Neighbors, I extend my condolences to the family and friends of Congressman Jim Hagedorn. I wish them peace at this difficult time. ________________ The legislative week is always full of activity and this week was no exception. I met with representatives from seven greater Minnesota children’s museums to discuss a bill I will author to acquire capital expansion funding. Children’s museums around the state are sources of education and fun and important to the entire regions they serve. I’m excited to partner with them again this year. I continued my effort to secure funding for Mankato’s regional water treatment system by introducing HF3516 on Thursday. This regional asset supports Mankato and several other area communities. I have already had conversations with members of the Capital Investment committee about this need. I also met with city of Eagle Lake officials about legislation I will introduce to help upgrade their drinking water infrastructure. As the city expands and as the current system ages, it is time to push for an upgrade. In another step to improve our region’s water infrastructure, I introduced HF3227 this week to help Skyline make the necessary upgrades to its water tower and pump house. Committees are transitioning from informational meetings covering a variety of topics, to hearing specific bills. My bill HF3379 to allow the Minnesota National Guard to offer enlistment incentives to service personal serving more than 12 years will be heard in the Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance & Policy committee next week. Paid Family Medical Leave House File 1200, the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML), advanced this week in committee. This measure is a key piece of the House DFL’s overall proposal on Economic Security for Minnesotans. If approved by the legislature, workers would start receiving benefits on Jan. 1, 2023. Employers will not start paying premiums until Jan. 1, 2024. The package of benefits is designed to partially replace lost wages and allows up to 12 weeks of wage replacement benefits based on a sliding scale. Six types of paid family and medical leave are covered in the measure: caring for a family member with a serious health condition, bonding with a new child, pregnancy, the worker’s own health, safety leave for victims of domestic abuse, and leave for when a family member is called to active duty in the armed forces. The legislation was laid over for possible inclusion in a later bill. Housing Stability Housing availability and affordability are in short supply around the state and this week, the House DFL unveiled our package of legislation. This plan aims to reduce housing costs for Minnesotans with proposals to lower costs for renters, provide pathways to home ownership, build more homes while improving existing affordable housing, and offer housing security to more Minnesotans.  Redistricting Based on the results of the 2020 Census, boundaries of voting districts were redrawn as they are every decade, and this week the new maps were released, reflecting new legislative and congressional districts. You can read more in this Session Daily article and go to the Legislative Coordinating Commission website for more detailed information. COVID-19 Update Getting the COVID-19 vaccination and booster can keep you and your family safe. If you’re not feeling well, get tested. You can still order up to 4 free COVID tests from the government. Go to https://www.covidtests.gov/ to get your test kits and many more resources. _________ 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 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 |