Neighbors,
There are just a few days remaining of the 2022 legislative session and as you can imagine, we are working day and night to reach agreements on major bills to help Minnesotans recover from the pandemic and thrive now and in the future.
I am closely monitoring the negotiations and, as vice chair of the Early Childhood Committee, I was very interested in today’s virtual Education Conference Committee which highlighted the critical importance of investing in our youngest learners. We also heard about alternatives to suspension. I will continue to work every day for our students, youngest learners, and for all Minnesotans.
Storm Damage Assistance
Our volatile weather means many of you may have experienced storm damage. The Minnesota Department of Commerce offers guidance on steps to take when filing an insurance claim if your home, business or other property sustains damage.
Supporting Craft Brewers
Wednesday, the House passed a bill to provide updates to Minnesota’s liquor laws. The new measure will:
- Increase the growler cap for breweries from 20,000 barrels to 150,000 barrels of beer sold annually.
- Eliminate overly prescriptive container size regulations for craft breweries, allowing them to sell six packs, four packs, and other small containers to the public.
- Allow distilleries to sell more products to the public and removes the cap on cocktail rooms.
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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.
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Avian Influenza Update
Cases of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1) continue to show up in more Minnesota locations. It is still 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. 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).
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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.
Please continue to reach out with any input, ideas, or feedback about the issues important to you. I value hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to call or email me any time. You can also connect with me on Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Laurie Pryor
State Representative