St. Paul, MN - Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed two bills. The first, HF 3429, would allow for the utilization of federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds, and additional measures to ensure Minnesota’s elections remain safe and secure. The second, HF 4415, provides compensation for hourly school employees who have been impacted by school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. State Representative Dan Wolgamott (DFL - St. Cloud), in addition to being a co-author of HF 4415, voted in favor of both bills.
“Today’s votes on the House floor get us one step closer to delivering economic security for our schools’ hourly workers, and election security for our entire state,” said Rep. Wolgamott. “Since 2016, we’ve known that investments in secure elections were going to be essential this year, and COVID-19 has turned this into a public health issue as well. It’s incredibly important that our elections are safe and secure for all involved.”
In addition to improving accessibility and modernizing election security, HF 3429 would better ensure the health and safety of election officials and in-person voters. This includes preparation for increased absentee voting, new polling place locations, the purchase of sanitation and disinfectant supplies, and public outreach for implementing social distancing guidelines related to voting.
“Like many of our frontline workers, the hourly employees at Minnesota’s schools have been crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they deserve economic security no matter what community they serve in our state. As we pass this bill today, I hope the Minnesota Senate can soon do the same.”
HF 4415 also addresses school finance formula glitches resulting from the conversion to the distance learning model. The legislation creates and legislatively approves certain waivers of state law regarding assessments, graduation and course requirements, and potential licensure issues faced by prospective and current teachers.
Video of today’s House floor debate is available here.
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