Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It has been a tumultuous week as session started here in Minnesota. I took my oath of office after having been re-elected by those I serve. It was a deep honor on Tuesday to reaffirm the vows I’ve taken twice before. There was, however, another event that occurred on Wednesday that I wanted to address.
As an abled white man with privilege, I am obligated to condemn the heinous acts Wednesday incited by corruption and irresponsibly carried out by terrorists who, because of the color of their skin, did not face immediate consequences.
My daughter reminded me of how on June 22nd, 2017 disability activists protested on Capitol Hill against cuts to Medicaid, resulting in 43 arrests of people being removed from their wheelchairs and their mobility aids taken away.
Our honorable Hubert Humphrey wisely said, “the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, those who are in the twilight of life, and those who are in the shadows of life.”
Must we remember to protect life, liberty and justice for ALL.
Every Minnesotan deserves the right to feel safe in their community, to have economic opportunity and stability, to have affordable, accessible health care, and to receive a world-class education – from kindergarten to college. Every family deserves stable housing, high-quality childcare, and the ability to take care of their loved ones without fear of losing a job. Every person deserves a life of dignity, whether in the earliest years of their life or their twilight years. All workers, not just our front-line heroes, deserve fair wages and the right to collectively bargain. Our communities deserve an economic system that works for the main street, not big corporations. And future generations deserve the right to enjoy clean air, clean water, and to fully enjoy the natural bounty we are fortunate enough to have.
Thank you.
John
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Each member of the Legislature swore an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of Minnesota, and to faithfully discharge the duties of their office. Each of us, not just legislators, but citizens throughout the country, have a duty to reject any attempt to subvert our constitution or our great democracy.
A letter signed by all 31 members of the State Senate DFL Caucus was sent to President Trump condemning the violence and sedition witnessed yesterday at the U.S. Capitol. It was also sent to representatives of the state’s federal delegation.
A copy of the Letter I signed is here.
Engaging with the Legislature virtually
Although face-to-face interactions within the Capitol complex will be extremely limited this session, nonpartisan staff have been working hard to make it easier to follow the legislative session and interact with elected officials.
- Following committees
- Full list of Senate committees found here
- Select the committee of interest, scroll to the bottom of the page to find committee schedules, recordings of hearings, and a list of bills in committee.
- Click on “subscription page” to have your email added to the committee listserv
- This page lists all committees in one place for those wishing to sign up for multiple committees at once.
- Combined Legislative Meeting Calendar found here
- Tracking legislation
- Senate bill introductions are posted at this link, typically one day prior to the next scheduled Floor session. The Senate typically is in session on Mondays and Thursdays, and frequently additional days as the May deadline approaches.
- Search for specific bills here. Make sure the correct legislative session is selected before searching (i.e. ‘92ndLegislature, 2021-2022).
- Set up an individual tracking mechanism here
- Contacting your legislators
- Find who represents you at the State Legislature, enter your address at this site
- Visit the senator’s website to contact them directly via email and sign up for weekly newsletters and/or video updates.
- Sign up for the Senate DFL Week in Review newsletter here
- Offices: make this more specific to you by adding Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/etc. follow information here if desired, mention town hall meeting dates, virtual office hours you may be doing, etc.
- General information
- Visit this page to sign up for Senate Daily Orders of Business, bill introductions, TV schedules, and other general information about the Senate.
- The House of Representatives offers many similar services. Visit house.leg.state.mn.us.
Thank you!
It is my greatest honor to represent you the citizens of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids here at our great state capitol. In addition to representing you, I absolutely enjoy it when you come visit.You must schedule with our office to arrange an appointment before any arrival, and we also do Zoom meetings! So reach out and tell me what matters to you or schedule an appointment so I can continue working on your behalf. You can reach me by email at sen.john.hoffman@senate.mn or by phone at 651-296-4154. I am at 95 University Avenue Suite 2235 in the Minnesota Senate Building
Sincerely,
Senator John Hoffman
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call my office at 651-296-4154 or by e-mail at jhoffman@senate.mn
Covid/Executive Order Updates
New Public Health Measures
Thanks to the actions Minnesotans have taken, the COVID-19 situation has improved over the past month. The Governor announced yesterday that some restrictions will be loosened. Here are some of the significant changes that will take effect on January 11:
Indoor dining will be allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity. Reservations will be required, and bars and restaurants must close by 10 p.m. Indoor events and entertainment venues may open with limited capacity. Wedding receptions and other private events may resume with limits.
Maximum capacity for gyms and outdoor events will increase. Youth and adult sports can resume games on January 14.
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Aging and Long-Term Care Committee hears COVID-19 vaccine update
Minnesota’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan is an immense undertaking that has required thoughtful planning and coordination. The state has already distributed nearly 300,000 doses of vaccine to provider sites across the state, and over 80,000 Minnesotans have received a vaccination. This is a huge accomplishment seeing as though there wasn’t even an approved vaccine one month ago. But we know there is a long way to go as shipments from the federal government remain limited, which restricts our ability to get vaccines to everyone who wants one.
The Aging and Long-Term Care committee, which I am honored to serve on again this year, heard an update from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) this week on COVID-19 testing and immunization for Minnesota’s aging populations. Older adults living in congregate settings, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, are at increased risk during this pandemic due to the threats of COVID-19. Spikes in community spread throughout the state have forced many facilities to halt their visiting policies, adding more emotional strain on these residents. This is why state and federal guidance puts long-term care residents in the first priority group to receive vaccines, along with many of the state’s health care workers.
Immunizations of Minnesota’s most vulnerable have already begun. Some nursing homes and assisted living facilities are participating in a federal pharmacy partnership program which has encountered issues during rollout, though others are using local pharmacies and public health departments coordinated by MDH, which can move doses faster. As we continue to receive more shipments of vaccine from the federal government, Minnesota will move to immunize adults aged 75 and older, with those aged 65 and older following afterward. More information on the timeline for vaccine rollout in those groups will be available in the coming weeks as we get a better idea of how much vaccine we can expect to receive from the federal government.
We want COVID-19 vaccines to be administered as quickly and as safely as possible so we can all return to a more normal life. States across the nation are struggling with limited vaccine supply, so we must be patient as we make sure those at highest risk of contracting COVID-19 and those most at risk for serious illness have access to the immunizations they need until more is available for the general public. While Senate Republicans continue to criticize Governor Walz’s every move without offering solutions or plans, DFLers are committed to identifying what gaps remain in funding or support for our long-term care industry so the Legislature can be an effective partner in overcoming this pandemic.
The Governor announces easing of COVID-19 restrictions
The Governor made an announcement this week about the easing of COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place over the past two months. Due to the slowing of new positive COVID-19 cases after a peak in November, the governor has made the decision to re-open specific sectors of the state economy including indoor dining. Changes will go into effect on Monday, January 11. The governor emphasized that this action is taken with the understanding that Minnesotans still need to remain cautious and take proper precautions.
The new guidelines in place:
- Indoor dining at bars and restaurants can be open at 50% capacity, with a maximum of 150 people. Parties of no more than 6 people, with six feet distance from other parties; bar seating is open to parties of two; reservations are required; and establishments must close dine-in service by 10 p.m.
- Gym capacity remains capped at 25% but maximum capacity is 150 and classes can be increased to 25 people, assuming distancing can be observed. Machines and people must maintain nine feet of distance. Face coverings are required.
- Outdoor events and entertainment continue at 25% capacity, but maximum capacity increases to 250. Social distancing is required.
- Indoor events and entertainment – like bowling alleys, movie theaters, and museums – continue at 25% capacity, with no more than 25 people in each area of the venue. Face coverings are required, and they may not offer food service after 10 p.m.
- Youth and adult organized sport have resumed practice as of January 4, and games resume January 14 with spectators, following the appropriate capacity limits for indoor and outdoor venues. Inter-region tournaments and out of state play are discouraged
- Pools, like gyms, increase to 25% capacity.
- Wedding receptions and other private parties may resume with limits. If food and drink are served at the event, then they are limited to two households or 10 people indoors and three households or 15 people outdoors. If there is no food or drink, they are covered by event venue guidelines. Any related ceremony – like a wedding or funeral ceremony – is guided by rules for ceremonies and places of worship. Places of worship remain at 50% capacity but without an overall maximum capacity
E-12 Committee
The Senate’s E-12 Committee held an unofficial meeting this week. They heard about schools re-opening but did not discuss any concrete plans for bringing Minnesota students back into the classroom.
The meeting focused mostly on parents discussing the difficulties of distance learning, especially for students with learning disabilities, and their desires to have their schools re-open. A few school board members discussed their challenges, and the Minnesota Parents Union was represented by a number of the presenters. There were no teachers, school staff, or administration presenters although representatives from the Education Department are slated to testify next week and discuss the MDE Safe Learning Plan. Another presenter said they represented the Let Them Learn group that they claimed has 6,000 members. The group only has a private Facebook page with 6,000 followers.
The Governor announced a phased school re-opening plan last month; it was not mentioned during the meeting. Elementary schools can bring students back to the classroom on January 18, and youth sports will begin January 11.
