Tag: Zack Stephenson

Dear Neighbors,

It’s been a busy week at the Capitol. Committees continue to hold remote public hearings on various support measures to help Minnesotans get through the pandemic.

Our Minnesota restaurants have especially been hit hard during the pandemic and have been struggling to hang on for nearly a year. As Chair of the House Commerce Committee, my top priority is the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring that our businesses, and our small businesses in particular, survive the pandemic and recover quickly once it is over.  To that end, our House Commerce Committee advanced legislation this week that would ensure our restaurants can protect more of the profits they need to stay afloat, while also safeguarding workers’ wages. The bill caps fees at 15% for our restaurants who partner with third-party food services like, Uber Eats, Door Dash, and Grub Hub.

Gov. Walz Announces COVID-19 Recovery Budget 

Governor Walz released his budget proposal for the next two years Tuesday. The proposed COVID-19 Recovery Budget focuses on supporting working families, ensuring students catch up on learning, and delivering small businesses vital assistance while driving Minnesota’s economic recovery.

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you’ve had a safe and enjoyable week. Committee work is underway and we’ve hit the ground running in the House.

Our primary focus continues to be working with the Senate on bipartisan COVID-19 support strategies for our families, workers, students, and businesses.

Last week, my House colleagues and I announced a legislative package to deliver additional assistance to Minnesotans now, so we’re able to bounce back quickly post-pandemic. Highlights of the plan include: additional investments to broadband infrastructure, so our businesses and schools have access to a stable and reliable internet connection; education support that aims to reverse learning loss for students who have been receiving their education via hybrid or distance learning; and partnering with the federal government to expedite the COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration in Minnesota.

Dear Neighbors,

Approximately 146,901 Minnesotans have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 29,684 in Hennepin County and 6,294 in Anoka County. As you may have heard or seen in the news, the vaccine is being administered in phases. Health care workers and long term care residents will be the first to receive it, followed by essential workers, those 65 or older, and those with underlying health conditions.

It’s estimated that more than 50 percent of the vaccines produced have been held back by the federal government. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that they would grant a request from Governor Walz and eight other governors to release millions of these critically-needed vaccines. If you’d like to stay updated throughout the vaccine distribution process, Minnesota’s new Vaccine Data Dashboard is a great resource.

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday’s rioting at our nation’s capital was a heartbreaking day for our country. Violence is never the answer, and the peaceful transfer of power and governance of our nation- the very foundation of our democracy- must continue. We have work to do for the state of Minnesota, and I am committed to ensuring our legislative session can function respectfully and safely. Session got underway in Minnesota on Tuesday and I am humbled to have been sworn in for another two year-term representing our Champlin and Coon Rapids communities.

Although we continue to operate remotely in the Minnesota House in accordance with public health guidelines, it’s critical we ensure openness and transparency for the public. I’m pleased to share that the House has expanded the number of simultaneous committees it can webcast live from a maximum of two to five, so you can tune in and stay up to date on issues moving through committees from the comfort of your home or office. 

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday House Speaker Melissa Hortman announced committee structure and chairs who lead on various issues such as housing, public safety, health and human services, etc. I’m pleased to share I’ve been appointed to serve as chair of the House Commerce Committee for the next legislative session. Between helping small businesses survive COVID-19, driving down the price of prescription drugs, and protecting Minnesota’s consumers, we’ll have our work cut out for us.

Over the last two years, the House Commerce Committee advanced the legislation that established the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin program, which ensures access to insulin for diabetics who can’t afford it. The Committee also fought for net neutrality (which I authored), to end predatory lending by putting an interest rate cap on payday loans, and to protect access to health care. 

Full committee membership will be announced later this month.

Dear Neighbors,

Legislators reconvened Monday for the second special session to begin another round of negotiations and compromise on additional COVID-19 relief measures, criminal justice and public safety reform, and a jobs and local projects or “bonding” bill. I am pleased to share many of our community’s priorities have been included in an agreed upon bill with the Senate, including Mississippi Point Park, CR Recycling, and Anoka-Ramsey Community College in the agreement. The House minority has yet to come to the table on this reasonable and modest plan to fix our public infrastructure across the state, and I hope they will join us as we work together with the governor to find common ground on these important issues.

Hire a Veteran Month

The governor has declared July “Hire A Veteran Month” in Minnesota to bring awareness to the extensive skills our veterans bring to the workplace – and to encourage employers to hire veterans not only this month, but throughout the year. About 308,000 veterans live in our state and 153,000 of them are of working age. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: July 16, 2020”

Dear Neighbors,

Governor Walz has called the Legislature back for a special session, beginning on Monday.

A top priority for me continues to be delivering a bipartisan jobs and local projects or “bonding” bill, that fixes crumbling or incomplete public infrastructure. Coon Rapids and Champlin are in need of many dire improvements to various local projects in our area, including an expansion of Mississippi Point Park, the Mississippi Crossings redevelopment, the Coon Rapids Recycling Center, and making critical road fixes to improve traffic on Highway 10. With the recent news of Anoka-Ramsey Community College preparing to reopen in the fall, now more than ever, they’ll need assistance repairing and expanding their lab and classroom spaces for the nursing department. This is another bonding project I’ve authored for our communities.

A special session requires a renewed commitment to work together to get the job done. Last year we balanced our state budget as one of the only divided state legislatures in the country. I am optimistic we can find common ground with the Senate to help the people of Minnesota in these challenging times of a global pandemic. Continue reading “Rep. Zack Stephenson (HD36A) Update: July 10, 2020”