The Minnesota Senate yesterday passed a significant jobs, labor, and energy bill that focuses on first responders, increases transparency at the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), updates wage theft laws, funds frontline worker bonus pay, and moves Minnesota energy forward. Also included is the funding of a study on the current benefits to support the families of permanently disabled police officers, firefighters, and troopers. Additionally, this bill incorporates funding for experimental mental health therapy for first responders dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Notably, this bill includes the Senate’s proposal for a one-time disbursement of $250 million for the Frontline Worker Bonus Pay program. The language specifically covers first responders or other emergency frontline workers that performed frontline services such as law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, ambulance personnel, corrections officers, and long-term or other health care frontline workers.
“This bill recognizes and rewards the frontline workers that worked tirelessly and put their health at risk daily as they stepped up to serve our communities and our most vulnerable citizens,” said Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater), who served last year on the Minnesota Legislature’s Frontline Worker Pay working group. “This funding will give bonuses to the brave men and women that were truly on the frontlines of Covid—the ones who served in long-term care facilities and held the hands of patients as they passed away when their family members couldn’t be there—the first responders who answered calls every day, keeping our communities safe even in the face of a Covid exposure—those who went to work every single day ensuring us and our loved ones received the best care possible. No amount of financial compensation will be thanks enough for all they did during the darkest periods of the pandemic but including this funding in yesterday’s bill is a start.”
Other key provisions included in the bill:
- Requirement for DEED to report Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud
- Non-profits receiving DEED grants are required to disclose employee compensation
- Funding to conduct an advanced nuclear feasibility study to bring modern, clean nuclear as an option for the state’s energy needs
- Protect consumers from price spikes due to polar vortex weather by allowing utilities to spread out the energy costs through financing
This bill does not include burdensome mandates, expensive new programs, or excessive regulations on businesses. The legislation passed in the Senate with bipartisan support.