Tag: Minnesota House

House Ways and Means Committee approves bill creating COVID-19 contact tracing program

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Yesterday, the Minnesota Ways and Means Committee approved legislation appropriating $300 million to establish a contact tracing, case investigation, and follow-up program for COVID-19 cases. The bill, authored by Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), the House Health and Human Services Finance Division chair, represents the next phase of Minnesota’s public health response to the pandemic.

“The new testing partnership with Mayo Clinic and other providers is moving forward. Now we need the ability to effectively follow-up on the testing by finding people exposed to the virus and helping them avoid spreading the virus,” Rep. Liebling said. “Contact tracing is a key strategy to get our state back on track and move toward reopening our economy as quickly as possible.”

The program will aim to accurately and efficiently identify people who may have contracted COVID-19 and allow them to be isolated until the risk of contagion has passed. The Minnesota Department of Health will manage the program, but may hire other organizations to hire, train, and manage up to 4,200 temporary employees who could be needed. Hires could include furloughed health care workers, public health students, retirees, and volunteers. Continue reading “House Ways and Means Committee approves bill creating COVID-19 contact tracing program”

Minnesota House Approves Tobacco 21 Legislation

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House approved legislation that raises the age for Minnesotans to purchase tobacco, tobacco products, electronic delivery devices, and other nicotine products, to 21.

“Research shows that raising the tobacco age to 21 will prevent youth addiction and save lives,” said Rep. Heather Edelson (DFL-Edina), chief author of the legislation. “Tobacco companies have been targeting youth to addict the next generation. In the 2019 Student Survey, 26 % of 11th graders reported vaping. 76 % of all youth reported not knowing how addictive vaping was before they started. Passing Tobacco 21 is an important statement in the fight against rising youth tobacco use. I am proud of the strong bipartisan support Tobacco 21 received today.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Approves Tobacco 21 Legislation”

Minnesota House Expected to Pass Bipartisan ‘Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act’

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to pass today the Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act (SF 1098), a bill to address skyrocketing prescription drug pricing. Rep. Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven), a practicing physician, is the chief author of the bipartisan legislation.

“We know that Minnesotans are paying too much for prescription drugs,” said Rep. Morrison. “The cost of many drugs has skyrocketed to the point that they are becoming inaccessible to the people that need them to survive and thrive. Pharmaceutical companies create life-changing and life-sustaining medications, but they are useless if people can’t afford them.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Expected to Pass Bipartisan ‘Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act’”

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on the Minnesota COVID-19 Fund

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — On Friday, Governor Walz called on the Minnesota Legislature to replenish and extend the Minnesota COVID-19 fund. The $200 million fund has $65 million remaining and is set to expire on May 11.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Ryan Winkler released the following statements:

“We support extending the Minnesota COVID-19 Fund, and the House Ways and Means Committee passed a bill to do so today,” said Speaker Hortman. “We also support replenishing the fund as quickly as possible. The Walz Administration needs the flexibility to move quickly — more quickly than the legislative process sometimes allows — to purchase critical items for our COVID response. We are continuing conversations with Republicans in the House and Senate to pass legislation as soon as possible.”

 “Minnesota’s COVID-19 Fund has been well-used by the Walz Administration to buy personal protective equipment, ventilators, alternative care facilities, and, most recently, a facility for temporary storage of human remains  — all with proper legislative oversight,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “It’s critical for the Legislature to extend this fund and invest additional dollars.”  

Minnesota House expected to pass COVID-19 economic security legislation

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Yesterday afternoon, the Minnesota House of Representatives was expected to pass a package of COVID-19 economic security legislation. The bill, HF 1507, contains provisions for housing assistance, a temporary wage increase for personal care assistants, funding to expand broadband access, and small business loans.

“Minnesotans’ economic security has been hit hard during this public health crisis, and we have the resources to help them through the roughest patches of the pandemic,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Today, the Minnesota House is taking an important step to help Minnesotans keep a roof over their heads, preserve their small businesses, facilitate distance learning and telemedicine, and ensure we have the workforce we need to provide care for the vulnerable.”

“Minnesota has the resources we need to address this crisis; we just need the will to act,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “Minnesotans need investments in the things that will help them make it through this crisis and thrive after it, including quality health care, economic security, a good education, and safe and healthy communities. Minnesota can and should invest in Minnesotans to ensure their economic security now and into the future.” Continue reading “Minnesota House expected to pass COVID-19 economic security legislation”

Majority Leader Winkler introduces adult-use cannabis legislation, will continue conversation after crisis ends

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler introduced legislation today that would legalize the adult use of cannabis. The legislation is the result of months of public discussions on how to responsibly legalize and regulate cannabis.

“We made a commitment to introduce legislation this session, and we wanted to follow through on that commitment,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “Our current priority is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, but after the town halls and discussions around this issue, we still wanted to put a strong bill forward. As we look to come out of this crisis as a better, stronger Minnesota, we need to continue working toward legalizing cannabis for responsible adult use.”

The bill includes the following:

    • Creates a regulatory structure focused on developing micro-businesses and a craft market
    • Provides for expungement of most cannabis convictions
    • Provides for a limited allowance of home grow
    • Requires testing and labeling of products
    • Restricts packaging based on dosage size
    • Provides funding for public health awareness, youth access prevention, and substance abuse addiction and treatment
    • Provides grants, loans, technical assistance, and training for small businesses
    • Uses best practices from other states to account for negative externalities

“Minnesotans have been loud and clear that our current cannabis laws are doing more harm than good,” added Majority Leader Winkler. “By creating a regulatory framework we can address the harms caused by cannabis and establish a more sensible set of laws to improve our health care and criminal justice systems and ensure better outcomes for communities.”

The text of the bill, HF 4632, can be found here.

Reps. Olson and Jordan introduce bill to help craft breweries and distilleries during COVID-19 crisis

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) and Rep. Sydney Jordan (DFL – Minneapolis) introduced legislation to help Minnesota craft breweries and distilleries weather the downturn in business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill creates economic opportunity by temporarily relaxing rigid restrictions on off-sale beverages, allowing for limited to-go sales from taprooms and cocktail rooms.

“As we work to ensure all Minnesotans can be healthy and safe during this pandemic, our small businesses are experiencing economic turmoil. Just as the industries have turned a corner to become mainstream in our state, craft brewers and distillers are now fighting for their survival,” Rep. Olson said. “This bill is a reasonable and temporary step to help businesses stay afloat by offering their product to loyal customers until normal operations can resume.”

“With 12 breweries and 4 distilleries, 60A is the heart of Minnesota’s craft brewery and distillery industry,” Rep. Jordan said. “It is clear these businesses need the Legislature’s help to weather the COVID-19 crisis. This temporary measure to allow them to sell 4 and 6 packs for breweries and 750ml bottles for distilleries is necessary to keep our craft breweries and distilleries in business and thriving for years to come.” Continue reading “Reps. Olson and Jordan introduce bill to help craft breweries and distilleries during COVID-19 crisis”

House lawmakers advance new resources to help farmers, including extension of mediation deadline

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — The Minnesota House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division today advanced additional resources to help farmers who are impacted by COVID-19, including another extension of the deadline for farmer lender mediations. Click here to read a letter from the Minnesota Farmers Union in support of the legislation voted on during today’s hearing. Lawmakers approved all legislation with unanimous support. 

“I am pleased that DFL and Republican lawmakers were united today in advancing important COVID-19 aid and flexibility for Minnesota farmers,” said Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin), chair of the Ag and Food Division. “Helping our family farms during this pandemic should not be a partisan issue and I am grateful for the hard work of many different people that inspired this bill and brought it to fruition.” 

Of particular importance, division members approved legislation (House File 4599) authored by Rep. Todd Lippert (DFL-Northfield) that extends the deadline for farmer lender mediations. Extending this deadline buys time for farmers who are unable to participate in face-to-face mediations due to public health guidelines. Many rural Minnesota residents don’t have reliable internet options, and alternatives like Zoom or Webex are not available or practical for many farmers, which makes mediation during this public health crisis nearly impossible. Continue reading “House lawmakers advance new resources to help farmers, including extension of mediation deadline”

Minnesota House Advances Bill to Support Hourly School Workers

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives approved the COVID-19 response legislation for hourly school workers.

“During this challenging and unexpected time of distance learning, Minnesota’s school staff have stepped up in extraordinary ways,” said Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL-Minneapolis), Chair of the Education Finance Division. “Recognizing the value that they create every day for students we propose holding school districts financially whole so that they in turn can keep their Education Support Professionals, bus drivers, food program and other hourly staff whole during any school closures related to the current public health crisis.”

“Our teachers and hourly school employees have never been more important to our children and our families,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “We need to ensure that all school employees continue to get paid through the end of the school year. They deserve economic security and our support — especially during these difficult times.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Advances Bill to Support Hourly School Workers”

Rep. Lee, Asian Pacific American leaders launch town halls amplifying xenophobia during COVID-19

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — In response to the growing tide of anti-Asian bigotry in the public sphere and the continuing impact of COVID-19 in hard-hit Asian Pacific American communities, prominent state and local Asian American elected officials — including Fue Lee (member, Minnesota House of Representatives), David Chiu (member, California State Assembly), Yuh-Line Niou (member, New York State Assembly), Sharon Tomiko Santos (member, Washington House of Representatives) and Michelle Wu (member, Boston City Council) — have gathered together with over 50 grassroots and civil rights organizations and leaders to launch, “Rise: Asian Pacific America,” a series of four virtual town halls that seek to confront the significant issues facing APA communities in the wake of COVID-19.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, Asian Pacific Americans have experienced xenophobic hostilities directed their way. No one deserves to be targeted with threats, harassment, and violence based on their cultural background, especially during a public health crisis,” said Rep. Lee (DFL – Minneapolis). “Furthermore, by relying on terms like ‘Chinese Virus,’ the President of the United States has deliberately given rise to anti-Asian hatred. As Minnesotans, and as Americans, we have a duty to stand up against bigotry of any kind. These events will give us an opportunity to collectively overcome barriers as we chart our future as a community.” Continue reading “Rep. Lee, Asian Pacific American leaders launch town halls amplifying xenophobia during COVID-19”