Dear Neighbors, Legislative action is picking up as we near our first committee deadline next week. Here is an update from the Capitol: Celebrate Juneteenth In State Government committee this week, a bill was heard to make Juneteenth a state holiday. On June 19, 1865, nearly a month after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Union Army announced all slaves in the State of Texas were free and their freedom would be enforced by the Union Army. Texas was, at this point, the last state with institutionalized slavery. At the time there were over 250,000 slaves in Texas. The city of Galveston, where the announcement took place, and other areas around the United States have annually celebrated the Juneteenth holiday on this date since 1865. Indigenous People’s Day A bill to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day was also heard in State Government committee this week. This measure would replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the list of state holidays (the second Monday in October) and requires it be fully recognized by the executive branch of state government. If you’re interested in learning more, here’s a summary video of the hearing. Hometown Heroes Recently, the House passed a bill to update the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program. Our firefighters face alarmingly high incidences of cancer, cardiac issues, and emotional trauma. The new program, which lawmakers enacted last year, provides firefighters access to education, prevention, and care to address cardiac conditions, emotional trauma, or cancer diagnoses. The Hometown Heroes Assistance Program is the most comprehensive in the nation of its kind and provides firefighters with free access to emotional trauma resources, up-to-$20,000 from critical illness insurance policies, and ongoing health and wellness training.  Staffing for Long-Term Care This week, the Minnesota House approved a bill which allows the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish a temporary staffing pool for long-term care facilities and other facilities and programs experiencing an emergency staffing crisis. The bill also allows DHS and the Minnesota Department of Health to reinstate a series of waivers to provide flexibility and remove barriers toward delivering services. We are experiencing a critical workforce shortage in the areas of care where the most vulnerable rely on services. I voted to support our workers in care facilities who need assistance to care for our older loved ones or those with disabilities. COVID-19 Update While many mask mandates have been lifted, it’s still important to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and booster to keep you and your family safe. If you’re not feeling well, get tested. You can still order up to four free COVID tests for your household. Go to this link to order your test kits and many more resources. ________________________ Stay in Touch The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website here. You can stay up to date on our work by subscribing to these legislative updates and “liking” my official Facebook page. For any questions you have on the resources available to our community or our work in the Minnesota House, you can reach me at rep.andrew.carlson@house.mn or leave a voicemail at (651) 296-4218. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Andrew Carlson State Representative |