January 29, 2021
Advancing bills to do right by our veterans
Earlier this week, the Senate Veterans Committee passed the Veterans Restorative Justice Act out of Committee. We have been fighting for this bill for a long time, including during the many specials sessions we had last year. This bill would focus on rehabilitative measures rather than punitive ones, when a veteran commits a crime as a result of PTSD. This is good bipartisan legislation that we have a moral obligation to pass, to repay those who risk their lives for us.
Also to help better serve our veterans, next week the Senate Veterans Committee is hearing two bills I am working on with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. One would establish the Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, and the other would allow them to hire a publicity representative to better educate veterans on the services available to them. You can watch the bill hearings next Thursday at 8:30am on the Senate Media Youtube channel by clicking HERE.
Governor Walz releases COVID-19 Recovery Budget
Earlier this week, Governor Walz announced his budget proposal for our next two-year cycle, specifically geared towards helping Minnesotans recover from the hardships of our current pandemic.
Much of the budget is focused on helping working families find good paying jobs and providing small businesses with much-needed relief to help mitigate the challenges the pandemic has caused. Low-wage workers and small businesses have bared the brunt of the impact of COVID-19, and we need to prioritize getting them the help they need.
The governor’s full budget documents may be found HERE. My colleagues and I in the Senate DFL Caucus will release our priorities in the coming weeks.