SD36 , CD3 DFL

Phillips Calls for Additional Support for Minnesota Businesses Distressed by the COVID-19 Pandemic

In letters to state and local leaders, Phillips cited live events, hospitality, travel, and fitness industries as sectors hit hardest

WASHINGTON DC — Today, Rep. Phillips released letters sent to Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, and Hennepin County Commissioners requesting their continued support for Minnesota’s small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While many industries are quickly recovering from the pandemic, there remain many who are still experiencing severe revenue declines and have few – if any – options for economic relief, forcing them to consider layoffs or even closure,” Rep Phillips says in the letter. “I know the challenges of finding common ground in this day and age, but I am hopeful that there will be agreement on the need to support those small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, especially those for whom no targeted relief is available at the state or federal level.”

Last year, Congress created a number of relief programs targeted to America’s small businesses, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the (SVOG) program, and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). Together, these programs saved millions of jobs and countless small businesses, helping pave the way for the economic recovery that has already begun.

Earlier this year, Rep. Phillips supported and helped pass the American Rescue Plan, which sent $2.8 billion to the state of the Minnesota through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. Among eligible uses for these funds are loans and grants to small businesses to offset the economic hardships posted bysteep declines in revenue, temporary closures, and efforts to enhance safety in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Full text of the letter below:

I write today to encourage your continued support for Minnesota’s small businesses, especially those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all know, these businesses are vital to the long-term economic health of our state, not to mention their many contributions to the quality of life in our communities, making them deserving of additional relief at the state and federal levels.

As you know, Minnesota will receive a total of $2.8 billion in federal aid through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund established by the American Rescue Plan, which I proudly supported. Among the eligible uses for these funds are loans and grants to small businesses to offset the economic hardships posed by steep declines in revenue, temporary closures, and efforts to enhance safety in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. While I appreciate the inclusion of $70 million for grants to small businesses in the recently-enacted Omnibus Jobs Bill, the need for targeted relief remains, and my hope and my request is that a substantial fund is set up using a portion of the remaining federally allocated dollars.

Minnesota does not bear this responsibility alone. Congress created a number of relief programs targeted to America’s small businesses, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant (SVOG) program, and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). Together, these programs saved millions of jobs and countless small businesses, helping pave the way for the economic recovery that has already begun.

Still, these programs were never intended to address the entirety of the need, which is why I supported the substantial state and local recovery funds included in the American Rescue Plan, and the flexibility to use them in a way that best addressed each state’s unique needs. And while many industries are quickly recovering from the pandemic, there remain many who are still experiencing severe revenue declines and have few – if any – options for economic relief, forcing them to consider layoffs or even closure.

This is especially true for those businesses which rely on in-person service or gatherings, including the myriad of businesses that make up our once-thriving live events, travel, and hospitality industries, as well as gyms and fitness centers. I have heard from countless small business owners representing these industries who are desperately searching for options to keep their businesses afloat until the recovery reaches them, and I encourage you as elected leaders of our state to respond with additional relief to these businesses in particular as you consider the various options for uses of the federal ARP funds – especially as federal programs come to an end, or find themselves overextended.

I know the challenges of finding common ground in this day and age, but I am hopeful that there will be agreement on the need to support those small businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, especially those for whom no targeted relief is available at the state or federal level. Wisconsin recently authorized $480 million from their ARP allotment to fund grants to roughly 96,000 businesses in their state, and others have created similar programs as well. You are the experts when it comes to the needs in our state, and it is my hope that you will be able to identify an amount that meets that need.

Thank you for your leadership of our state in these challenging times, and for showing the entire nation that good work can get done even in divided government. I stand ready to support you in whatever way I can. In the meantime, I am grateful for your consideration of this request.

Speaker Hortman Issues Statement About Rep. John Thompson

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman issued the following statement.

“The Minnesota House of Representatives takes allegations of member misconduct seriously.

“There is a process in place pursuant to House Rule 6.10 whereby two or more members of the House may file a complaint about conduct by a member that they allege violates a rule or administrative policy of the House, violates accepted norms of House behavior, betrays the public trust, or tends to bring the House into dishonor or disrepute. Such a complaint, if filed, would be referred to the House Ethics Committee. To date, no House members have filed an ethics complaint regarding the allegations made against Representative Thompson.

“As in other instances of alleged member misconduct, in the absence of a formal ethics complaint, in my role as Speaker I will work with counsel to thoroughly investigate the law and facts, compare the alleged misconduct to prior allegations of wrongdoing by members of the Minnesota House and the resultant consequences, and act accordingly.”

Minnesota House of Representatives adjourns 2021 special session

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives finished approving a new two-year state budget and adjourned sine die. The Minnesota House, controlled by Democrats, and the Minnesota Senate, controlled by Republicans, convened for a special session on June 14th to finalize a bipartisan budget agreement for the next two years.

“Despite divided government, we found compromise and made significant investments to help those who sacrificed the most during a challenging year,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “While this agreement does not contain everything we would have liked, we worked together and achieved a compromise that is in the best interests of Minnesotans. House DFLers will continue working to build a Minnesota that works better for everyone.”

“Workers and families are climbing out of an extremely challenging year, and they need their state government to help them emerge stronger with more opportunities to get ahead,” said Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “The decisions made by the Legislature have real consequences. We can choose to build a state where all Minnesotans have economic security and can live with dignity, or we can choose to rig the system to benefit corporations, the rich, and well-connected.”

House Democrats are proud to have secured many investments in families, workers, students, and small businesses who’ve been hit hardest by the pandemic, including:

A historic increase in funding for public schools and preservation of all day pre-K for 4,000 preschoolers
Financial support for frontline workers who sacrificed their health to keep all of us safe during the pandemic
Investments in access to affordable child care for families and increased funding for providers
Rental assistance for tenants and landlords and expanded access to affordable housing
Tax cuts for workers and small businesses impacted by the pandemic
Investments to improve public health and reduce racial disparities in health care
State aid for small businesses damaged during last year’s civil unrest
Investments in transit, roads, bridges, and rail
Substantial reforms to sexual assault laws to bring justice to survivors
Measures to reform policing and increase accountability
Investments in families who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness
Delivering an overdue pay raise for personal care attendants and additional support for home and community-based services to help people live independently
Substantial investments to reduce racial disparities and improve equity
Funding for the Market Bucks program to provide healthy and affordable farmers’ market produce to SNAP/EBT users

As a result of a bipartisan deal to end Governor Walz’s emergency powers on July 1, the Legislature will not convene for a July special session or continue meeting monthly as it has done since the pandemic began.

Minnesota House approves bipartisan tax bill

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — This afternoon, the Minnesota House of Representatives approved a bipartisan compromise with the Minnesota Senate that will provide targeted tax cuts to workers and small businesses harmed by the pandemic, expand the Working Family Tax Credit, and provide new aid for counties to fund services and programs that prevent family homelessness.

“This is a tax bill that helps both workers who lost their jobs and the small businesses that fell on hard times during the pandemic,” said Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL-Dilworth), chair of the House Taxes Committee. “As Minnesota rebounds from a global pandemic, there is more work to do to level the playing field, bring about more fairness in our tax system, and fund important investments in people.”

The Legislature’s bipartisan tax bill uses federal aid from the American Rescue Plan to provide targeted tax cuts for workers who received unemployment insurance benefits and small businesses that received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans. Democrats say a deal without benefits for both workers and small businesses would have been unacceptable.

House approves compromise Public Safety and Judiciary Budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday, the Minnesota House passed the compromise Public Safety and Judiciary budget bill and amended it to include sign and release warrants. In addition to funding the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Rights, and the judicial branch, the bill includes several criminal justice and police accountability reforms which House DFLers have been advocating for all session. However, Senate Republicans rejected many other meaningful changes Minnesotans have been calling for to ensure communities can receive justice.

“Our budget agreement advances several important solutions to help Minnesotans experience public safety in their communities, but it’s incredibly disappointing Senate Republicans refused to accept some of the most meaningful reforms we put forward, including those with bipartisan support,” said Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), chair of the House Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform Committee. “One conviction and one prison sentence of one police officer doesn’t heal the trauma with which our communities continue to live. It’s not acceptable for a system that has failed too many Minnesotans to allow peace officers – with the solemn duty to protect and serve – to largely continue operating with impunity and a reckless disregard for human rights. As a result of the shortcomings within the budget compromise, we commit to continue this important work until we ensure all of those who betray the public’s trust can be held accountable, and Black, Indigenous, and Minnesotans of color can be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. We welcome the Governor’s executive actions, which are necessary due to the Republican Senate’s failure to respond to Minnesotans’ calls for greater accountability for law enforcement.”

Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: June 20, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It has been a busy special session as our various omnibus bills are coming to agreement. Each day brings news of deals being finalized as we move forward.

For my part, the Health and Human Services bill is in final negotiations. Thus far it is agreed to (for now!) enhanced funding for a variety of services, including but not limited to:

Substance Use Disorder treatment
Disability Services
PCA (Personal Care Assistant) Services
CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program)
Home Care Providers
Expansion of Telehealth Services

Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: May 27, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

While the regular legislative session has concluded, our work continues. House and Senate majorities, in partnership with the governor reached a bipartisan agreement on a budget framework last week, and now our work is focused on crafting the finer details of the budget. Our current timeline has us working towards a special session in early or mid-June.

We've Reached Bipartisan Budget Framework

The good news is we can build a budget that will ensure all Minnesotans can recover from the hardships of the past year, thanks in part to the federal funds we received from the American Rescue Plan.

Working groups made up of House and Senate members are continuing to meet to complete their portions of the budget. I continue to lead negotiations with the Senate on the Commerce/Energy portion of the state budget. I look forward to updating you on the specifics of our budget soon.

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: May 27, 2021

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you are staying safe and healthy. After more than a year of a pandemic, it’s looking more and more like a typical, wonderful Minnesota summer is ahead of us. COVID vaccines are safe, effective, and are bringing back a sense of normalcy that we have been missing for so long. If you haven’t gotten your vaccine yet, visit the Vaccine Connector to find a vaccine site near you. The state also has a number of community vaccination sites that are accepting walk-ins.

On another happy note, today is my birthday! I am officially past the half-century mark, and I intend to celebrate my birthday by eating chocolate cake in between negotiation meetings and phone calls.

Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: May 21, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I wanted to touch base and share some of the details as we move forward with the timeline previously shared regarding the deadlines to have our budget omnibus bills ready. To recap:

May 28th: Spreadsheet for omnibus bills done by 5pm.

June 4th: Language for omnibus bills prepared by this date.

June 14th: Expected day of special session being called to finish budget work.

Approaching that May 28th deadline next week, the actual budget numbers each committee is working with are listed below:

Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: May 17, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Legislative Session closed today but it is not the end. There will be a special session to bring the budgets together and signed into law. Speaker Hortman put it perfectly when she said today at the press conference announcing budgets and special session, “I would say that you aren’t driving the same car or talking on the same phone as in 1973, and it may be time to recognize that you don’t need the same legislative calendar as 1973. None of us really relish the once every 30 days legislative sessions, but we are not doing the same work as the legislature was when we set our 120-day legislative calendar. That is a reform issue for another day.”

According to the Minnesota State Constitution, “The legislature shall meet at the seat of government in regular session in each biennium at the times prescribed by law for not exceeding a total of 120 legislative days. The legislature shall not meet in regular session, nor in any adjournment thereof, after the first Monday following the third Saturday in May of any year. After meeting at a time prescribed by law, the legislature may adjourn to another time. “Legislative day” shall be defined by law. A special session of the legislature may be called by the governor on extraordinary occasions. Neither house during a session of the legislature shall adjourn for more than three days (Sundays excepted) nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be assembled without the consent of the other house.”

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