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Neighbors,
The grief and pain Minnesotans of color are experiencing will not go away with one verdict. We must work together to ensure every Minnesotan can live in safe and thriving communities, free from violence and discrimination.
Last Sunday, I attended the anti-racism march in Mankato. It was great to see nearly 400 people come together in the fight for justice. You can read the Mankato Free Press article here.
Several Budget Bills Approved
Most of our legislative work has moved to the House floor and we are meeting most days this week to vote on our budget bills. I will continue to advocate for our local and regional priorities as we head into conference committees during the final weeks of session. The House and Senate will work out compromises and we will pass the final budget before adjournment on May 17.
Yesterday, we approved the Omnibus Workforce Bill, which includes my Helmets to Hardhats provision to help veterans get training and jobs in the building trades. Some highlights of the bill:
- Keeps workers safe on the job
- Helps workers recover from illness or to care for a newborn or family member
- Delivers economic security if a worker loses their job during the pandemic.
Monday, we passed the Omnibus Higher Education Finance and Policy Bill and the Omnibus Education Finance Bill. Both measures look to the future by preparing students for success and planning for our 21st century workforce.
Last week, the Minnesota House approved the Omnibus Housing Finance and Policy Bill, which funds programs aimed at helping create more affordable housing, and ensures Minnesotans have a safe place to call home.
The Omnibus Legacy Bill was also approved last week. This measure invests in protecting and enhancing Minnesota's outdoor heritage, clean water, arts and cultural heritage, and parks and trails.
There were several veterans’ provisions included in the Omnibus State Government Finance Bill, which passed the House on Friday.
Saturday, we were on the House floor for several hours, debating the Omnibus Transportation Finance Bill. I sit on the Transportation committee and it was an interesting – but long – day.
You can watch along here and you can follow the daily legislative schedules here.
Vaccination Update
New data released shows more than 2.3 million Minnesotans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Since vaccine eligibility has expanded, more Minnesotans are getting appointments every day.
I encourage you to check out Minnesota’s COVID-19 mn.gov/vaccineconnector, call 833-431-2053 or check with your health insurance carrier to help you find out when, where, and how to get a vaccine.
You can learn the most recent statistics about who is getting vaccinated, and other key data, by clicking on this link.
SURVEY
Please share your legislative priorities by completing my legislative survey before the end of April. Your name and address are requested to make sure only constituents and district residents are weighing in directly. Thank you for your time and I appreciate your input! [This survey was created prior to the February forecast announcement and question #3 does not reflect the current one-time $1.6 billion projected positive balance].
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Stay connected with the Legislature
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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