Legislative Update: Pig's Eye, AAPI Work, and more!

Dear Neighbors,

Work at the Capitol continues virtually as COVID infections have unfortunately reached a new high record in the state. The last couple of weeks have been full of meetings for me, most importantly with the MPCA and Environment Committee Chair Rick Hansen and Biden's White House Staff on AAPI issues. My thoughts below.

Cleaning Up Pig's Eye Dump

Last week, I met with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regarding the Pig's Eye Landfill in our district. Chair Rick Hansen joined for a productive conversation with local leaders on ensuring a healthy environment in the area for years to come.

As a result of the conversation, Chair Hansen has scheduled a hearing for January 18th at 10:00AM. It will feature an overview and updates from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on the Metropolitan Landfill Contingency Action Trust (MLCAT) account, Burnsville Sanitary Landfill and Pigs Eye Dump.

Livestream, 1/18 10:00AM CT

NAPACSL White House Listening Session

Last week, myself and several other AAPI state legislators met with White House staff and the White House AAPI Visibility Task Force. We shared what we need and what we are doing as state and federal governments for our community. I asked about support for local businesses, weathering the pandemic's impact on education and students/families, and support for immigrant farmers.

More on the AAPI Visibility Task Force

Caucus Meetings

Both the Climate Action Caucus (CAC) and the Minnesota Health Plan (MHP) Caucus met this week to plan for session priorities.

The Climate Action Caucus heard testimony from experts Severin Borenstein, Joe Dammel, Annie Levinson-Falk, and Bill Grant on rising energy prices in Minnesota. This meeting further solidified how much more expensive it is for us to stall action on climate-ready solutions. If Senate Republicans continue to refuse to fund clean energy, we all suffer.

The Minnesota Health Plan Caucus is a newly formed group of legislators to support the Minnesota Health Plan. Two years into a global public health crisis, hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans still do not have health insurance. We've got to fix this. I invite you to join us on the Capitol steps at 10:30AM on January 26th to rally for this change.

MN Health Plan 1/26 Event

Ramsey County Community Conversation

I encourage you all to join the Covid-19 Community Conversation that Ramsey County is hosting next week. The conversation will center on COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people, testing and Omicron. Participants can ask Dr. Ogawa their COVID-19 questions while learning how to protect themselves, their family and our community during the ongoing pandemic. The conversation is hosted by the county's Health and Wellness Racial and Health Equity team and Public Health.

Questions can be submitted in advance by email or asked during the event.

Date: January 19, 2022

Time: 4-5 p.m.

Location: Online meeting

• Join online via Zoom
• Meeting ID: 955 0769 3588
• Passcode: 082700
• Call in: 651-372-8299

Join Zoom meeting

COVID-19 Update

Thursday, Governor Tim Walz announced his intention to provide $40 million in new funding to continue to expand COVID-19 testing resources in Minnesota.

The $40 million will go directly to purchasing COVID-19 rapid tests and getting them in the hands of Minnesotans across the state as quickly as possible. Minnesota is actively negotiating with testing manufactures to increase their supply of rapid testing in the weeks and months ahead. Governor Walz submitted his plan for the funding from the American Rescue Plan to the Legislative COVID-19 Response Commission on Wednesday.

Last week, Governor Walz took a series of actions to expand testing capacity through various channels, including:

• New locations, higher capacity, and expanded hours in the state’s Community Testing network;
• 1.8 million rapid tests for school districts to use during the spring semester and;
• 150,000 rapid tests to be distributed to vulnerable communities through community partners.

How families can find a shot for their child:

• Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids to find clinic locations near you.

How Minnesotans can get their free shot:

• Use the state’s Vaccine Locator Map to find a vaccine provider near you.
• Check for vaccine appointments at Vaccines.gov, where you can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer).
• Walk in to or make an appointment at one of Minnesota’s COVID-19 Community Vaccination sites. This week, one of the sites reached 200,000 vaccines administered.

How Minnesotans can get a COVID-19 test:

• Walk in or schedule an appointment for a test at one of the state’s free community testing sites across Minnesota: COVID-19 Community Testing Sites.
• Order a test through the state’s free at-home COVID-19 testing program: COVID-19 Test at Home.
• Find a testing option near you through the state’s Find Testing Locations map: Find Testing Locations.

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."

I hope for a good next week for you and your family, starting with an observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Contact me anytime at rep.jay.xiong@house.mn. I welcome your questions and comments.

Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature.

In solidarity,

Jay Xiong

State Representative