Dear Friends,
The week at the Capitol began with news that the Governor Walz administration is moving forward with a controversial proposal that will place Minnesota at the whims of a California board and ultimately raise the price of new vehicles across the state.
CALIFORNIA CARS MANDATE WILL DRIVE UP VEHICLE PRICES IN MINNESOTA
Instead of going through the normal process of working with the legislature, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is planning to bypass the legislature and implement the California Cars Mandate through an administrative rule. It kicked off the process by holding its first public hearing on the topic this week.
The California Cars Mandate will give California the power to dictate what Minnesota does by making our state subject to the actions of a California air quality board. It will force Minnesota auto dealers to carry certain vehicles on their lots, regardless of whether demand for those vehicles exists. Not only will this limit consumer choice on the vehicles Minnesotans prefer and choose to buy, but the mandate will also increase the cost of all new vehicles by $1,000 or more.
We should always be looking at common sense proposals that lessen pollution while being smart for the consumer. Unfortunately, putting an unelected California board in charge of Minnesota's automobile policies accomplishes neither of these priorities.
This will also have dramatic negative impacts on border car dealerships like ours in southern Minnesota, where the customer can simply drive to Iowa and save hundreds if not thousands of dollars on the same car. If the Walz administration moves forward with the adoption of the California Cars Mandate as expected, it will be yet another example of one-person rule in the State of Minnesota.
If you wish to submit public comments, you can attend and speak up at one of the planned virtual hearings, or you can submit links via the Office of Administrative Hearings Website. Click here for more information.
COVID-19 VACCINES - WHERE TO SIGN UP
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has been under scrutiny for the slow and confusing rollout of the more than 500,000 vaccine doses that have been delivered by the federal government. In mid-January, Minnesota ranked last in the Midwest in total percent of our supply used, and last in the Midwest for doses administered per 100 people. Data showed that North Dakota had administered 71% of the doses received, while Minnesota had used only 34% of its available supply.
MDH needs to get this right. I appreciate that they have responded by opening up the availability of the vaccine to include all Minnesotans over the age of 65 and starting a new community COVID-19 vaccine program at nine locations in Minnesota - including Rochester and North Mankato - that will help with vaccinations.
Unfortunately, the state's online portal for scheduling the vaccination appointments crashed and many applications were dropped. Hopefully, these problems will be fixed soon, as Minnesotans need these vaccines and cannot afford these delays.
If you're interested in trying to make an appointment, visitmn.gov/vaccine or by calling 612-426-7230 or toll free, 1-833-431-2053. Minnesotans should attempt to make an appointment online before dialing the call center. Minnesotans who cannot immediately make an appointment may be able to sign up for a waitlist.
Appointments are available only one week in advance and will refresh every Tuesday at noon. (This also needs to be fixed. Other states, such as Arizona where the vaccine rollout is going much more smoothly, allow their residents to schedule out more than a week at a time.) Minnesotans will have the opportunity to schedule appointments for both their first and second doses of vaccine at that time.
Minnesotans want and deserve a prompt and transparent distribution of vaccines. I will continue to monitor the Department of Health's vaccine rollout and keep you informed with updates as soon as that information becomes available to me.
Have a good weekend!
Peggy