Neighbors, Last week, the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee and the House Capital Investment Committee and the held a joint informational hearing on Minnesota’s transportation provisions within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed by Congress and signed by President Biden. The historic new law has wide-ranging implications for Minnesota as we are estimated to receive $4.5 billion for highways, $818 million for public transportation and $302 million for bridges. During the 2021 legislative session, I advocated for installation of more electric vehicle charging stations and was pleased to see $68 million is coming to Minnesota to help with the effort. Other important investments from the legislation not related to transportation include $100 million for broadband internet and $680 million for clean water infrastructure. I serve on the Transportation Committee, and it was interesting to hear testimony from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Council, and the National Conference of State Legislators. You can watch the hearing here.  COVID-19 Update As the COVID-19 Omicron variant spreads across Minnesota, our public health professionals continue to monitor the situation. Please do your part to ensure everyone has a safe holiday by getting your first or second COVID-19 dose, or the booster shot. And don’t forget to get your annual flu shot.  Minnesotans 5 and older can also get their first and second COVID-19 vaccines. This webpage can help you find a vaccine for children aged 5-11 and will provide answers about the vaccine. The Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline at 1-833-431-2053 is available Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. ___________ Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season!  ___________ Stay connected with the Legislature 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, Blake Wilcox, at 651-296-8803. 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 |