Tag: Zack Stephenson

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this email finds you well on this last official day of winter. Committee deadlines are upon us at the legislature, which help legislators narrow the focus on which priority bills will continue to move forward.

The pace hasn’t slowed, and our work continues. Read more news from the Capitol below:

Vaccine Update

This week, Minnesota surpassed 2 million vaccines. Overall, the pace of vaccine distribution continues to increase. While it took more than two months for the state to administer the first million doses, it took less than one month to administer the second million doses. If you haven’t done so yet, please sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector to be connected with vaccine opportunities when you are eligible. In some cases, your employer will have more information on vaccine availability, and it’s a good idea to be in touch with your health care provider too.

Dear Neighbors,

Thanks in large part to the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine, we’re ahead of schedule in our vaccination timeline, allowing more Minnesotans to become eligible to get their shot this week. 

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you had a nice week.

Our state received more positive news on the COVID-19 vaccine front this week with the arrival of 45,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. I’m grateful we’re seeing this significant development and it makes me hopeful we’re approaching the end of the pandemic. If you haven’t done so yet, I encourage you to sign up for Minnesota’s Vaccine Connector, which will notify you when you’re eligible and connect you with vaccination opportunities.

The pace of vaccination continues to speed up. Minnesota now ranks third in the nation for vaccination! In addition, 58% of Minnesotans over the age of 65 have received at least their first dose. I am pleased with this progress, but will continue to push for fast action.

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the milder temperatures.

Twice each year, near the end of November and February, Minnesota Management & Budget (MMB) produces an economic budget ‘forecast’ for current and future bienniums. The announcement today shows there is no longer an anticipated shortfall; the projected positive balance is due to higher revenue forecast, lower state spending, and an increased balance for the current fiscal year.

It’s important to note that this is a projection; Minnesota’s forecast does not take into consideration future rates of inflation. Now more than ever, it’s going to be important we make sure we’re protecting prudent investments that put us on a strong road to recovery post-pandemic. I’ll have this in mind as we work on a bipartisan level to balance our state’s budget.

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you had a nice week. With the cold snap lifting, I hope you have a chance to enjoy some milder temps this weekend.

Here’s an update from the Capitol:

New COVID-19 Caonnector 

A new tool is available to help Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 Vaccine Connector will let you know when you’re eligible to receive a vaccine, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and notify you if there are vaccine opportunities in your area. Signing up for the Vaccine Connector is free and easy, and you don’t need insurance or identification. You can sign up and learn more here. People unable to sign up online can have family or friends help them sign up online, or call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone.

Dear Neighbors,

As of today, 617,896 Minnesotans have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 189,902 completing the series.

The Minnesota Department of Health indicated that Minnesota received almost 84,000 doses of the vaccine from the federal government this week. These will be divided up between our health care systems (39,800 doses), the Community Vaccination Program (7,000 doses), education and child care workers (10,000 doses), pharmacy partners (4,200 doses), local public health to finish Phase 1a (nearly 15,000 doses), tribal nations (3,000 doses), and the Department of Human Services for group homes (5,000 doses). More information is available on the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard.

Dear Neighbors,

Another week is nearly behind us. Our work continues at the Minnesota House and we’ve been focusing on delivering support to families, workers, and businessesacross the state.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the legislation and proposals moving through the Legislature:

Small Business Tax Support

A week ago, we passed a bipartisan bill that holds 2021 Unemployment Insurance experience ratings constant. Without this legislation, small businesses would face massive increases in their Unemployment Insurance taxes due to the significant number of layoffs that occurred during the pandemic. Governor Walz signed the bill into law on Friday. Although there’s more work for the legislature to do to help our small businesses, I’m glad we took this necessary and significant step forward to ensure our businesses are held harmless as they prepare for the 2021 tax season.