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Neighbors,
My work at the Capitol is driven by stories. Stories of despair, challenge, resilience, and hope. Committees provide an opportunity for engaging conversations with organizations and advocates from across the state. Improving our water quality, expanding our nature education opportunities, and understanding barriers to homelessness inspire me to work for a better community for all.
As more COVID-19 vaccines become available, I am continuing to push for equity in distribution, to ensure our community is healthy and thriving.
Paid Sick and Safe
No one should have to choose between caring for themselves or a loved one and a paycheck and I’m fully supporting a new bill to expand Earned Sick and Safe Time. The House DFL-backed bill aims to provide an important short-term benefit to workers by allowing them to accrue sick time based on the number of hours worked. For many Minnesotans, the difficult choice between a paycheck and taking time off to care for a sick child is a real problem, especially for low-wage and service industry workers. This requirement has several key additional benefits, including healthier workplaces and schools, greater support for caregivers, and reduced health care costs.
Helping Laid-off Hospitality and Service Sector Workers
House Democrats are proposing new legislation to help laid-off hospitality and service sector workers return to their jobs. It’s one of many immediate actions that House Democrats are proposing to respond to the needs of workers, families, and small businesses hit hardest by the pandemic.
Out of all demographics, women of color were the most impacted by mass layoffs in the hospitality & service sector industry. Laid-off workers face a labor market that is already rife with racial disparities. Overall, it’s important to recognize that women have been disproportionally laid off. We must act, so workers can return to their jobs safely post-pandemic
Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis
Several of my House colleagues have introduced a plan, that I also support, to responsibly legalize adult-use cannabis in Minnesota. The legislation creates a regulated cannabis market while addressing legitimate concerns around youth access, public health, and road safety.
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Stay connected
The House has expanded the number of simultaneous committees it can?webcast live?from a maximum of two to five, so you can stay current on issues moving through committees this session.
The Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website here.
Contact me anytime at rep.heather.keeler@house.mn. I welcome your questions and comments. Also, you are welcome to “like” my Facebook page.
Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature.
Sincerely,
Heather Keeler
State Representative
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