Tag: Leader Winkler

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on COVID Economic Relief Package

House DFL logo

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements on COVID-19 economic relief legislation:

“The burden of protecting Minnesotans from the spread of COVID-19 has hit some businesses and workers harder than others. While we join state leaders across the country in urging federal action to provide economic relief as soon as possible, we are working as quickly as we can on state measures to provide additional assistance,” said Speaker Hortman. “We need to work together to help those struggling during this tough time, and then turn our attention in the 2021 Session to rebuilding Minnesota’s economy in the wake of this pandemic.”

“The public health guidelines and restrictions in place are needed and saving lives, but hurting an important segment of businesses and our economy. The state needs to take action,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “We have seen a pattern with many COVID efforts from the federal government — corporations, the wealthy, and well-connected have been the biggest beneficiaries of federal aid, while working families have to make do with what’s left. We have to do better in Minnesota. With strong investments in unemployment insurance and other programs that aid low-income families, we can help those who are struggling the most. We are ready to work with our Republican colleagues to provide relief as soon as possible for both workers and businesses.”

The COVID-19 relief package from House DFLers and Governor Walz includes critical measures to: 

  • Keep Small Businesses Afloat 
    • Provide direct aid to businesses through Business Assistance Program 
    • Waive State and regulatory fees for bars, restaurants, event centers, craft breweries, and more
    • Establish eviction moratorium so small businesses can stay in their locations
  • Support Workers Struggling to Get By
    • Extend unemployment benefits for an additional 13 weeks, helping as many as 100,000 workers whose benefits currently end late December
    • Provide a $500 one-time emergency payment to struggling families
  • Help Minnesota Families Put Food on the Table
    • Establish one-time grant to restaurants to provide food for healthcare workers, homeless shelters, and long-term care facilities
    • Provide a tax credit for businesses that donate food that would otherwise spoil or be thrown away 

Minnesota House Declares Racism a Statewide Public Health Crisis

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA— The Minnesota House of Representatives today voted to declare racism a public health crisis.

According to the official resolution voted upon today, the declaration applies to the entire state and affirms that the Minnesota House will be an active participant in the dismantling of racism. It creates a House Select Committee on Minnesota’s response tasked with analyzing legislative work through an intersectional race equity lens.

“This is about advancing and promoting equitable opportunity across all of our systems, in the areas of health, education, housing, public safety, and economic and workforce development,” said Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL-Mendota Heights), chief author of the resolution. “The COVID-19 pandemic and senseless murder of George Floyd have shined a light on the historical and contemporary injustices that are still embedded in our society.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Declares Racism a Statewide Public Health Crisis”

Minnesota House passes PROMISE Act to help neighborhoods recover and rebuild

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the PROMISE Act — a comprehensive plan to help businesses rebuild and recover, many of which are Black, immigrant, and communities of color-owned.

PROMISE stands for Providing Resources, Opportunity and Maximizing Investments in Striving Entrepreneurs. The PROMISE Act is inspired by what many saw and heard from community members and business owners during tours of property damage in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The legislation includes $167 million in direct assistance to small businesses as well as $125 million to compensate individuals and businesses for uninsured property loss.

“The Promise Act is a promise we are making to the neighborhoods most impacted by civil unrest after a police officer murdered George Floyd,” said Rep. Mohamud Noor, the bill’s chief author. “It’s a promise to have the backs of people of color, and indigenous and immigrant-owned businesses built from the ground up. It’s a promise to choose vibrancy and culture over gentrified redevelopment as we rebuild. It’s a promise to make sure the people who live and work in these special corridors are the ones who get to decide what their future looks like.” 

“We must take immediate action to support and rebuild our wounded communities. The Promise Act will support our communities in an equitable and holistic way so we can rebuild for and by the community,” said Rep. Hodan Hassan (DFL – Minneapolis). “These commercial hubs are the lifeblood of our minority and immigrant communities. By rebuilding with an intentional focus on equity we can avoid the devastating effects of gentrification.” 

The legislation would:

  • Create a special panel to review cases and provide direct compensation to impacted individuals.
  • Partner with cities and community organizations to create economic relief programs for impacted businesses and organizations.
  • Give local units of government flexibility and tools to prevent gentrification.
  • Direct the Minnesota Department of Commerce to assist business owners, and require insurance companies to notify the department of any rejected claims.
  • Help with the rising cost of leases for eligible residential and commercial properties.
  • Eliminate the sales tax on the purchase of construction materials used to rebuild damaged or destroyed properties.
  • Provide property and sales tax cuts for eligible properties.
  • Establish a “Metropolitan Area Redevelopment Corporation” to create a long-term plan for equity-driven redevelopment and transformation.

“We need to make sure that Lake Street stays Lake Street, that Midway stays Midway, and that Broadway stays Broadway,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “These are strong economic and cultural centers of our cities, and we have to help them in a way that promotes equity and prevents gentrification. Minnesotans expect to see growth and rebirth in a better way, led by the Black and Brown Minnesotans who built these special, vibrant places.” 

 

“Our communities and these businesses, many of them minority-owned and already struggling due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, need resources to rebuild,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “The Promise Act is a comprehensive plan to help those impacted that puts equity at the center of our recovery efforts. The Legislature must move quickly to help these communities recover.”

 

House DFL legislators announce economic aid plan for destroyed, damaged businesses

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, House DFL legislators who represent the most impacted areas from civil unrest announced the PROMISE Act — a comprehensive plan to help businesses rebuild and recover, many of which are Black, immigrant, and communities of color-owned.

PROMISE stands for Providing Resources, Opportunity and Maximizing Investments in Striving Entrepreneurs. The PROMISE Act is a top special session priority for DFL legislators and is inspired by what many saw and heard from community members and business owners during tours of property damage in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

“We must take immediate action to support and rebuild our wounded communities. The Promise Act will support our communities in an equitable and holistic way so we can rebuild for and by the community,” said Rep. Hodan Hassan (DFL – Minneapolis). “These commercial hubs are the lifeblood of our minority and immigrant communities. By rebuilding with an intentional focus on equity we can avoid the devastating effects of gentrification.”

The legislation would:

  • Create a special panel to review cases and provide direct compensation to impacted individuals.
  • Partner with cities and community organizations to create economic relief programs for impacted businesses and organizations.
  • Give local units of government flexibility and tools to prevent gentrification.
  • Direct the Minnesota Department of Commerce to assist business owners, and require insurance companies to notify the department of any rejected claims.
  • Help with the rising cost of leases for eligible residential and commercial properties.
  • Eliminate the sales tax on the purchase of construction materials used to rebuild damaged or destroyed properties.
  • Provide property and sales tax cuts for eligible properties.
  • Establish a “Metropolitan Area Redevelopment Corporation” to create a long-term plan for equity-driven redevelopment and transformation.

“While we work on long-needed and overdue racial justice and police accountability legislation, we must also help our impacted businesses and communities recover and rebuild,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “These are strong economic and cultural centers of our cities, and we have to help them in a way that promotes equity and prevents gentrification. The extensive property damage and loss in these communities requires us to take urgent action and deliver results.” 

“Our communities and these businesses, many of them minority-owned and already struggling due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, need resources to rebuild,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Today, we’re putting forward a comprehensive plan to help those impacted, that puts equity at the center of our recovery efforts. The Legislature must move quickly to help these communities recover. I want to thank Majority Leader Winkler for agreeing to lead this important work, and the Minneapolis and St. Paul legislative delegations and city staff for their collaborative work on this proposal.”

 

Minnesota House to vote on Jobs and Local Projects Bill

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — On Saturday, the Minnesota House of Representatives will vote on a Jobs and Local Projects Bill. The bill requires a three-fifths majority — 81 votes — to pass.

“All Minnesotans deserve safe and inclusive communities,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Updating our aging infrastructure will help our people, communities, and businesses make it through the COVID-19 crisis and provide jobs with wages and benefits that can support a family. Minnesota needs these investments now more than ever.”

“We know that people are hurting from the impact of COVID-19, and we have an opportunity to help in a way that safely creates statewide economic activity,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “Investing in jobs and local projects now will quicken our economic recovery and help Minnesotans thrive for generations. Republicans need to join us in passing a robust jobs and local projects bill.” Continue reading “Minnesota House to vote on Jobs and Local Projects Bill”

Representatives Hassan, Noor, and Majority Leader Winkler to host Iftar over Zoom on May 20

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — State Representatives Hodan Hassan, Mohamud Noor, and House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler will hold an Iftar over Zoom on Wednesday, May 20 at 8:30 pm.

The event will include an explanation of the meaning of Ramadan, showcase Muslim organizations that continue to do amazing work for Minnesotans of all ages in spite of the circumstances, and breaking the daily fast together. Attendees will have the option of showcasing their meal.

“Ramadan is the month of spiritual gains and family togetherness,” said Rep. Hassan. “We normally spend this month with family, friends, and neighbors to break bread with and to come together as one community. Because of Covid-19 we can’t physically get together, but we can connect virtually to continue the tradition of togetherness.” Continue reading “Representatives Hassan, Noor, and Majority Leader Winkler to host Iftar over Zoom on May 20”

Minnesota House Leadership Statement on Transit Safety Provisions in the Transportation Policy Bill

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — On May 14, the Minnesota House of Representatives tabled a transportation policy bill that included transit safety provisions. House Speaker Melissa Hortman, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, and Rep. Brad Tabke (DFL – Shakopee) released the following statements:

“Transit safety is important to Minnesotans, and we remain committed to addressing this issue,” said Speaker Hortman. “When we placed the bill on the calendar for today, we believed there was an agreement with Republicans on language to address this issue. We are continuing to work to reach an agreement so this provision will become law.”

“The Minnesota House fully intends to take up transit safety legislation,” said Majority Leader Winkler. “As we near the end of the Legislative Session, we are prioritizing areas where we can reach agreement with the Senate and get critical work done for Minnesotans — including transportation investments and transit safety.”

“This is the time to pass transit safety measures so that when the COVID pandemic ends, Minnesotans will come back to a transit system that is more safe and secure,” said Rep. Brad Tabke. “I remain hopeful we can reach a bipartisan agreement to pass legislation before the end of session to benefit both suburban and metro riders.”

 

Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on extended peacetime emergency, new Stay Safe order

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Last night, Governor Walz announced a 30 day extension of the peacetime emergency and that he will allow his Stay at Home order to expire on May 18. The Stay at Home order is being replaced by a new order encouraging Minnesotans to stay close to home but allows for gatherings of friends and family of 10 people or less. Retail businesses will be allowed to resume at 50 percent capacity if they have a social distancing plan, but restaurants, bars, gyms, salons and other venues that attract large crowds will remain closed until June 1.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statements: Continue reading “Statement from Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler on extended peacetime emergency, new Stay Safe order”

Minnesota House establishes Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, House Speaker Melissa Hortman announced the formation of a Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding. The Select Committee will review the federal and state responses to the COVID19 pandemic to date and will assess policy changes needed moving forward.

“COVID-19 may reshape Minnesota for years to come, and the public policy challenges it presents are enormous,” said Speaker Hortman. “We are forming this Select Committee to take a deep-dive on these policy challenges as we work to respond to this pandemic and to rebuild Minnesota as a better and stronger state.”

The Select Committee will take a closer look at the pandemic’s impact on Minnesotans, what the state and federal government have done so far to respond, and possible future responses, including ensuring workplace safety and protecting workers’ rights, and broader societal changes — for example, ways education might be changed in the fall due to COVID-19. Continue reading “Minnesota House establishes Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding”

Minnesota House expected to ratify state employee contracts

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to ratify state employee contracts. Approximately 50,000 state employees are covered under these contracts, and the contracts are currently in effect.

“Our state employees provide essential services for the people of Minnesota — including critical work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “The Legislature should ratify these contracts, which were negotiated in good faith and that have been in place for months. The Legislature gets an up or down vote, and does not have a role in negotiating different terms. A no vote or a failure to act by the House and Senate means pay cuts and chaos for state employee health insurance benefits. There will be a time to deal with the state budget deficit in the future, and decisions may be made that impact future state employee contracts. State employees and the Administration have fairly negotiated these contracts, and they should be approved.”

“We owe it to those who keep our state running — including during a pandemic — to follow through on our promises to them and their families,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “During this economic crisis, we should protect these essential services and the basic economic security of the people we’re asking to step in to serve all of us.” Continue reading “Minnesota House expected to ratify state employee contracts”