Dear Neighbors,
Legislators reconvened Monday for the second special session to begin another round of negotiations and compromise on additional COVID-19 relief measures, criminal justice and public safety reform, and a jobs and local projects or “bonding” bill. I am pleased to share many of our community’s priorities have been included in an agreed upon bill with the Senate, including Mississippi Point Park, CR Recycling, and Anoka-Ramsey Community College in the agreement. The House minority has yet to come to the table on this reasonable and modest plan to fix our public infrastructure across the state, and I hope they will join us as we work together with the governor to find common ground on these important issues.
Hire a Veteran Month
The governor has declared July “Hire A Veteran Month” in Minnesota to bring awareness to the extensive skills our veterans bring to the workplace – and to encourage employers to hire veterans not only this month, but throughout the year. About 308,000 veterans live in our state and 153,000 of them are of working age.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the large annual Veterans Career Fair traditionally held in July has been postponed. Instead, CareerForce, led by DEED’s Veterans Employment Program, is hosting two virtual veterans events this month along with other partners and with the support of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA). You can learn more about these events here.
Census Update
Our state continues to lead the nation in Census self-response rates at 71%! We can be especially proud that Coon Rapids and Champlin have both bypassed Minnesota’s average with respective rates of 81% and 84%. You can continue to track our communities’ progress here. If you haven’t responded to the Census yet, you can do so online here, by phone, or by mail.
Last Update
This is my last update until after the General Election. Pursuant to House Rules, 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 out these updates for a while, you can still follow me on my legislative Facebook page. I’m still available to meet via telephone, help with state level problems, and discuss issues important to our community. Feel free to give my office a call at 651-296-5513 or email me anytime at rep.zack.stephenson@house.mn.
It’s an honor to represent you and our Champlin and Coon Rapids families and residents in St. Paul.
Sincerely,
Zack Stephenson
State Representative