Dear Neighbors,
It’s been another cold, snowy week, but our work to make Minnesota a better place for everyone continues. Here’s a quick update from this week.
First bill off House floor
We voted our first bill off the House floor this week. HF 51 is a bill that helps homeowners denounce racial covenants that may still remain on the deed of their homes. The bill passed with unanimous bipartisan support.
100% Clean Energy bill introduced
This past week saw some exciting advances in efforts to tackle climate change. HF 700 would move Minnesota to 100 percent clean energy by 2050 and was heard in its first committee. As a supporter of the 25 percent renewable energy standard, and chief author of the state’s solar energy standard and community solar laws, I’m looking forward to seeing this bill move through the process. This bill would help further Minnesota’s clean-energy economy, which has created thousands of good paying jobs in Minnesota.
Prescription drug price gouging bills
This week the Health and Human Services Policy Committee held hearings on bills to address the high prices — and price gouging — of prescription drugs. The first bill prevents health insurance companies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) from keeping a pharmacist from informing patients when they can purchase their prescription off-the-shelf or out-of-pocket for less than their co-pay. The second one would establish a program to “reuse” discarded pills that are still in unopened packaging, lowering the overall cost. Finally, the last one would prohibit drug manufacturers from dramatically increasing the price of drugs for profit.
Thousands of Minnesotans struggle with health care that they can’t afford. As a result, many people have to make difficult decisions — sometimes resorting to unsafe rationing of their medication — because drug prices are so high. Bills such as these would be important steps towards making health care more affordable for everyone.
Wage Theft prevention and enforcement
Many Minnesotans in the labor force live paycheck to paycheck jobs that pay hourly. They, like everyone else, deserve every penny in wages and benefits for time worked, but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. Each year, more than 39,000 workers face wage theft by their employers, costing them $12 million in lost wages. This could mean that workers are encouraged to stay after they clock out to help clean up, or it could mean their employer just doesn’t pay them all the wages they’ve earned. Often if employees complain about situations like this, they could lose their jobs.
On Wednesday, the first bill was heard in committee on this issue. Under the bill, employers would need to keep detailed records on the pay of their employees, or face stricter penalties. Additionally, the bill would give the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry more authority in enforcing wage laws. This bill would make important steps towards improving the working conditions of people that could suffer from wage theft.
Minnesota Values Podcast
This week we launched our Minnesota Values Podcast, a new show where we go to the people to ask about what matters to them and take you behind the scenes at the Capitol to see how we’re working to put Minnesotans’ values into action. It was great to join Rep. Jamie Long and Rep. Liz Olson on the first episode. Tune in here: soundcloud.com/mnvaluespod.
Last weekend of Coon Rapids Snowflake Days
It’s the final weekend of Snowflake Days! There’s a big lineup of events including Family Fun Day at the Coon Rapids Ice Center on Sunday, February 10. You can learn more at the Snowflake Days website.
As always, please contact me anytime with your input. I appreciate hearing from you! You can reach me at 651-296-4280 or rep.melissa.hortman@house.mn. You can also keep up with what’s happening at the Capitol by liking my legislative Facebook page.Thank you.
Sincerely,
Melissa Hortman