Updates

The MN Senate adjourned the 2020 legislative session at midnight on Sunday. While this session was anything but normal, I am proud to have served district 42 for another session. While we passed some important and critical legislation this session, we still have more work to do. The bonding bill failed to pass both the House and Senate, leaving projects for district 42, and across the state, unapproved. A special session in June is likely and I look forward to continuing this vital work.

We have now entered the final 2 weeks of the traditional legislative session. I am working hard to ensure we remain focused on health and business as we all move forward. This week a new budget forecast was released and a bill to end child marriage in Minnesota was passed off the Senate floor.  

I also want to take a moment and thank all of the nurses and educators serving our community, it is with your dedication to service that our communities remain healthy and strong. As always, I have included resources you may find useful during this time.

As we approach what would be the end of the legislative session, I am thankful for all of your feedback, letters and kind words. This pandemic has challenged us on many fronts. I remain committed to addressing the many issues that have arisen within the past month. We will continue to work as quickly as possible to address issues that have arisen due to COVID. 

I know these times are difficult, but we will endure this period of uncertainty together, and as your State Senator, I will be working with my colleagues to ensure Minnesota families are taken care of. As always, I have included resources you may find useful during this time. 

The legislature just entered the last 4 weeks of the legislative session, a time that would be busy, passing bills to be sent to conference committee and working towards agreements. COVID-19 has changed the way the legislature is currently operating, but I remain committed to addressing the many issues that have arisen within the past month. We will continue to work as quickly as possible to address issues that have arisen due to COVID. 

We had another busy week at the legislature as the Senate begins to meet for floor session and virtual committee meetings. After more than a year of hard work and negotiation, the Minnesota Legislature passed the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act this week to create an emergency insulin access program and ongoing support programs. I am proud to have voted for this overdue legislation, everyone should have access to the medication they need. 

This week was another active week at the legislature, passing more relief measures in the Senate and House. Legislators passed a bill this week that will ensure health care workers, emergency responders, childcare workers, and other similarly situated critical employees have access to workers’ compensation benefits if they contract COVID-19 while working. The Minnesota Legislature will also next meet in session on April 14 to take up legislation to provide insulin for uninsured Minnesotans with diabetes or those who can’t afford it, in addition to other potential priorities specific to the COVID-19 crisis. 

This week the legislature began a remote COVID-19 Response Working Group to discuss a variety of issues Minnesota is facing due to COVID-19. Governor Walz also signed the COVID-19 relief package into law last week after the Senate and House met. This was an important step to in responding to the needs of workers, health care providers, and families who are facing unprecedented challenges during the pandemic.