Legislative Update- April 2, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

It’s hard to believe April is already here. The start of the month is a good reminder that the 2020 Census is underway! By now, Minnesotans should have received an invitation in the mail with instructions on how to respond to the census. Counting everyone accurately is critical to ensuring our state gets our fair share of federal investments in health care, public safety, education, and billions of dollars in other important resources. Estimates from our state demographer show that for every Minnesotan that does not get counted, we lose $28,000 per person in federal funding over a 10-year period.

Census.gov has put together a fun, interactive map to track the daily progress of response rates in every state and U.S. territory. Minnesota is currently tied with Wisconsin at 46.4%, which is unacceptable. Let’s make sure we are all counted so our state gets the federal resources we deserve. Visit my2020Census.gov to complete the short questionnaire.

Child Care Grant Application Process Open

Governor Walz this week announced that the application process for emergency grants for child care providers is open. This funding was a part of the comprehensive COVID-19 emergency package of bills we passed last week.

There are approximately 420,000 children under the age of 12 who live in a household of an essential worker within a critical sector. Of these, the state estimates that during this peacetime emergency, about 270,000 children will need care and approximately 120,000 are likely to need and use licensed child care settings. Visit this webpage to learn more about grant availability.

Reminder: Facebook Live Town Hall

A friendly reminder that I’ll be hosting a Facebook Live Town Hall meeting this Saturday, April 4 at 12:00 p.m. As we adjust to this new, but temporary normal, I’m grateful for this ability to connect with you remotely to provide updates from the legislature and answer any questions you may have. If you have a question, please feel free to submit it in advance at rep.kelly.morrison@house.mn.

Governor Walz’s State of the State Address

Governor Walz will give his annual State of the State address on this Sunday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. from the Governor's Residence. The address will be streamed live and can be accessed on Facebook, YouTube, and local television stations.  

Keep in Touch

Please continue to reach out if you need any assistance or have any questions. I can be reached at 651-296-4315 or by email at rep.kelly.morrison@house.mn.

It’s an honor to serve our communities at the state legislature!

Have a great rest of the week.

Take good care,

Kelly