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Dear neighbor,
The summer continues to fly by, and I hope you are staying safe and healthy.
This Saturday is Independence Day. The recent events around our country calls on each of us to reflect and consider this moment and where we want to go as a nation. We need to be willing to look at ourselves honestly and not hide from the evil that has been done. Our current systems are fundamentally flawed. The moment calls for all of us to work towards justice and work to repair the world.
Public forum on Promise Act
The House Jobs and Economic Development Finance Committee will hold a public forum today (Tuesday, June 30) at 5:00 pm on the Promise Act -- a comprehensive plan to help businesses rebuild and recover, many of which are BIPOC-owned. The Promise Act also establishes a Civil Unrest Investigatory Commission to conduct a neutral investigation into the government’s response to the unrest, with a public report due by December 15, 2020.
PROMISE stands for Providing Resources, Opportunity and Maximizing Investments in Striving Entrepreneurs. The Minnesota House approved the Promise Act during the June special session. It’s inspired by what legislators saw and heard from community members and business owners during tours of property damage in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Details
When: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 5:00-7:00 pm
Where: Plaza Verde - Ballroom
1516 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
*This is not an official hearing, and no action will be taken on the legislation.
Senate Republicans announce political “oversight” hearings
Unlike the neutral investigation that House Democrats proposed as part of the Promise Act, Senate Republicans recently announced partisan hearings into the civil unrest that followed George Floyd’s murder.
We know Senate Republicans have been working from the start with Bob Kroll of the Minneapolis Police Federation and his allies to preserve the status quo for public safety. The forthcoming hearings they plan to hold will have zero credibility because they were organized without the input of any DFL Senator, including POCI Caucus members.
It’s clear that Senate Republicans are focused on throwing red meat to their base on FOX News instead of working with us to create a system of public safety where everyone can be safe, no exceptions. I’ll have more to say later this week when the Senate holds its first hearing.
New Laws
A number of new laws go into effect on July 1, including the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act. Minnesotans shouldn’t lose their lives because they can’t afford the insulin they need to survive.
Beginning July 1, 2020 the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act will allow diabetics with less than a seven-day supply of insulin readily available, and who need the drug “in order to avoid the likelihood of suffering significant health consequences,” to pay no more than $35 to get a 30-day supply from a pharmacy. Through the longer-term program, someone can receive up to a 90-day supply of insulin from manufacturers. Insulin is provided on an ongoing basis for the 12-month eligibility period and eligibility for the program may be renewed. More information will be available here.
You can find the full list of new laws here.
Contact me
My office will continue to be a resource to find answers to your questions and provide updates about police reform, racial justice, COVID-19, and any upcoming special session. Please reach out if I can be of assistance and consider sharing this email with your neighbor or relatives. If you know of anyone who would appreciate these updates, please let them know they can subscribe to my email list here.
House staff are tele-commuting in order to comply with public health guidance, so if you call my office at 651-296-7026, please be prepared to leave a voicemail message. You can also send an email to rep.ryan.winkler@house.mn.
Despite receiving a high volume of communication in recent days, I will respond to your messages as soon as possible. Thank you for all you are doing to care for your neighbors during these extremely challenging times.
Sincerely,
Rep. Ryan Winkler
House Majority Leader
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