Dear Neighbors,
I hope you and your family had a safe and relaxing July 4th! The mild weather we’ve had has been perfect for getting out into our community and exploring all our state has to offer.
Session ends
On July 1st the Minnesota House of Representatives finished approving a new two-year state budget and adjourned for the year. 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 and avoid a state government shutdown on July 1st.
As the only divided legislature in the nation we had an almost monumental task ahead of us this session. I am pleased that we managed to find a compromise which balances the budget, provides tax relief for the small businesses and workers who were hit hardest by the pandemic; and still invests significantly in education, healthcare, public safety and infrastructure. Our community has a ways to go before it returns completely to normal, but I am confident that we are well on our way with this final budget agreement. I look forward to seeing you all in the interim.
The House DFL secured extensive 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
- Investments in access to affordable child care for families and increased funding for providers
- Financial support for frontline workers who sacrificed their health to keep all of us safe during the pandemic
- Targeted tax cuts for workers and small businesses harmed by the pandemic
- State aid for small businesses damaged during last year’s civil unrest
- A plan to help tenants pay their back rent and avert an eviction crisis. If you are behind on rent apply for aid here.
- Investments in families who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness
- Financial support for the construction of affordable housing.
- Measures to contain healthcare premiums in the individual market.
- Investments to improve public health and reduce racial disparities in health care
- Better access to reliable public transit and investments in roads, bridges, and rail
- Measures to reform policing and increase accountability while fully funding the criminal justice system.
- Substantial reforms to sexual assault laws to bring justice to victims
- Delivering an overdue pay raise for workers providing personal care to the elderly and people with disabilities, as well as additional support for home and community-based services to help people live independently.
Eight of my own bills passed into law this year, and six of them had Republican authors in the Senate. This year was mostly about the budget. I will be working over the summer to advance my own policy initiatives related to consumer data privacy, housing affordability and health care pricing transparency so we can pass these bills when we return next year.
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.
Apply for Real ID
DVS has launched a program that allows Real ID applicants to scan their documents and submit them online. They’ll then be reviewed for completeness by DVS, submitted to Homeland Security for their federal background check, and approved in advance before you’re notified to head off to your local DVS satellite office for final processing. You can pre-apply here. This is a brand new option and, if you decide to use it, I’d appreciate your feedback on how well it works.
Keep in Touch
Don’t hesitate to reach out if I can provide any assistance. Please follow me on my Facebook page for further updates and invite your friends and family to do so as well.
Thanks for the honor of representing you at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Steve Elkins
Representative, District 49B
Minnesota House of Representatives
515 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-7803