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Neighbors,
Work at the Capitol continues at a fast pace as our committee deadlines near. Last week, I presented several bills in committees. Here is a summary of some of the bills I’m working on:
HF 1432 – Updating the language for the 40-year old Vulnerable Adult Protection Act. The bill focuses on standardizing and streamlining maltreatment reporting and updates the definitions of abuse/neglect/and financial exploitation.
HF 1431 – Working with local advocates and DHS, we were able to expand the scope of services provided by Personal Care Assistants (PCA). If it becomes law, PCAs will be able to transport the person in their care around the community.
HF 1434 – This bill will modestly increase wages over the next 2 years in the hopes to help address the massive shortage of PCAs in the work force.
Community Partners
I had the privilege of speaking to a social work class from MNSU. We talked about how important it is for them to communicate their experiences with elected leaders.
I also met with MNSU students, who advocated about tuition increases and other challenges they face including food insecurity and mental health needs. Investing in all students, not just higher ed but K-12 too, will have positive long-term impacts.
Clean water was the topic of another conversation with a water advocacy group about the Minnesota river basin and erosion from increased water flow. We discussed the need to preserve clean water for recreation, health, and for future generations.
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
Today, Governor Walz announced the expansion of COVID-19 vaccine access to those with a broad range of chronic and underlying conditions and key front-line workers. The state has almost reached its goal to vaccinate 70% of senior citizens.
You can be ready for the COVID-19 vaccine by signing up for the Vaccine Connector. When you become eligible to receive a vaccine under state guidelines, you will be alerted of your eligibility, connected to resources to schedule an appointment, and notified if there are vaccination opportunities in the area.
SURVEY
Please take a moment to share your legislative priorities by completing my legislative survey. Your name and address are requested to make sure only constituents are weighing in directly. Thank you for your time and I appreciate your input! [You may note this survey was created prior to the February forecast announcement and question #3 doesn’t reflect the current $1.6 billion projected positive balance].
MVP Podcast
The latest episode of the Minnesota Values Podcast has been released and features three of my colleagues talking about HF 11, expanding eligibility to MinnesotaCare. Hear an overview of the measure and the state effort to offer affordable health insurance to more Minnesotans.
Click here to listen.
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Stay connected with the Legislature
The Minnesota House continues to operate remotely. The House ensures openness and transparency for the public by expanding 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 budget session.
Also, 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.
I welcome your questions and comments anytime. You can send an email to rep.luke.frederick@house.mn or can also call my legislative assistant, Joe Lenczewski at 651-296-5486.
Also, please visit and “like” my Facebook page for more Capitol and community updates.
Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature.
Sincerely,
Luke Frederick
State Representative
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