Dear Neighbors, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. I spent the day thankful for my family, friends, and for serving you in the legislature! Our chilly weather is a reminder of the importance of reliable heating and electricity. I want to remind you about the Energy Assistance Program to help pay energy bills for eligible Minnesotans. This program is free and provides benefits up to $1,400, with additional support to respond to emergencies. Both renters and homeowners can qualify, and eligibility is based on income and household size. This program is federally funded and administered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. You can access the application materials here. Capital Investment Committee VisitI recently welcomed the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee to tour Aldrich Arena in Maplewood as part of the committee’s St. Paul/Ramsey County Tour to view projects for possible inclusion in the 2024 bonding bill. The committee heard a presentation to transform the arena into a multi-purpose facility including improved lighting, upgraded energy efficiency, expanded accessibility, and more. Renovating Aldrich Arena will ensure it is much more versatile for use by the community and region. The request includes $12 million for design, construction, and other costs to build and run the facility.  Discussing our Water ResourcesI recently was invited to tour the MarineMax boat store in Rogers, Minnesota. As a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and the Subcommittee on Water Policy, I am always interested to speak with those who work on and near the water. I met with representatives from the National Marine Manufacturers (NMMA), Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA), and MN-FISH. We had a great discussion about boater education and safety, public water accesses, fish hatcheries, invasive carp, and more.  Free COVID testsThis fall, Minnesotans will once again be able to order free rapid-antigen COVID tests through the federal government’s at-home testing program. Each household can order up to four tests to be delivered directly to your home. These tests are intended to be used by the end of this year. For more information or to place your order, you can visit COVIDTests.gov. Stay in TouchDuring the legislative interim, you can subscribe to my occasional legislative updates here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page. If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you would like to share, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can email me at rep.peter.fischer@house.mn.gov or call (651) 296-5363. Sincerely, Peter Fischer |