Dear Neighbors,
As we all await warmer and sunnier days, the House has been hard at work as the end of session is just around the corner. We recently came to a bipartisan agreement on spending targets and are wrapping up bill hearings before the tough budget work gets underway. Here is an update from the Capitol.
Meeting with Constituents and Bill Presentations
It's always a pleasure to visit with SEIU members! They shared their stories and concerns about their workplaces and how politicians like me can step up to support workers. I will always stand alongside working Minnesotans to defend their rights.
I attended an incredible event to support servicemen and women, veterans, and first responders with Hometown Heroes Outdoors in Stillwater over the weekend!!
It was great to be joined by my friends Stillwater Mayor, Ted Kozlowski and city manager Joe Kohlman this morning as we seek funding to repair Myrtle Street. I’ll keep pushing hard to advance this bill that would help revitalize this critical street in the heart of our community!
I had a nice visit with members of the northern state regional carpenters! I'm always more than happy to make time for union workers to hear what's important to them.
I also presented my bill alongside Dr. David Walk to advocate for ALS research with Phil Griffith. ALS is really difficult to deal with, but we are making progress and can do more!
Protect Medicaid, Not Millionaires
While President Trump and Congressional Republicans look to subsidize tax cuts for the wealthy by reducing federal funding for Medicaid, DFL legislators introduced legislation that would raise taxes on millionaires at the level necessary to offset any cuts to this crucial program. Medicaid is the largest single source of health insurance in Minnesota, serving senior citizens, children, families, and people with disabilities.
A report from Congress’s Joint Economic Committee found that if Republicans in Congress pass their proposed budget and cut Medicaid, Minnesota could see 89,000 rural residents lose their health coverage,130,000 children lose their health insurance, more than 1 in 6 seniors lose their nursing home care and, in total, nearly 400,000 people cut off from their health insurance. If these callous cuts go through without additional revenue raised by Minnesota, it will have a direct and immediate negative effect on health in Minnesota, costing lives and doing harm.
Small Business Impact Survey
Amid additional federal tariffs taking effect today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is gathering information from affected small businesses in Minnesota.
In this period of uncertainty, there may be a lag in data, so this survey is a way for our local business owners to communicate directly with the department now. The survey takes less than five minutes to complete. By collaborating with Minnesota's locally owned small businesses, which face significant challenges, we can proactively plan for the state's future needs.
Fraud Prevention Resources
Text, email, and social media scams are becoming more sophisticated and more prevalent. If you’re like me, you probably have gotten some of these scam texts that say you need to pay a toll or confirm a payment--it's important to be skeptical of such texts. Those E-Z Pass texts are scams, and MnDOT has issued a fraud warning here with resources in case you accidentally click a link.
Attorney General Keith Ellison has some resources on How to Spot a Scam with helpful examples and a list of common scams. If you have concerns about a particular offer or believe you are the victim of a scam, the Attorney General wants to hear from you. You may call at (651) 296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area) or (800) 657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities), or submit a Consumer Assistance Request Form.
Meanwhile, here at the Legislature, we are working on bills to support the Attorney General’s work cracking down on fraud in the public and private sectors. Some proposals include stiffer penalties on Medicaid fraudsters, a fraud investigation unit within the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, fighting against employer misclassification fraud, and protecting veterans from claim sharks that seek to profit off the benefits they earned in service to our country.
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me by email at rep.josiah.hill@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-4124. If you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who wants to receive updates about the Legislature, let them know they can subscribe to my email list here, and follow my Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent our community. Please stay in touch!
Sincerely,
Josiah Hill, District 33B
5th Floor, Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar St. Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155