Legislative Update - February 4, 2022

Dear neighbors,  

The 2022 legislative session is officially underway. My colleagues and I are attending public hearings, connecting with Minnesotans, and working hard on new legislation.  

We passed our first bill off the House floor yesterday. I was proud to vote for HF 1203, a bill that extends the COVID-19 presumption for workers’ compensation. Under this legislation, front line workers – including first responders, nurses, firefighters, and health care workers – who contract COVID-19 are covered by workers’ compensation. Without it, they could be on the hook for thousands of dollars. 

Examining Reports from State Agencies 

As chair of the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, I’ve received several reports from state agencies this week. One of the notable reports outlines what the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Board of Animal Health have done to address chronic wasting disease (CWD), the fatal neurological disorder that impacts deer and similar species. The report also contains recommendations from the DNR. The agency is recommending stronger regulations for deer farms, a common source of CWD, and other measures to protect Minnesota’s wild deer population. 

You can find the full report here. The Star Tribune also published an article about this report, which you can read here. I think we should have more fundamental reform to protect the wild deer herd. 

Introducing New Legislation

I’ve introduced a couple of new bills over the last three days, including:  

• HF 3131, which would help improve safety on Lafayette Bridge.  
• HF 3103, which provides funding for water main looping and a pressure reduction system for the City of Mendota.  
• HF 3052, which increases aid for the City of West St. Paul.  
• HF 2957, which invests in the historic Oheyawahe/Pilot Knob site in Mendota Heights.  

A list of all the bills I’ve authored this biennium is available here.  

Please reach out if you have any questions about my work or if I can be of assistance. You can contact me by email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn or call (651) 296-6828.  

Sincerely,  

Rick Hansen  
State Representative