Dear Neighbors,
I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our state. Though Minnesota is not currently experiencing the spike in cases and deaths that we’re seeing in other states, difficult decisions still remain to ensure that stays the case. A decision on schools for the upcoming fall semester is expected soon, and this week saw the beginning of our second special session of 2020, with COVID-19 being a primary issue.
In addition to the pandemic and its economic impact on our state, our work in the Minnesota Legislature includes crafting consensus legislation on a jobs and local projects bill (otherwise known as a bonding bill), as well as public safety accountability measures. You can follow along for the latest on our work on the House Public Information website.
Federal Resources during COVID-19
Several new resources are now available thanks to Governor Walz utilizing federal dollars from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed earlier this year – the latest being the $100 million in housing assistance. With previously allocated dollars drying up, Minnesotans can begin applying for assistance with local grant administrators in the first part of August. More information about grants can be found on the Minnesota Housing website atwww.mnhousing.gov.
Additional funds were also utilized to provide support in food security and child care. $12 million has been dedicated to approximately 300 food shelves across the state, and information about food assistance resources is available on the state’s food emergency webpage. For child care, $56.6 million has gone to support providers who are facing enormous challenges during the pandemic. Families seeking care can call the Child Care Aware parent line at 1-888-291-9811 or visit mn.gov/childcare for a map of open providers.
Vote by Mail
Minnesotans regularly lead the nation in voter turnout, and we want to continue that trend by protecting the integrity and safety of our elections. This year, we passed legislation investing in improving accessibility and modernizing election security to prevent interference, and with the uncertain future of COVID-19, we also passed measures to ensure the health and safety of election officials and in-person voters.
Voting from the safety and comfort of your own home is a great way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by protecting other voters and election officials, as well as yourself. Applications are available for absentee ballots for the upcoming primary and general elections here. You can check your voter registration status here and update it here.
Final Email Update
This will be my last email update until after November’s election. After this week, legislators cannot use state resources for unsolicited communications during an election period because it might create an unfair advantage. While I won’t be able to send these emails as legislative work continues, I encourage you to contact my office with any questions or comments you may have on our legislative work. You can reach me at me at (651) 296-3751 or rep.michael.nelson@house.mn. It’s an honor to serve you in the Minnesota House, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Rep. Michael V. Nelson