Dear Neighbors, The legislature has adjourned, as required by the Minnesota constitution. Although final agreements were not reached on our complete supplemental budget, we have made progress on a long list of priorities for Minnesotans across the state. We worked all session to craft legislation to help Minnesotans, including: - Giving bonuses to frontline workers who could not work from home.
- Distributing unprecedented amounts of money to address the opioid crisis.
- Making the largest investment in high-speed broadband internet in state history.
- Funding public health infrastructure to keep people healthy and safe as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.
- Protecting and supporting veterans and Gold Star families.
- Replenishing funding for Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Program, keeping businesses’ unemployment insurance tax rates flat.
- Extending the COVID-19 worker’s comp presumption for first responders, including fire fighters, police officers, paramedics, and more.
- Reducing the cost of health insurance for those who use the individual market.
- Modernizing state liquor laws to support Minnesota’s breweries and distilleries.
- Funding nation-leading ALS research.
- Providing relief to farmers impacted by the 2021 drought and delivering resources to control and contain the avian influenza outbreak.
- Preventing Republicans from infringing on a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.
These are substantive pieces of legislation, but there still much to do to finish our work in education, public safety, transportation, health, human services, climate, environment, long term care, child care and bonding. An agreement on the Taxes bill – reached by House and Senate negotiators – would help thousands of Minnesotans in every community. Our budget is complex. Minnesotans care about what we get done to improve their lives, not how long it takes, but we are close to final agreements on many of our most important issues. I am hopeful we can pass these measures that will improve the lives of all Minnesotans. I look forward to working with all my colleagues on solutions to get this work done. In the end, I have worked with both parties on legislation to reduce costs for families, help workers get ahead, and improve public safety for everyone. Remembering Our Fallen HeroesOn Memorial Day, we remember those who died in active military service. We thank them for their ultimate sacrifice.  COVID-19 UpdateEvery home in the U.S. is now eligible to order a third round of free at-home COVID-19 tests. Click here to place your order. You can also call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489). Also, a reminder Americans over 50 and those 12 years and older who are immunocompromised can receive a second COVID-19 booster shot. More updates about COVID-19 are available through the Minnesota Department of Health website or the U of M Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). Stay in touchThe 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 |