Rep. Andrew Carlson (50B) – Legislative Update
Dear Neighbors,
I hope you’re having a great week and are looking forward to our warm-up over the weekend!
The House stayed open during our cold snap and committees kept busy, especially in the Labor Division and Health and Human Services Policy. Read about their work below and the significant legislative proposals moving forward.
Supporting Minnesota Families
All Minnesotans deserve the opportunity to be successful, but too many have to choose between work and taking care of a new baby or loved one. This is why on Wednesday, the first hearings were held for the Paid Family & Medical Leave Bill. This bill would allow eligible workers to have up to 12 weeks of paid leave from work in order to provide support to their family. The program itself would be modeled after the existing unemployment program.
The hearings consisted of many members of the community who have struggled to make ends meet while caring for a loved one. There was a heart-wrenching story of a mother that works full time whose son ended up in the hospital as a result of seizures caused by a tumor. Since her husband also works full time, and she had recently taken maternity leave, she was running out of options to properly care for her son. Another testifier was a small business owner that has given employees time off when they need to care for themselves or a family member, but due to existing law, she couldn’t afford that time off for herself. As you know, these stories are not uncommon in our community. Many families struggle to make ends meet during times of hardship, which is why I will be supporting this bill.
While similar bills were unable to pass in previous sessions, I am hopeful that Minnesota legislators will come together this year to finally make paid family leave a reality.
Updates on the Opioid Crisis
As the opioid crisis continues, I am committed to working with legislators to find a solution. Too many Minnesotans’ lives have been destroyed by the harmful effects of this epidemic, and many are struggling with the high costs of health care as a result. We need more funding for overdose prevention, and Minnesotans expect us to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable as we work to end this epidemic.
One of the prevention and relief efforts is a bill that seeks to allocate money to establish an opioid overdose reduction pilot program by Representative Mike Freiberg. If this bill were to pass, it could save the lives of hundreds each year. In 2016, almost 400 people died as a result of opioid overdose, and since then the number has increased at alarming rates. Finding a solution to this crisis is urgent, and I hope my colleagues will support this bill.
I’ve appreciated hearing from you, and encourage you to continue reaching out with your input. Please keep in touch, and never hesitate to contact me if I can provide any assistance. My phone number at the Capitol is 651-296-4218 or you can always reply to this email. You can follow me on Facebook here.
Thanks for the honor of representing you!
Sincerely,
Andrew Carlson
State Representative