Senate DFL 2 , CD3 DFL

Senate DFL Week in : March 19, 2021

Proving a clean future
and everything happening in the Legislature this week

DFLers are committed to providing a clean future

Climate scientists are only giving us 10 years to make true systematic changes to counteract the dangerous effects of climate change. To do their part the Senate DFL is prioritizing making investments in a green economy within Minnesota to protect the things that make Minnesota a great place to live. Read more >>

Governor Walz releases revisions to the budget proposal

Governor Tim Walz released revisions to his budget proposal following a significant change in the state’s fiscal outlook in the February 2021 budget forecast. Governor Walz released an initial budget proposal on January 26, based upon the November budget forecast projection of a $1.3 billion budget shortfall. Read more >>

Senate DFL Week in Review: March 12, 2021

Investing in our schools and students
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

Investing in our schools and students

Senate DFLers held a press conference this week to highlight the need of fully investing in our students and schools so that our education system supports all students, regardless of their race, zip code, or economic status. In a year when so many are recovering from the effects of COVID-19, we need to not only invest in our current system but improve it for the better. Read more >>

DFLers push to include workers, students in business tax relief bill

The Senate passed bipartisan legislation Thursday to match the federal government’s tax-exclusion for forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans received by businesses in 2020. About 102,400 businesses received $11.3 billion worth of loans in Minnesota. Typically, forgiven loans are taxable at the state and federal level, but Congress made special exceptions last year. Read more >>

Senate DFL Week in Review: September 19, 2021

Senate DFL announces 2021 legislative priorities

As the most diverse caucus in the history of the Minnesota Senate, Senate DFLers offer a vision for a better Minnesota with priorities that will improve people’s lives and protect their fundamental rights. This week, members of the Senate DFL held a press conference to announce their priorities for the 2021 legislative session. Their goal is to be committed to work together to build the state all Minnesotans deserve. Read more >>

Minnesota launches the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector

A new tool launched this week will help Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine. Current eligibility for vaccines is still limited to Minnesotans over 65, health care workers, long-term care residents, childcare, and K-12 personnel, but the Vaccine Connector will be a helpful way to notify other Minnesotans once it’s their turn to get a shot and connect them to resources to schedule an appointment. Read more >>

Bill to reopen schools provides no resources to help with pandemic

Legislation passed this week in the Minnesota Senate that would prohibit future governor’s from directly safeguarding schools and students during peacetime emergencies. The bill provides no re-opening plans or resources for districts to use to keep students and staff safe. Although there have been seven special sessions in 2020, no hearings were held on school re-openings or other plans to help school districts with pandemic protocols or procedures. Read more >>

Senate DFL Week in Review: February 12, 2021

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

Senate DFL members hold press conference calling on Senate to pass SR 21

A violent attack took place on January 6of this year at the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C. leading to five deaths and over 50 injuries. This attack took place during the process of final certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election and represented a direct attack on American democracy. Read more >>

DFLers prepare to ensure Minnesotans’ safety

Extraordinary events across the nation over the last year have highlighted the reality that emergency situations can happen anywhere and at any time, often with little notice. The state of Minnesota has a Disaster Contingency Account to help local communities recover from natural disasters and unforeseen circumstances. Read more >>

Senate DFL Week in Review: January 28, 2021

Governor’s budget proposal unveiled
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

Governor Walz announces COVID-19 recovery budget

Minnesota lawmakers are constitutionally required to set a 2022-2023 budget before June 30 this year, and Governor Walz took the first step in this process this week by announcing his budget priorities. The proposal is focused on helping Minnesotans recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by investing in schools and students, businesses, and working families. Read more >>

Senate DFL Week in Review: January 22, 2021

Clean Cars rules
and everything happening in the Legislature this week

Clean Cars rules continue to be topic of discussion in Republican Senate

Senate Republicans held two hearings this week to once again discuss Governor Walz’s proposed Clean Cars rules, despite having held hearings on the topic within the past year. A joint hearing was held by the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee and the Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee, and another hearing on the topic was held later in the week by the Transportation Committee. Read more >>

Minnesota vaccination plans prep for expansion

The Health and Human Services Committee received an update from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on vaccine rollout and the new community pilot program that started this week. Vaccinations in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are moving steadily, either through a federal pharmacy program or in partnership with local vaccinators. Read more >>

Senate DFLWeek in Review: January 15, 2021

Senate DFL encourages Minnesotans to avoid the Capitol

Following the assault on the U.S. Capitol, reports have surfaced of the potential of white nationalist and far-right groups instigating violence at state capitols throughout the country — including at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, over the next few days through the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden. Read more >>

Legislature receives an update on vaccination planning and rollout

This week the Aging and Long-Term Care Policy and Health and Human Services Committees heard updates on Minnesota’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. This week Minnesota has been steadily working through Phase 1a of vaccinations, which includes health care workers and long-term care residents and staff. Read more >>

Minnesota Senate DFL End of Session Review

SPECIAL SESSION #1

Governor Tim Walz extended his peacetime emergency, which fostered the need for a special session that started June 12 and provided the opportunity to pass several important provisions such as police reform and accountability, a robust bonding bill to build a stronger, more equitable economy, and the distribution of millions of dollars in federal assistance to local units of government from the CARES Act.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Capitol on Friday — the Juneteenth celebration of the end of slavery — to demand passage of the House DFL’s criminal justice package. It would add more officer training, boost community-led alternatives to policing, and raise the threshold for using deadly force from “apparent” to “imminent” threats to officers and others. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans didn’t listen to people from the community, the POCI Caucus, or recommendations from the taskforce, and this important legislation did not pass as a result.

Senate Republicans also held up negotiations on a bonding bill – leaving jobs on the table as Minnesotans are facing the economic storm brought on by COVID-19. A bonding bill is an economic development tool that will create thousands of much-needed jobs across the state, put more Minnesotans back to work, boost our economic recovery with shovel-ready projects, protect our state-owned assets, and make sound investments that Minnesota communities are asking for. A Special Session agreement was never reached so a vote never took place on the floor in either body. The chairs in the House and Senate had indicated that they will continue to work together to find an agreement that everyone can support. Continue reading “Minnesota Senate DFL End of Session Review”

Senate DFL: End of Session Review

The 91st legislative session ended on Sunday, May 17, 2020 with the Minnesota Legislature adjourning sine die.

The 2020 legislative session began on February 11 with a positive budget balance of $1.5 billion and a strong economic outlook for Minnesota. By mid-March, the COVID-19 pandemic had completely upended the state’s economic forecast and forced the Legislature to change how it did its work. Virtual committee hearings became the norm, and floor session changed dramatically with social distancing and some members voting remotely. A normal year became laser focused on measures to keep Minnesotans safe and to address the fallout of COVID-19.

With the costs of dealing with the pandemic rising and less revenue coming in for the state, Minnesota’s initial positive budget outlook swung to a $2.4 billion projected budget deficit. The updated May budget outlook confirms what we suspected: COVID-19 has created unprecedented economic disruption. This $4 billion swing in the economy presented a clear contrast on how to respond. Senate DFLers favored direct aid to help families and small businesses to weather this storm through support for housing, health care, education, and economic grants. Senate Republicans instead doubled down on costly tax cuts that would only make a dire situation worse. Continue reading “Senate DFL: End of Session Review”

Senate DFL Week in Review: April 24, 2020

Secure elections during COVID-19
and everything happening in the Legislature this week.

We must keep our elections secure

The Senate DFL Caucus held a virtual press conference this week to highlight the need to protect the integrity of Minnesota’s elections and the safety of Minnesota’s voters. Read more >>

Minnesota soon could have highest COVID-19 testing capacity in nation

This week, state leaders announced a partnership between two entities that have been developing tests – Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota – that will provide testing capacity to health systems across the state. Read more >>

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Clean Cars rulesand everything happening in the Legislature this week

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Clean Cars rules
and everything happening in the Legislature this week