Legislative Update- May 1, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

Once again thank you for showing neighbors the true meaning of community. It’s hard to believe we’ve wrapped up April and are less than three weeks away from our constitutionally required date to adjourn session on May 18. In the House, we continue our work on bridging gaps and disparities that are creating unique challenges for Minnesotans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We all agree that our new normal will look very different than it did at this time last year and that a solid plan to reopen business must be thoughtful, reasonable and safe to move forward.

Governor Walz set the first step to reopen in motion this past week to allow 80,000-100,000 workers in office, manufacturing, and non-customer facing businesses back to work on a voluntary basis based on plans that put workers' safety first. He also announced that starting on Monday, retail businesses and other non-critical businesses may begin offering curbside pick-up and delivery.

Yesterday, the governor announced an extension of his Stay at Home Executive Order, asking Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes until May 18. Additionally, he’s encouraging Minnesotans to use a mask when outside of the house in public spaces to do what Minnesotans do best: practice selfless ways to protect their neighbors and care for their communities. We are all in this together.

We’re on track to reopen with a common sense phased approach that places safety first and doesn’t roll back the tremendous progress we have made in slowing the spread of COVID-19. The governor laid out a logical and balanced road map outlining the path as the virus is contained, our healthcare capacity is stable, and our everyday heroes on the front lines are well-equipped with personal protective equipment.

Legislative Work

We continue to hold remote public hearings in the House. Next week, I will be presenting a bill in the Government Operations Committee that strengthens our state IT system to best serve all of our neighbors. With thousands of Minnesotans accessing our agency websites to seek help with COVID-19 resources, like unemployment, it’s crucial our online state infrastructure is secured, and your information is protected.

I am proud to be the author of another bill which passed out of committee this week and is headed to the House floor for a full vote. As this pandemic continues to unfold, staffing has been short in hospitals and critical care settings. In Minnesota we are blessed to have a deep bench of highly trained, healthcare workers with experience in areas like Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care, ICU and critical care. These folks are either currently working part-time, or willing to step up during the crisis to provide much needed backup for our doctors and nurses on the front lines. Under my bill, these retired or semi-retired health care professionals could voluntarily return to work, without fear of impacting their retirement eligibility or payment. The legislation has bipartisan support, and is fully supported by PERA, MSRS, Hennepin Healthcare and the governor. You can read more about the bill from the nonpartisan office of House Public Information here.

Census Update

Good news! I’m pleased to share that our communities have surpassed the state average of U.S. Census self-responses! Maple Grove’s self-response rate is 78.2% and Osseo’s is 69.3%. Minnesota’s self-response rate is currently at 65.2%.

Now more than ever, our hospitals will rely heavily on federal funds to keep our health care infrastructure stable and strong as our frontline workers continue the fight against COVID-19. If you haven’t already filled out your census form, you still can online.  

Keep in Touch

Keep up the great work of being good neighbors and helping those in need around you. As always, I love hearing from you. Please continue to contact me anytime with questions, feedback, or ideas. I value your input! The best way to reach me is via email at rep.kristin.bahner@house.mn.

For additional updates and breaking news, follow me on or ‘like’ my official Facebook page.

Wishing you a nice weekend. Be safe, be healthy, be well, and keep your loved ones close.

Sincerely,

Kristin Bahner

Your State Representative