| Neighbors, As we sit in special session working out the state budget before July 1st I wanted to send a quick update. As I send this we have all the budget bills except for 1 wrapped up and ready to pass off the Senate floor. We have already sent 5 of them to the Governor’s desk and will send more over the weekend and into next week. Thank you, Rich Jobs budget passes The Minnesota Senate Tuesday with overwhelming bipartisan support passed the Jobs and Economic Growth bill. The bill prioritizes business and economic recovery for all of Minnesota, while offering economic stability without adding any burdens or regulations that would hinder recovery efforts. Senate File 9 focuses on economic recovery; workforce training and business development services; and addresses the shortage of childcare in many communities. Minnesota employers have been hit hard over the last year – they’ve been forced to adapt to constantly changing mandates and orders. This bill sets out to help get the unemployed back to work, help employers find workers, and not add any burdens or regulations that make it harder to get our economy stabilized after a chaotic year. The next step should be to end extended unemployment benefits like others governors have done in neighboring states. Key provisions in the bill include the following: Provides key investments in the state’s growing workforce Creation of the Main Street Economic Revitalization Program and the Main Street COVID19 Relief programs to assist businesses statewide faced with financial hardship Expands options for individuals to receive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits while simultaneously receiving workforce training services Expansion of workplace accommodations for pregnant and nursing mothers Removal of provision that makes high school students ineligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits Inclusion of the “Wedding Barn Bill” to safeguard smaller venues from expensive regulations Notably, this bill does not include burdensome mandates, expensive new programs, or excessive regulations on businesses. The legislation now heads to the House for a final vote, before heading to the Governor for a final signature. Student Centered Higher Education budget passes On Monday the Senate passed the State’s biennial Higher Education budget with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill works to keep college affordable for students and gives them the support they need to be prepared for today’s workforce. Several additional investments in college affordability programs are made in the bill including my “Z-Degree” program requiring 8 more colleges to offer zero-textbook cost associates degrees. I’m happy that this bipartisan bill focuses on the pressing needs that many college students have and expands program funds so more students are eligible for state grants. College students take on a considerable financial burden and we should be helping them to obtain their goals, not restricting them. The budget increases grant awards for low- and middle-income families by $26 million by increasing the living expense allowance and decreasing the amount middle-class families are asked to pay. The budget includes the creation of the “Fostering Independence Grant” program to ensure students who were in foster care as teenagers can go to college at no cost. Finally, the bill increases funding to a variety of scholarship programs by $11 million and requires four additional colleges to implement zero-cost textbook degrees. The budget bill also invests in improving Minnesota’s workforce by increasing funding for the workforce development scholarship program and by allowing colleges to target funds to address local workforce shortages. The Senate-House agreed-upon budget also targets students struggling with their mental health, small emergencies, and housing and food insecurity. The legislation invests $2.5 million in new mental health and basic needs programs. It expands the Hunger Free Campus designation to all public, private, and tribal colleges in Minnesota and creates a competitive grant to increase access to food for low-income college students struggling with food insecurity. Additionally, it increases emergency grant aid to help students get through small emergencies without dropping out of college. The Senate passed the Higher Education budget unanimously. The House of Representatives passed the same bill on Saturday. The legislation now awaits the Governor’s signature to be enacted into law. Contacts I’ve heard from many of you but wanted to make sure you have contact information for myself and other elected officials in the State: State Senator Rich Draheim 651-296-5558 Sen.Rich.Draheim@senate.mn Governor Tim Walz 651-201-3400 https://mn.gov/governor/contact/ US Rep. Jim Hagedorn 202-225-2472 https://hagedorn.house.gov/contact US Rep. Angie Craig 202-225-2271 https://craig.house.gov/zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/email-me US Sen. Amy Klobuchar 202-224-3244 https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-amy US Sen. Tina Smith 202-224-5641 https://www.smith.senate.gov/share-your-opinion Follow me on Facebook @SenatorRichDraheim Follow me on Facebook to see what I am up to in the Senate and around the district! www.facebook.com/SenatorRichDraheim |
