Neighbors,
Thank you to everyone who attended the Town Hall on Saturday. Sen. Frentz and I enjoyed the in-person meeting and are appreciative of the time you took to participate on a nice spring day.
The Final Ten Days of Session
We are in the last ten days of the legislative session and are busy either passing legislation on the House floor, monitoring hearings, or engaging with constituents. Bipartisan/bicameral conference committees are working to reach agreements on our supplemental budget. You can follow along and learn the latest on negotiations here.
Mayo Groundbreaking Ceremony
Last week, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Mayo hospital modernization project in Mankato. You can read about the project on the KEYC website and in the Mankato Free Press. Mayo’s decision to expand in Mankato indicates this admired institution is planning for long-term growth in our community and I couldn’t be prouder of our partnership.
At the groundbreaking ceremony of the Mayo hospital modernization project in Mankato and with Mayo Operations Administrator Paul Travis
Sports Betting Approved by House
On Thursday, I voted yes on – and the Minnesota House passed – a bill to legalize sports betting in Minnesota. In 2018, the United States Supreme Court ended the federal ban on states legalizing sports betting. Since then, 30 states, including every state bordering Minnesota, have legalized the practice.
Among other provisions, the bill:
- Allows sports betting in-person at tribal casinos and mobile platforms
- Provides integrity monitoring to identify unfair betting patterns
- Provides data protection for consumers
Tax and fee revenue from the bill will be appropriated for costs regulating mobile sports betting, for gambling treatment programs, and 50% of tax and fee revenues will be appropriated to increase participation in youth sports in areas experiencing a disproportionately high rate of juvenile crime, and grants to organizations promoting the integrity of amateur sports.
Frontline Pay Becomes Law
You may be eligible for a bonus check for your in-person work during the early days of the pandemic. Check your eligibility at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry website and sign up here to receive information on the application process.
The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) has signed a contract with a vendor to build the Frontline Worker Pay application system and the department hopes to begin accepting applications by mid-June. After that, a 45-day application period will begin, with payments anticipated in late summer or early fall.
Visitors to frontlinepay.mn.gov may now choose their preferred language to view the website, using the drop-down option from Google Translate. While translation tools are never perfect, it's our fastest way to spread the word to all eligible applicants.
When the application is ready, a call center and help desk will be available to assist applicants in multiple languages.
I encourage everyone to use our resources to help spread the word to those workers who may be eligible to apply.
Guest Panelist
This Thursday, I will be a panelist at an event in Minneapolis with author Ryan Hampton to discuss my work in the legislature on substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Additionally, Brandy Brink who founded BeyondBrink in Mankato back in 2016 will also be part of the event. I’m looking forward to participating and sharing our work on this important public health issue.
Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who took time to complete my legislative survey about your legislative priorities. You can view the results here.
Avian Influenza Update
Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in more Minnesota locations. It is recommended bird feeders be removed for now and those who raise backyard chickens, should keep the birds enclosed and separated from wildlife. Call the new HPAI hotline at 1-833-454-0156 for questions and learn more from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or the Board of Animal Health.
COVID-19 Update
Americans over 50 and those 12 years and older who are immunocompromised are encouraged to get a second COVID-19 booster shot. As always, 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 the virus. Rapid at-home tests can be ordered from the federal government at CovidTests.gov and from the state at mn.gov/covid19. More information is available through the Minnesota Department of Health website, or the U of M Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP).
_________
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