 Neighbors, Yesterday an agreement was reached to replenish the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and deliver premium pay to frontline workers. For months, House DFLers led the fight to increase the pool of those eligible to receive a bonus and the dollar amount going to those who risked their health and safety during the pandemic. The agreement doubles the pool of money for frontline worker bonuses lawmakers agreed to last year — from $250 million to $500 million. Frontline workers spent countless hours telling their personal stories to lawmakers. We listened. As many as 667,000 workers will receive a $750 bonus. In addition to bonuses for frontline workers, our final agreement prevents an unemployment insurance tax rate increase on small businesses and replenishes the unemployment insurance trust fund to pre-pandemic levels. Town Hall You are invited to an in-person town hall on Saturday, May 7 from 9:30-10:30. Sen. Nick Frentz and I will provide an update on the legislative session and answer questions you may have. The town hall will be held at the Mankato Intergovernmental Center – Mankato Room. I hope to see you there!  Please take a few minutes to weigh in on what’s important to you this session by taking my legislative survey. We are closing responses this week. Thank you. Supplemental Budget This week in the Minnesota House, our work focused on passing supplemental budget bills. The bills we have already approved fund Housing, Agriculture and Broadband, State Government, Pensions and Transportation, Education, and Higher Education. As this update is sent, we are debating the Public Safety legislation. Several budget areas remain and will be discussed over the next week. The House bills differ significantly from the Senate measures, meaning both versions of the bills will go to bipartisan House and Senate conference committees with the goal of reaching agreements. I serve on the Transportation Committee, and we crafted a plan to improve transportation options and modes for everyone.  Governor’s State of the State Address On Sunday, Governor Walz delivered his 4th State of the State address in the House of Representatives chamber. Governor Walz was optimistic about our future and determined to work with the legislature to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. If you missed the speech, you can watch a rebroadcast here. Avian Influenza Update Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in various Minnesota locations. The Raptor Center in St. Paul recommends removing bird feeders for now. For those who raise backyard chickens, keep the birds enclosed and separated from wildlife. Place mesh or tarps on the outside of the coop. Keep a lookout for any deceased birds or those in need of help – don’t touch the bird. Call the DNR, Raptor Center, or a new HPAI hotline at 1-833-454-0156 first for next steps.Avian Influenza Update The virus has not caused human illness according to the CDC. Learn more from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or the Board of Animal Health. COVID-19 Update The FDA has authorized a second booster shot for Americans over 50 and for those 12 years and older who are immunocompromised. You can read more from the U of M Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) recommendations here. If you have symptoms, have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, after traveling, or if you’ve attended a high-risk event, please get tested to slow the spread of COVID-19. You can order free rapid at-home tests from the federal government at CovidTests.gov and from the state at mn.gov/covid19. _________ 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 here. 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 District 19B – rep.luke.frederick@house.mn
487 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-3248 Committee assignments:
Vice Chair: Behavioral Health Policy Division
Human Services Finance and Policy
Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy
Transportation Finance and Policy Legislative assistant:
Blake Wilcox 651-296-8803 blake.wilcox@house.mn |