Tag: SD37

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: June 3, 2020

Friends and Neighbors,

The death of George Floyd was a tragedy. It was a tragedy not just for his family and friends, who my heart goes out to, but also for our entire state.

Based on what was seen on that video, I am struck by the lack of humanity and compassion shown to a man in his final moments of life, whose earnest pleas were ignored.

The swift dismissal of all four officers involved was necessary but not enough. I fully support the decision to charge former officer Chauvin, and  the other three officers involved. I also support the decision to investigate the Minneapolis Police Department for systemic civil rights abuses by the Department of Human Rights. It’s clear structural reform is needed.

Over the last week, tens of thousands of people have expressed real grief, outrage, and anger by exercising their first amendment rights to protest. I stand firmly with the Minnesotans who are demanding justice. However, we cannot allow this very real outrage to be sullied by the actions of a small minority of people who are only looking to cause havoc or who are coming in from other states to cause destruction.

I support the Governor and his team’s efforts to maintain public safety, while allowing the peaceful right to protest in this challenging time. I especially want to commend the members of the Minnesota National Guard, who have come from across our state to provide safety, to help clean up efforts and to help distribute food and supplies.

The events of the last week have highlighted a very real challenge facing our state. Despite all of our progress in the fight for equality and equity, we still have a ways to go. Disparities in health care, educational opportunities, income, and yes, treatment by law enforcement reveals that the persistence of structural racism exists.

As donations and supplies pour in to our churches, schools, nonprofits, and local businesses, I am proud Minnesotans continue to unite and rally together to help people in need. This effort is highlighting the shared concern we each have for our neighbors and that in difficult times we can come together.

Image

If you have any questions or wish to unsubscribe from this Newsletter please feel free to contact my office at 651-296-2556 or by email at sen.jerry.newton@senate.mn.

Thank you and stay safe,

 

Jerry Newton

State Senator

District 37

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: May 17, 2020

Friends and Neighbors,

I hope everyone is safe and healthy as our state continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. To help slow the spread of the virus and avoid long lines at your polling place like we saw in Wisconsin recently, I strongly encourage voters to request an absentee ballot and vote safely from home. The online absentee ballot request tool is now open! This tool allows registered voters to request that their ballot be sent to them by mail for the August 11 statewide primary and/or the November 3 general election.

The process is simple. You can request an absentee ballot here. The online application will ask for an e-mail address and an identification number, either a Minnesota-issued driver’s license, Minnesota ID card, or last 4 digits of Social Security Number.

You can check your voter registration status online. You can register or update your voter registration online as well.
Also, as the 2020 session comes to an end tomorrow, I am hopeful that a robust bonding bill can still get across the finish line. Such a bill could bring many great things to our area: Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: May 17, 2020”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: May 6, 2020

Friends and Neighbors,

As you all have probably heard, Governor Walz extended the stay at home order last week to May 18th, but allowed some retail & businesses to reopen with certain criteria. I would just like to thank all of you for observing the stay at home order and helping reduce new cases of the Coronavirus. As we face this unprecedented challenge, here are some resources available for to support you.

Safety at Home: Stay at Home should never mean you have to stay somewhere unsafe. There are places of sanctuary open for anyone facing abuse or violence. Please call Minnesota’s statewide crisis hotline – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – at 1-866-223-1111 or text 612-399-9995.

Unemployment Support: Minnesota is one of the first states in the nation to implement both the $600 per week additional compensation and the 13 week extension of benefits available under the CARES Act. Find these and answers to other unemployment questions here. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: May 6, 2020”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: April 17, 2020

Minnesota Outdoor Activities Opening

The Governor issued a few Executive Orders (EO) today, one of which pertains to outdoor activities, EO 20-38. These outdoor areas will still be subject to Center for Disease Control and Minnesota Department of Health guidelines. The additional outdoor activities opening include:

• State parks and recreational areas
• Water access points
• Marinas and dock services
• Golf courses and driving ranges
• Off highway vehicle trails
• Lake service providers
• Bait shops
• Outdoor shooting ranges and game farms

A full list of the Governor’s executive orders can be found here. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: April 17, 2020”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: April 3, 2020

Friends and Neighbors,

Your participation in the 2020 Census is greatly needed this year. The end count will guide the distribution of billions of dollars to Minnesota communities across the state, determine the number of elected representatives Minnesota receives, and it will provide necessary data to Minnesota policymakers to help them make legislative decisions. We can lose out on as much as $28,000 per Minnesotan in federal funding if we under-count.

As of April 1, the U.S. Census Bureau will have contacted every household in the country, whether by sending a letter by mail or hand-delivering a census packet. It’s part of a once-a-decade tradition of counting every person living here. Minnesota currently leads the nation in responses, so let’s keep it up!

It’s been 10 years since we’ve done one of these, so it’s time for a reminder: What is the census, and why is it so important? For more information, visit https://mn.gov/admin/2020-census/. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: April 3, 2020”

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: March 24, 2020

Friends and Neighbors,

I ran into some of you while out walking yesterday evening and, keeping a respectable social distance of 6 feet, fielded some of your questions about what we are doing and not doing in the legislature. I said that even though we are not physically meeting in session, we are getting a lot done through teleconferencing, group e-mails, and one-on-one phone calls and e-mails. In fact we are extremely busy laying solid legislative groundwork and once we achieve a degree of consensus, we will be called to Saint Paul to meet in committees and on the Senate/House floor.

For example, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Larry Herke, called me at home Sunday afternoon from his office in Saint Paul to bring me up to date on what is happening at the Minnesota Veteran’s Homes, veteran’s cemeteries, relations with the Minneapolis VA and, specifically, Governor Walz’s proposed revised veteran’s budget. As the DFL Lead on the Senate Veterans Committee, I am regularly called and visited by the Commissioner and his very capable staff. After hanging up, the Commissioner and I almost immediately exchanged e-mails to further clarify his call. Shortly after that I received an e-mail from the Commissioner’s Legislative Liaison scheduling a conference call for Monday to lay out the Governor’s funding request for an additional $6.2 million to help Minnesota veterans and survivors of veterans who are now struggling or will struggle to make ends meet as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: March 24, 2020”

Governor Walz Signs Executive Order to Protect Veterans Homes Residents

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – In response to the growing threat posed by the COVID-19 virus to Minnesotans, Governor Walz signed an executive order allowing Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Larry Herke to place restrictions on visitation of the veterans at Minnesota’s VeteransHomes. Senator Jerry Newton (DFL-Coon Rapids), DFL lead on the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee, supports the measures and their aim to protect vulnerable veterans.

“As the state responds to the unique challenges of COVID-19, we must ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the health of the hundreds of veterans in our state’s veterans’ homes,” said Senator Jerry Newton. “While these updated guidelines restrict in-person visits, the Department of Veterans Affairs will do everything in its power to balance the safety of residents and staff while finding new alternatives that will allow friends, family, and fellow veterans to connect and stay in touch.”

The restrictions ban in-person visits and instructs the Commissioner to find ways to replace visits with phone calls, video conferencing, or other methods of communicating with friends, family, and other would-be visitors. The ban does not apply in end-of-life situations and to state and federal nursing home regulatory authorities when requesting access to Minnesota Veterans Homes. Furthermore, there will be no admittance of new residents, or entry by employees, volunteers, or others without screening for signs or symptoms of COVID-19. These restrictions go into effect immediately and will remain in effect until further notice.

A copy of the executive order can be found here: https://mn.gov/governor/assets/2020_03_16_EO_20-03_MDVA_tcm1055-423381.pdf.

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: March 6, 2020

Minneapolis Veterans Home Tour

Image

Last week I had the privilege to tour the Minneapolis Veterans Home. The tour focused on the urgent need to rehabilitate building 6, which would provide up to 39 new spaces for Minnesota’s veterans in need of a home.

Approximately 800 Minnesota veterans are on a waiting list to get into The Minneapolis Veterans Home. The total request of $13.5 million would rehabilitate the building, creating a dormitory including 39 rooms for veterans. If the state funding were secured, an additional $27 million in federal funds could be unlocked to make other repairs and modernize the building. While the proposal was not included in the Governor’s initial bonding bill, I will continue to advocate for its inclusion either through bonding or general fund dollars. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37) Update: March 6, 2020”

Senator Newton Tours Minneapolis Veterans Home

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Senator Jerry Newton (DFL-Coon Rapids), DFL lead on the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee, toured the Minneapolis Veterans Home Friday. The tour focused on the urgent need to rehabilitate building 6, which would provide up to 39 new spaces for Minnesota’s veterans in need of a home.

“One of our most important responsibilities and obligations that we need to honor is taking care of our veterans and making sure they have a place to live and be supported,” said Senator Newton. “Too many veterans are on a waiting list for stable housing while at the same time we have a building sitting vacant. With some one-time funding, we could rehabilitate this building and give dozens of veterans a community to live in with access to the services and care they need and have earned.”

Currently, approximately 800 Minnesota veterans are on a waiting list to get into The Minneapolis Veterans Home. The total request of $13.5 million would rehabilitate the building, creating a dormitory including 39 rooms for veterans. If the state funding were secured, an additional $27 million in federal funds could be unlocked to make other repairs and modernize the building. While the proposal was not included in the Governor’s initial bonding bill, Senator Newton will continue to advocate for its inclusion either through bonding or general fund dollars.

“The Twin Cities area has the largest population of veterans seeking admittance to a veteran’s home, and we cannot forget where the greatest need is and how we can best serve the most significant number of veterans,” said Senator Newton.

Senator Newton was joined on the tour by Representative Rob Ecklund (DFL-International Falls), Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Herke, and Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Administrator Thomas Paul. 

About Senator Jerry Newton

Jerry Newton is a state senator who represents Blaine, Coon Rapids, and Spring Lake Park. He is the Ranking Member of the Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee and a member of the following committees: Family Care and Aging; and Higher Education Finance and Policy. Sen. Newton is also a member of the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission and the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. A high-resolution photo of Sen. Newton is available for download here.

 

Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37): Back to Work for the 2020 Legislative Session

The 2020 Legislative Session began on Tuesday, February 11, and the Capitol is once again full as we get back to work. We have a lot to do before our adjournment on May 18, and we do not have time to waste. I wanted to give you a brief preview of what we can expect this year, as well as my priorities for the upcoming session.

The major focus for this year is on passing a capital investment bill, or more commonly called bonding bill. This bill would invest in state assets and infrastructure. Approximately $5 billion in requests have been made from communities, state agencies and colleges and universities for this state funding. I have introduced several bonding requests for our area, including repairs for Anoka-Ramsey Community College, safety improvements for Highways 10, 47, and 65, upgrades at the National Sports Center, creating an emergency operations center in Blaine, building a Police and Fire training facility, and funding for the Mighty Ducks Grant Program to replace coolant systems for ice rinks throughout the state.

I’m also carrying the bonding requests for two projects in Blaine that will help Minnesota’s first responders. The first is funding for a Greater Twin Cities Regional Public Safety Training Facility, that will provide state of the art training opportunity for police and firefighters. The second is a new State Emergency Operations Center, which can serve as a centralized location for responding to emergency and disaster situations in the state. Continue reading “Sen. Jerry Newton (SD37): Back to Work for the 2020 Legislative Session”