Legislative Update - A New Year

Dear Neighbors, 

I hope you’re having a healthy start to 2022. The new year is always a time of reflection and resolutions, doubly so today as we look back to the deadly insurrection that took place in our nation’s capital.

January 6 is not merely a scar on American Democracy, it is an open wound.

Since the violent attack on our U.S. Capitol attempting to overturn the will of American voters, threats to our democracy have only intensified. Political violence. Rapidly spreading disinformation. Coordinated attempts to take away voting freedoms. Meanwhile, we have a national party and some politicians that would rather spread lies to keep their extreme base enraged instead of taking action to protect our democracy. And the silence from other politicians is just as sinister.

Standing up for our democracy should not be about party or politics. This is bigger than that. Our patriotism calls us to fight for our freedom to vote and the democratic ideals that gives this nation strength, resilience and pride.

Silence or indifference will not close the wounds to our democracy, but this is far from a lost cause. Through our collective voices and actions we have the power to reaffirm our commitment to democracy, free and fair elections, and the rule of law.

And we will prevail.

Nurses Needed

One of the most in-demand jobs in Minnesota right now are nursing assistants. With the ongoing pandemic and the recent wave of cases due to the Omicron variant, the State of Minnesota has set a new goal to recruit, train, and deploy at least 1,000 new certified nursing assistants by the end of January for our long-term care facilities experiencing staffing shortages.

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a nursing assistant, enroll today and the State of Minnesota will pay for qualifying expenses associated with your CNA courses (i.e. tuition, fees, books, technology needs, test fees), ensuring the training is available at no-cost to you.

You can find more information on the Certified Nurses Assistant training program here. 

New for 2022

Several new laws that passed during the 2021 Legislative Sessions took effect at the start of this year, including changes to campaign finance laws, accommodations for pregnant workers, and more. You can read about this year’s new laws here, and you can find information on all the laws we passed last year here. 

Another new development for January 1st is the increase in the state’s minimum wage. Minnesota's minimum-wage rates have been adjusted for inflation to $10.33 an hour for large employers and $8.42 an hour for other state minimum wages. You can find more information about these changes, our state’s minimum wage laws, and how they may impact you here. 

Stay Connected

The 2022 Legislative Session is only a few weeks away, with our first day being January 31. The operations of the Minnesota House will continue to be done remotely this session, meaning much of our staff will continue to work from home, and our hearings and floor sessions will be available virtually.

The Minnesota House’s Public Information Page is a great resource to stay up to date and access the live streams of our work in committees and debates on the floor. 

There’s been some changes in my office. Blake Wilcox, who many of you have corresponded with, has taken on a new role in the Minnesota House, and replacing him as my Legislative Assistant is Katie Hirsch. I want to thank Blake for his tremendous work for our team and our district, and I look forward to working with Katie in this new year. 

The best way to contact me, especially with much of our staff continuing to work remotely, is through email at rep.michael.howard@house.mn. Katie and I will do our best to respond to your inquiries and keep you in the loop on our work this session. 

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year!

In partnership, 

Michael Howard