Tag: Rep. Stephenson

Rep. Zack Stephenson Update: March 18, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Early this week, the Minnesota Legislature unanimously passed a sweeping bill designed to prepare our hospitals for the COVID 19 epidemic. We worked all day long and deep into the night, with the final vote coming at 3:30 am. The situation was made all the more sober by the fact that we had to alter our voting procedure to follow the MDH social distancing guidelines. As you can see on my Facebook post, we can’t all fit on the House floor and stay six feet away from each other, so about half of us had to monitor the debate from the gallery or the hallway, only briefly entering the chamber itself when it was our turn to vote.

BLOOD DRIVE

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused a critical shortage in Minnesota’s blood and platelet supply. I know our community is eager to come together as we confront the COVID-19 crisis and so I am sponsoring a blood drive at the Coon Rapids location of Memorial Blood Centers. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson Update: March 18, 2020”

Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: March 13, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

The COVID-19 situation continues to evolve by the hour. We all have a role to play in preventing its spread to keep our neighbors and community safe. As we are likely to face increasing challenges, the legislature’s responsibility is to ensure Minnesota is prepared to respond. We are taking proactive, swift, and thoughtful action to address this issue.

Public health officials in Minnesota are working around the clock to prepare for and stop the spread of COVID-19. At the Capitol, the House, Senate, Department of Health (MDH), and Governor’s Office are in near-constant communication to ensure we can quickly work to prevent further outbreak.

On March 10, Governor Tim Walz signed into law legislation that authorizes nearly $21 million for our public health response to COVID-19. I’m glad that the legislature moved quickly and collaboratively (the funding passed with unanimous support in both the House and Senate) to provide the Minnesota Department of Health with additional resources. But there is more we need to do. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: March 13, 2020”

Rep. Zack Stephenson Update: March 6, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this finds you well. We’re wrapping up another busy week at the Capitol. Read about what I’ve been working on below.

Clean Energy First Bill Advances

To be successful in our fight against climate change, we’re going to need all hands-on deck. That’s why I was so glad to be joined today by a broad coalition in support of my Clean Energy First bill as it was heard in the House Energy Committee. We had interests as diverse as the CEO of Connexus Energy (one of the state’s largest utilities), one of the state’s largest labor unions, and environmental groups, all advocating for the Clean Energy First bill.

Clean Energy First would be a significant step forward in the climate fight here in Minnesota because it would focus our state’s energy policy on carbon reduction, affordability, and reliability. By simply ensuring that new energy production in Minnesota is clean energy if at all possible, we can quickly transition to a clean energy utility sector. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson Update: March 6, 2020”

Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: February 28, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

This week, the legislature received an updated state budget forecast from the Minnesota Management and Budget Agency, showing a positive one-time balance. The forecast shows challenges for Minnesota, because costs go up and our forecast doesn’t count them. As a result, significant budget deficits are inevitable in the future. These deficits undermine our ability to deliver a quality education, good roads, and health care for Minnesotans and is why it’s important for us to exercise caution, especially as federal uncertainty looms with foreign trade wars and the recent Coronavirus outbreak. I’ll continue to support legislative strategies that promote wise budgeting and responsible fiscal management.

Coronavirus Update

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization to monitor the outbreak and share information with local health officials.

MDH has information on their website about their current efforts, which include: Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: February 28, 2020”

Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: February 14, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

The Legislature is back in session! As I returned to the House floor for the start of session, I was once again moved beyond words by the faith that my neighbors have placed in me. I work every day to be worthy of that trust.

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My colleagues and I didn’t waste any time hitting the ground running. On our first day of session, the House prioritized the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which passed yesterday out of the Commerce Committee, where I am vice-chair. Minnesotans deserve access to affordable insulin they rely on to survive. It’s unconscionable that pharmaceutical manufacturers are price-gouging people living with diabetes and I’ll keep fighting to make sure they are held accountable. I voted to advance the bill forward.

Town Hall Meetings and Survey

I hope you can join Speaker Hortman, Senator Hoffman, and me to share your input at one of our town hall meetings this weekend. Democracy works best when it’s accessible to our communities, which is why we are holding one on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Here are the details:

Saturday, February 15 at 10:00-11:30 a.m. at Anoka County Library, 11440 Crooked Lake Boulevard Northwest, Coon Rapids, MN 55433

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Sunday, February 16 at 2:00-3:30 p.m. at Brooklyn Park Library, 8500 West Broadway Avenue, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443

hjkIf you haven’t had a chance to take my 2020 survey, please share your thoughts with me here.

Champlin’s Trout Ice Fishing Contest

I had a blast over the weekend as judge of the first ever Champlin Trout Ice Fishing Contest. A special thank you to Mayor Ryan Karasek for organizing such a great event. It was great talking with everyone, seeing the fish come in, and even watching kids play hockey (though it might have been even more fun to fish!). Congratulations to the winners!

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Stay in Touch

Please continue to reach out with ideas, suggestions, and questions. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome feedback. My phone number at the Capitol is 651-296-5513 and my email address is rep.zack.stephenson@house.mn. Follow me on Facebook for additional updates.

It’s an honor to represent our Champlin and Coon Rapids neighborhoods in St. Paul!

Sincerely,

Zack Stephenson
State Representative

Speaker Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: February 11, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

This email update includes information on upcoming town halls and takes a closer look at the tax bill passed and signed into law in 2019.

Town Hall Meetings on February 15th and 16th

I’m hosting two town hall meetings with Rep. Zack Stephenson and Sen. John Hoffman on February 15th and 16th. Details are below. The Legislative Session starts today — so there is a lot to talk about! We hope you can join us for this early session discussion.

coon rapids town hall
Coon Rapids Town Hall
Saturday, February 15th, 10:00-11:30 am
Crooked Lake Library
11440 Crooked Lake Blvd NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433 Continue reading “Speaker Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: February 11, 2020”

Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: January 28, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Last year’s legislative session ended with a compromise between the DFL-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate, which resulted in a balanced budget that protected Minnesotans’ health care and invested in our schools. With the 2020 legislative session right around the corner, I’m looking forward to building on our bipartisan success and continuing to deliver on our shared values for Champlin and Coon Rapids. The Legislature will return to St. Paul on February 11. I hope you’ll take a moment to take a brief survey to share your input with me ahead of the 2020 session.

You’re Invited

Join me at Champlin City Hall for a discussion about how climate change is impacting Minnesota and what our state government can do about it. I’ll be joined by scientists and policy experts from Fresh Energy, Clean Energy Economy, and Sierra Club. The event is free and open to everyone.

Here are the details: Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: January 28, 2020”

Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: December 11, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

Season’s greetings! I hope this finds you well and enjoying the holiday season with friends and family.<

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Last week, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) released the 2019 November Budget and Economic Forecast, showing a projected balance of $1.332 billion for 2020-2021. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: December 11, 2019”

Rep. Zack Stephenson Update: November 7, 2019

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the cooler weather. It’s been a busy summer and fall.

Here’s an update from the Capitol:

Fighting Back Against Predatory ‘Robo-Calls’

We all have experienced it — the perpetual buzz on our mobile phones from familiar numbers, with a local area code, that are actually “spoof” calls, commonly known as ‘robo-calls.’ These calls aren’t just a nuisance — swindlers also use them to prey on senior citizens, vulnerable adults, and landline phone users, many of whom do not have caller-ID. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson Update: November 7, 2019”

Rep. Stephenson & Lawmakers get Tough on Predatory ‘Robo-Calls’

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, State Representative Zack Stephenson (DFL- Coon Rapids) announced plans to roll out legislation to crack down on invasive and predatory ‘robo-calls’. House Commerce Chair Laurie Halverson (DFL- Eagan) and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley) joined Rep. Stephenson and are committed to advancing his efforts to strengthen consumer protection rights for Minnesotans.

“The explosion of fraudulent robo-calls demands a strong response, which is why I am today proposing the nation’s toughest anti-robo-call legislation,” Rep. Stephenson remarked.

According to the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Minnesotans have received over 387 million robo-calls so far in 2019, which is approximately 58 calls per impacted person. The pernicious nature of these robo-calls is dubbed as “spoofing” technology, which allows telephone calls originating from across the world to show up on a caller ID with a local area code. Eagan Police Chief Roger New reported last month that he expected telephone fraud to result in over $500,000 in losses just in his city. Continue reading “Rep. Stephenson & Lawmakers get Tough on Predatory ‘Robo-Calls’”