Week-in-Review Video
A message from your Senator
Constituents and friends,
Minnesotans received good news today: Governor Walz is rolling back COVID restrictions as we continue to make progress against the virus. Public mask-wearing and social distancing requirements remain in place, but in-person work is permitted, group sizes for worship services, social gatherings, and indoor/outdoor events have been increased or lifted altogether, and bar, restaurant, and gym capacity is increased. This is a big step, and yet another indicator of the light at the end of the very long COVID tunnel! A full rundown of the lifted restrictions can be found here.
Governor Walz announced earlier this week that our goal of vaccinating 70% of Minnesotans over the age of 65 will be reached weeks ahead of schedule, so he expanded vaccine eligibility to the next two phases at once, including those with specific underlying medical conditions that put them at greater risk. Full details can be found here.
If you’ve not yet signed up for the state’s Vaccine Connector tool, please do so here. Hennepin County residents can also sign up for the county’s vaccine registration system using this link.
I want to share a useful document that’s essentially a one-stop-shop for vaccine appointment locator information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-syIcz5jKruI6Vbw1Y-6Ss3JGurGbO-UeQgINYfz2vc/edit. I hope you find it helpful!
 I took a photo outside the Senate chamber with my fellow female DFL Senators this past Monday, International Women’s Day, in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. |
During yesterday’s Senate floor session, we debated and passed SF 263, a bill that brings Minnesota into conformity with the federal government’s tax forgiveness policy for Paycheck Protection Program loans. As a small-business owner myself, I know how many businesses in Senate District 44 and statewide are relying on the legislature to get this policy passed quickly, and I was proud to vote for it.
It’s clear that we need to stand up for Minnesota’s workers too, not just for businesses, so my colleagues and I are pushing hard for a proposal that would exempt taxes on unemployment benefits received over the past year. It’s important that we pass this initiative and others that will assist the many Minnesotans who have really struggled during COVID.
I introduced three new bills this week:
- SF 1995 is a clone of the Protect Reproductive Options Act, the original of which is authored by Senator McEwen (clones allow more Senators to show their support for a piece of legislation beyond the Senate limit of five authors per individual bill). The PRO Act protects Minnesotans’ right to contraception, the right to carry a pregnancy to term, and the right to abortion, all free from interference by politicians – I’m very proud to support it.
- SF 1997 would establish a loan fund for the installation of solar energy systems in state-owned buildings and facilities. I’m carrying this bill in the Senate for Representative Patty Acomb from House District 44B, and I’m very excited about it.
- SF 1998 would authorize cities and towns to create their own Street Improvement Districts, such that they can impose a just and equitable fee on property owners inside those Districts (except for charities) to pay for maintenance of the District’s streets, sidewalks, and other infrastructure. This would go a long way towards addressing the low-quality streets and sidewalks we encounter in most of the state, and has the benefit of being a locally-controlled initiative.
It was another busy week of meetings – my favorite part of being a Senator is the privilege of meeting with so many passionate people to discuss the issues they care about! Among many others, I met this week with the board of the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, mental health advocates and experts, constituents who work in the clean energy industry, advocates for home care and Paid Family Medical Leave, and members of the Minnetonka city council.
The Transportation Committee was busy this week, especially given that today was the first deadline for committee action on policy bills (as opposed to appropriation and finance bills – the deadline for those will come in April). We heard bills related to driver’s license renewal issues, a proposed expansion of Highway 212 between Norwood Young American and Cologne, Metro Transit fare evasion, online driver’s license knowledge testing, and many more.
The Capital Investment Committee did not meet this week – we’re expecting our activity to pick up as we get closer to the end of the legislative session, but that remains to be seen.
Community News & Events
A Canadian Pacific train derailed in Plymouth on Sunday afternoon, near Northwest Boulevard and Schmidt Lake Road – thankfully, nobody was injured. Officials say that 22 cars went off the track, and cleanup is expected to last until summer. Some of the cars were carrying molten sulphur, a material used to make asphalt, but no leaks were found. Shortly after the derailment, I spoke with local officials and the Minnesota Regional Railroads Association, and was impressed with their rapid and efficient response.
The Woodland City Council will meet on Monday, March 15th at 7 pm. More details and the Zoom link can be found here.
If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming redistricting process in Minnesota, Plymouth Area Indivisible is hosting its second of two informational sessions on Tuesday, March 16th at 7 pm. The details can be found here.
COVID-19 Hotlines
- Hotline for health questions: 612-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903 (staffed 6 am to 8 pm daily)
- Hotline for school and childcare questions: 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504 (staffed 7 am to 7 pm daily)
- Questions for workers and employers: 651-259-7114 or 800-657-3858
- Hotline if you experience or witness bias and/or discrimination: 1-833-454-0148 (staffed Monday-Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm)
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time with input, questions, or concerns!
