Dear Neighbors, I hope this finds you well and enjoying the milder weather. The legislative session began last Monday, and the House has hit the ground running. As we continue to live with COVID-19 and recover economically, Minnesotans are still facing a variety of challenges. The House DFL is working with communities across the state to lower health care, childcare and housing costs so families can afford basic essentials like gas and groceries. We’ve already unveiled some of our priorities in the areas of Economic Security, Public Safety, Education, and Climate Action, and many more proposals will move through the committee process. Our divided state legislature has delivered balanced budgets over the past two years, and I look forward to finding compromise with the Senate to help Minnesotans afford their lives. On the first day of session, I announced my renewed bipartisan efforts to reform prescription drug coverage. This would require Minnesota private insurers to offer pre-deductible, copay-only coverage options for prescription drugs on 25 percent of individual and small-group market plans. The Sun Current wrote a story on the legislation, and you can read more here. Workers’ Compensation Extension for First Responders & Healthcare WorkersLast week, the legislature passed an extension of the workers’ compensation presumption, meaning that our first responders and healthcare workers will continue to be covered under workers’ compensation should they contract COVID-19 while keeping us safe. The original measure we passed in 2020 expired at the end of December, so we worked quickly to fast track the extension to cover workers until next January. Our first responders and healthcare providers have put themselves on the front lines of this pandemic since the onset of the virus in Minnesota. We’re still grappling with COVID-19, and we need to continue to have the backs of the Minnesotans who have ours. I was glad to help this measure pass with strong bipartisan support. You can read more about the extension here. |