Category: SD37

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: November 19, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Updates Return

With the campaign season over, we can return to our regular email updates covering everything happening at the Legislature and around Minnesota. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful community for returning me to the Legislature. I plan to continue to serve you diligently over these next two years.

New Covid-19 Rules as Virus Reaches Record Levels

Unfortunately, Covid is spreading at record levels throughout the country, including here in Minnesota where we have reached our capacity to manage the virus. Governor Walz has announced a number of new actions designed to reign in the virus.

Yesterday, he announced the following safety restrictions:

  • Restaurants will be take-out only for the next 4 weeks
  • Gyms and fitness centers will also close for 4 weeks
  • Theaters, movie theater, bowling alleys, museums, and arcades will all be closed
  • Wedding receptions, celebrations and private parties are put on hold as well
  • Limit all social gatherings with people outside of your household
  • All youth sports are on pause, there have been too many cases connected to sports for them to continue safely
  • Avoid travelling across state lines

If you can, please continue to get takeout from your favorite local restaurants; they are going to need our help more than ever. Personally I plan to support CR’s and Ole Piper! Torg and Invictus have curbside pickup as well. No one wants to see increased restrictions; we are all fatigued by the ongoing fight against COVID-19, but these restrictions are necessary to help curb the spread of this virus and save lives. We aren’t at a point where we can return to normal. These restrictions are a direct result of Minnesotans returning to too many pre-covid activities without taking the proper preventative measures. I understand that this is difficult, but we must remain vigilant when it comes to managing this virus. For everyone’s sake, please continue to limit gatherings, wear masks, and social distance.

It is increasingly clear that Minnesota needs federal assistance. We need immediate action on a new COVID-19 relief package, and an extension on flexibility to utilize resources allocated to state and local governments in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Our state and local governments can’t combat this devastating virus alone, we must come together as a nation to fight for one another.

Pausing for COVID

Actions Taken to Increase Testing and Provide Financial Relief

Last Week, Governor Walz announced the addition of more than a dozen new testing locations opening across the state over the next two weeks. All of the new testing sites will continue to offer free, “no barrier” COVID-19 testing. Testing will be free and available to anyone who wants to be tested whether they have symptoms or not, and it will not require insurance. These sites will be open at least through the end of the year with logistical aid provided by the National Guard. It is critical that we test as much as possible so we can trace how the virus is spreading and implement the necessary isolation.For more information on how and where to receive a COVID-19 test, visit mn.gov/covid19/. An updated list of community testing sites is available here.

Lastly, Governor Walz announced $10 million in Small Business Relief Grants to support businesses that are struggling as they do their part to combat the spread of COVID-19. This funding will support an additional 1,000 businesses that have applied for the grant program.  

Beds

Keep in Touch:

You can contact me at rep.erin.koegel@house.mn or (651) 296-5369. I appreciate the opportunity to serve our district in the legislature and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Erin Koegel
State Representative

Trump is trying to flip Minnesota in 2020 — but voters in the state balk at his ‘unconscionable’ praise of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee

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It’s a uniquely Trumpian problem: the president of the United States, locked in a bitter campaign with Democratic rival former Vice President Joe Biden, is trying to flip Minnesota, a state he narrowly lost in 2016. But Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in the North Star State on Friday, appeared to forget his Civil War history lessons (or never absorbed them in the first place) when he heaped praise on Confederate General Robert E. Lee — despite the state playing a decisive role for the Union at Gettysburg.

As the Star Tribune reports, Trump on Friday extolled the virtues of Robert E. Lee’s leadership:

“It was supposed to end immediately because the North was too powerful for the South. But it just shows when you have leaders, when you have a great general. And Robert E. Lee, he would have won, except for Gettysburg.”

State Sen. Jerry Newton, whose great-grandfather fought for the Union in the Civil War, called the president’s comments “unconscionable.” Continue reading.

Minnesota House Announces Membership of New Select Committee on Racial Justice, Schedules First Public Meeting for Sept. 22

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SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – House Speaker Melissa Hortman today announced the membership of the new House Select Committee on Racial Justice and scheduled its first public meeting for September 22. The committee is responsible for examining disparities Minnesotans of color face regarding health, public safety, education, employment, housing and other areas.

Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL – Mendota Heights) and Rep. Rena Moran (DFL – Saint Paul) will co-chair the committee. Rep. Lisa Demuth (R – Cold Spring) will serve as vice chair. 

“Minnesota can never truly prosper as a state if it doesn’t guarantee equitable opportunities to every resident, regardless of their race,” said Rep. Richardson. “The House’s new select committee is long overdue and it represents a commitment to bring about meaningful change.”

“I’m proud we have this forum in the Minnesota House to dive deeply into the impacts Black, Indigenous and People of Color still face in our state, which affect their health, safety, and overall wellbeing,” said Rep. Moran. “While racism’s harm to public health isn’t new, this year’s events have shined a light on the problem and it’s a pivotal time to tackle the crisis head-on.”

In July, the House approved a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis in Minnesota, noting more than 100 studies have linked racism to worse health outcomes, while Black and Indigenous communities experience the highest death rates. Additionally, several medical organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, and the American Public Health Association have recognized that racism is a social determinant for health, with a profound impact across an individual’s lifespan, along with other long-standing, unaddressed disparities and socioeconomic inequities as a result of systemic racism.

“I’m grateful to Reps. Richardson and Moran for co-chairing this important Select Committee, and to Rep. Demuth for serving as Vice Chair. I look forward to the committee’s recommendations,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “We have to dismantle the structural racism inherent in our own institution and address our state’s inexcusable racial inequities.”

“It’s clear that racial disparities are entrenched in our communities and run deep to the foundations that shape policing, education, housing, employment, health, and more,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “The House needs to examine itself and address racism for what it is — an economic and public health crisis.” 

Other members include Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn (DFL – Roseville), Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL – International Falls), Rep. Heather Edelson (DFL – Edina), Rep. Kaohly Her (DFL – Saint Paul), Rep. Erin Koegel (DFL – Spring Lake Park), Rep. Sandy Layman (R – Cohasset), Rep. Jamie Long (DFL – Minneapolis), Rep. Anne Neu (R – North Branch), Rep. Steve Sandell (DFL – Woodbury), and Rep. Dean Urdahl (R – Grove City).

The first hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 22 at 1:30 p.m.

Restorative Justice for Minnesota’s Veterans

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA– The Minnesota Senate passed legislation Wednesday providing alternative pathways for veterans who face criminal sentences, a move that will help ensure positive outcomes for those struggling to return to civilian life.

“Many of our veterans return to civilian life carrying traumatic experiences that manifest in post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues, which can lead to them on a path towards criminal offenses,” said Senator Jerry Newton (DFL-Coon Rapids), ranking DFL lead on the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee. “Instead of jail time, specialized veterans sentencing guidelines can provide the treatment and recovery services that address these issues, reducing recidivism while helping them get on their feet and stay out of the criminal justice system.”

Continue reading “Restorative Justice for Minnesota’s Veterans”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: July 15, 2020


Dear Friends,

This year has been one of the most challenging in our state’s entire history. Our world was turned upside down by the arrival of COVID-19, a health care challenge that continues to put lives at risk while having already claimed the lives of over 1,400 Minnesotans. The effects of the pandemic has resulted in the closure of thousands of businesses throughout our state, forcing hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans out of work.

In the midst of this pandemic, we also witnessed the horrific murder of George Floyd. His death saw tens of thousands of protesters and demonstrators taking to the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The sickening scene recorded on camera outraged me and has resulted in many calls and e-mails for police reform. I will deal with that issue head on, while knowing full well that what happened in Minneapolis is not indicative of the attitudes and practices of all police officers or police departments. In 26 years as an elected official, I have never once heard a complaint about our local police. So, as a legislature we need to act now to send a clear message that we will not tolerate racial injustice; however, we must not make one-size-fits-all laws regarding police and judicial reform. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: July 15, 2020”

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: July 15, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Special Session

On Monday, the House and Senate convened in a special session called by Governor Walz. The governor has extended the current peacetime emergency so he can continue to access the state’s toolbox to take quick, decisive action to protect Minnesotans through the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday, the House voted to uphold the governor’s emergency powers for another 30 days. We can’t get complacent now after all of our sacrifice and hard work; we have seen that states that reduce precautions too quickly suffer from a major spike in cases.

This special session is an opportunity to finish important work for the people of Minnesota. After George Floyd’s killing, Minnesotans are still demanding improvements to public safety so everyone, in every community, can have confidence in law enforcement. We will continue working to enact strong police accountability measures like the ones the House approved in the last special session. Continue reading “Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: July 15, 2020”

Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Jason Lewis Echoes Scott Jensen’s Misinformation About Coronavirus that Has Jensen Under Investigation

As Minnesota State Senator Dr. Scott Jensen is being investigated by the state medical board for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 by comparing it to the common flu and spreading a conspiracy theory that states are artificially inflating their coronavirus death tolls, here’s a good reminder that Republican Senate candidate Jason Lewis has echoed this reckless rhetoric:

  • Steven Bannon scolded Jason Lewis for falsely claiming that hospitals were classifying non-COVID-19 deaths as such: “Are you gonna be one of these guys that argues the death count? Yes or No?” Bannon bluntly told Lewis, “I guarantee the way you’re gonna lose in Minnesota in the fall is argue the death count. Just a word to the wise.”
  • Jason Lewis repeatedly downplayed the coronavirus and compared it to the common cold and flu, even calling it a “wintertime sickness.”
  • Lewis visited Jensen’s clinic to double down on the conspiracy theory that the government would make people get “vaccines with tattoos to make certain you’ve got one.”

Jason Lewis and Scott Jensen’s fueling conspiracy theories and misinformation is harmful to Minnesotans, and shows their blatant disregard for Minnesotans’ safety during a global pandemic that has killed over a hundred thousand Americans.

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: June 23, 2020

2020 Special Session

The closing of the special session without completing all of the major work Minnesotans expected us to accomplish is extremely disappointing. We failed to pass a bonding bill that would have guaranteed jobs and made much needed improvements to our state’s infrastructure. We didn’t reach a compromise on long overdue law enforcement reforms. Also, no CARES bill was agreed upon that would have provided needed funding for cities and counties dealing with the COVID crisis. This session was quite possibly the worst I have seen in 26 years of serving my community.

There is no use pointing fingers. There is more than enough blame to go around. We need to regroup as a legislature and continue to work on compromises that will move our state forward. We as legislators should not wait until the next special session to get back to work. This is the time to work things out now through zoom legislative meetings and in person meetings of the leaders in the House, Senate, and Governor’s Office.

Youth and Adult Sports Guidance

Recently the MN Department of Health announced new guidance recommending that youth sports games and scrimmages will resume June 24th or later for outdoor sports, and July 1st or later for indoor sports. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: June 23, 2020”

Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: June 22, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

The Minnesota Legislature went into a special session on June 12, 2020 with the hopes of passing some much needed legislation. The House DFL, and the POCI caucus in particular worked incredibly hard, day in, day out, to craft and pass legislation our state desperately needs. Even though the Senate Republicans decided to pack up and go home, I am committed to coming back for future special sessions to pass these critical bills. Here is what we were working on before this special session ended.

Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020

The House DFL recognizes that we need massive systemic reform if we are to ever have a public safety system that makes all Minneostans safer. Our Republican colleagues refused to join us in calling for these changes and are unwilling to listen to our perspective. We have laid the groundwork and can envision the Minnesota that we need, and it is a fight we will continue, but this may be a problem that will have to wait until November to be solved. Here is the full list of reforms the House hoped to pass: Continue reading “Rep. Erin Koegel (HD37A) Update: June 22, 2020”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: June 10, 2020

Peacetime Emergency Childcare Grants

The third round of Peacetime Emergency Childcare Grants is now open; applications will be accepted until June 15th. An additional $10 million from the CARES Act has been added to this month’s allotment, meaning there is nearly $20 million available for providers this round.  Eligibility for grants has also been expanded to include certain certified child care centers that serve families with older children.  Applications and more information can be found here.

New Family Food Benefits

The USDA recently approved Minnesota’s application for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) to help families replace the meals their children lost because schools are closed. This federal initiative is a temporary program to provide a one-time lump sum benefit to families for groceries ($325/student). Some families need to apply by June 30th to receive this benefit.

Families with children ages 5-18 may be eligible for P-EBT benefits if their child’s school is closed due to COVID-19 and: Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: June 10, 2020”