch, Lucas Sjostrom and Michael Yost
These recommendations will go to the House and Senate Higher Education Committees, which will recommend candidates to the full Legislature in a joint session. The recommendations to the full House and Senate are due by February 28. The House and Senate of the Legislature will then have a joint session where the Legislatures will vote on the final Regents.
The Senate Judiciary Committee met this week to hear from the Department of Corrections about their pandemic response. Incarcerated populations have seen a higher impact from this virus because of the nature of the congregated living facilities and the coming and going of prison staff, so the Department’s response has been critical in keeping all Minnesotans safe.
The department looked at COVID-19 release programs, including work release and conditional medical release, to reduce the state’s prison population. Reducing the population in the state’s prison system allowed for greater social distancing and reduced the number of individuals that might come in contact with an individual with COVID. All those released were considered low-risk and received supervision in their communities.
Mitigation and response plans are also in place for individuals that contract COVID-19 or come in close contact with a contagious person. Department staff is being screened before each shift for COVID-19 symptoms before entering any of the facilities, district field offices, and the central office.
All medical co-pays for incarcerated individuals have been waived to encourage reporting of symptoms, and there are plans for medical isolation and non-punitive quarantine for incarcerated individuals that have had close contact with an infectious person.
However, the corrections system is a congregate living situation and COVID-19 is easily spread. This is why Minnesota’s Department of Health has allocated around 400 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to treat the state’s highest-risk individuals in incarceration as part of the COVID management plan.
Over half of the roughly 7,000 individuals incarcerated in the state’s prison system have contracted COVID-19, and nine individuals have died. It is important that while supplies are limited vaccinations reach those facing the highest risks of contracting COVID-19 or facing severe illness as a result of contracting it. This includes Minnesota’s incarcerated individuals, many of whom are high-risk.
More information about COVID-19 in the state’s corrections system can be found on the department’s dashboard here.
Thank you!
It is my greatest honor to represent you the citizens of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids here at our great state capitol. In addition to representing you, I absolutely enjoy it when you come visit. You must schedule with our office to arrange an appointment before any arrival, and we also do Zoom meetings! So reach out and tell me what matters to you or schedule an appointment so I can continue working on your behalf. You can reach me by email at sen.john.hoffman@senate.mn or by phone at 651-296-4154. I am at 95 University Avenue Suite 2235 in the Minnesota Senate Building
Sincerely,
Senator John Hoffman
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call my office at 651-296-4154 or by e-mail at jhoffman@senate.mn
