Neighbors,
Every week, we learn more about how we can improve the overall health and well-being of Minnesotans, and last week was no exception. In the Preventive Health Policy Division, we heard HF3003, to appropriate funds for statewide testing for the presence of lead in drinking water obtained from private wells, day care facilities, and rental properties and to remediate contamination where found.
Drinking water is a source of lead poisoning and there is no known safe level for lead ingestion. In young children with developing brains, the impacts are serious and irreversible. Testing is the foundation of action and prevention. Glad to know we have a plan to extend testing and keep more sources of drinking water lead free and safe. You can watch my committee comments here.
Paid Family Medical Leave
Continuing the theme of health, last week a House committee heard testimony on House File 1200, the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML), a key piece of the House DFL’s overall proposal on Economic Security for Minnesotans.
HF 1200 includes a $1.7 billion appropriation to cover the costs of the first two years of the PFML. Under this legislation, 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 different 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
Last week, the House DFL unveiled our package of legislation 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.
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Survey
Your input is so important to me as we go through the legislative session. Please take a moment to complete my legislative survey here.
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 four free COVID tests from the government. Go to https://www.covidtests.gov/ to get your test kits and many more resources.
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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