Tag: Speaker Hortman

Minnesota House Leadership Statement on Transit Safety Provisions in the Transportation Policy Bill

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — On May 14, the Minnesota House of Representatives tabled a transportation policy bill that included transit safety provisions. House Speaker Melissa Hortman, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, and Rep. Brad Tabke (DFL – Shakopee) released the following statements:

“Transit safety is important to Minnesotans, and we remain committed to addressing this issue,” said Speaker Hortman. “When we placed the bill on the calendar for today, we believed there was an agreement with Republicans on language to address this issue. We are continuing to work to reach an agreement so this provision will become law.”

“The Minnesota House fully intends to take up transit safety legislation,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “As we near the end of the Legislative Session, we are prioritizing areas where we can reach agreement with the Senate and get critical work done for Minnesotans — including transportation investments and transit safety.”

“This is the time to pass transit safety measures so that when the COVID pandemic ends, Minnesotans will come back to a transit system that is more safe and secure,” said Rep. Brad Tabke. “I remain hopeful we can reach a bipartisan agreement to pass legislation before the end of session to benefit both suburban and metro riders.”

 

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on extended peacetime emergency, new Stay Safe order

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Last night, Governor Walz announced a 30 day extension of the peacetime emergency and that he will allow his Stay at Home order to expire on May 18. The Stay at Home order is being replaced by a new order encouraging Minnesotans to stay close to home but allows for gatherings of friends and family of 10 people or less. Retail businesses will be allowed to resume at 50 percent capacity if they have a social distancing plan, but restaurants, bars, gyms, salons and other venues that attract large crowds will remain closed until June 1.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements: Continue reading “Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on extended peacetime emergency, new Stay Safe order”

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: May 14, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you and your family are continuing to stay safe and healthy as our state continues to weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The Legislative Session will end by May 18th, and I’ll have an update on the end of session soon, but I wanted to let everyone know that the online absentee ballot request tool is now open!

The 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.

To help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect Minnesotans, I strongly encourage voters to request an absentee ballot and vote safely from home. Continue reading “Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: May 14, 2020”

Minnesota House establishes Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, House Speaker Melissa Hortman announced the formation of a Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding. The Select Committee will review the federal and state responses to the COVID19 pandemic to date and will assess policy changes needed moving forward.

“COVID-19 may reshape Minnesota for years to come, and the public policy challenges it presents are enormous,” said Speaker Hortman. “We are forming this Select Committee to take a deep-dive on these policy challenges as we work to respond to this pandemic and to rebuild Minnesota as a better and stronger state.”

The Select Committee will take a closer look at the pandemic’s impact on Minnesotans, what the state and federal government have done so far to respond, and possible future responses, including ensuring workplace safety and protecting workers’ rights, and broader societal changes — for example, ways education might be changed in the fall due to COVID-19. Continue reading “Minnesota House establishes Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding”

Minnesota House expected to ratify state employee contracts

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to ratify state employee contracts. Approximately 50,000 state employees are covered under these contracts, and the contracts are currently in effect.

“Our state employees provide essential services for the people of Minnesota — including critical work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “The Legislature should ratify these contracts, which were negotiated in good faith and that have been in place for months. The Legislature gets an up or down vote, and does not have a role in negotiating different terms. A no vote or a failure to act by the House and Senate means pay cuts and chaos for state employee health insurance benefits. There will be a time to deal with the state budget deficit in the future, and decisions may be made that impact future state employee contracts. State employees and the Administration have fairly negotiated these contracts, and they should be approved.”

“We owe it to those who keep our state running — including during a pandemic — to follow through on our promises to them and their families,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “During this economic crisis, we should protect these essential services and the basic economic security of the people we’re asking to step in to serve all of us.” Continue reading “Minnesota House expected to ratify state employee contracts”

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’”

Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: May 9, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

The pace continues to pick up as we near the end of the 2020 Legislative Session. The House passed several important pieces of legislation this week, including a strong economic security package to assist Minnesotans during the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy.

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. COVID-19 and social distancing make it harder to connect with the people we love, but it’s also given us time to reflect on the relationships we treasure most — especially our family members. Thank you to all of our moms for all you do, and I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day.

Here’s a quick update on Minnesota’s ongoing response to COVID-19. Continue reading “Rep. Melissa Hortman (HD36B) Update: May 9, 2020”

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”

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on budget projection

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, Minnesota Management and Budget released an updated budget projection showing a projected $2.426 billion deficit in the current biennium. Minnesota currently has $350 million in the state’s cash flow account and $2.359 billion in the budget reserves. House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Ryan Winkler released the following statements:

“While we expected the state’s financial picture to worsen, I am relieved that the size of the projected deficit was not larger,” said Speaker Hortman. “Thanks to prudent financial management of the state’s resources by the executive and legislative branches over the past decade, Minnesota has enough resources in the budget reserve and the cash flow accounts to weather the downturn. I’m pleased Minnesota has received $1.87 billion in federal aid, which allows us to take measures to provide economic security to Minnesotans to help them get through the COVID-19 downturn. Investments are needed to make Minnesotans secure in their housing, help small businesses, facilitate distance learning and telemedicine, and to ensure we have the workforce we need to provide care for the elderly and people with disabilities. The federal assistance allows us to make these needed investments, while our state’s savings will cover our expected dip in revenue.”

“Minnesota has the resources we need to address this crisis; we just need the will to act,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “We must stay the course to reduce the impact of COVID-19, save lives, and help Minnesotans get through the storm. 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.”