Attachment: Sen. Miller’s letter to Gov. Walz.

(St. Paul) — Minnesota Senate President Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) hand-delivered a letter to Gov. Tim Walz’s office asking the governor to use the new legislative session as an opportunity for a fresh start, and to work in close partnership with legislators in the House and Senate toward bipartisan solutions that are good for Minnesota.

“Our country remains divided after an incredibly divisive election cycle, but it’s time to move forward and show Minnesotans we can work together and govern,” said Sen. Miller. “A new year, and in this case a new legislative session, is a great opportunity to get a fresh start. I am optimistic the Minnesota legislature can have a successful 2021 session if the rhetoric is toned down and cooperation is achieved.”

One issue where Sen. Miller encouraged Gov. Walz to consider more options is with the state’s rollout of the COVID vaccine. Sen. Miller stressed the importance of making the vaccine more available and accessible to Minnesotans, including looking at options to transform existing COVID testing sites into vaccination sites, which is currently being done in other states. 

In the letter, Sen. Miller also touted past successes that the governor, House, and Senate achieved when they worked together to address issues related to the pandemic. The group has passed bipartisan bills to provide emergency funding for front-line workers and health care facilities, ensured proper workplace safety protections for front-line workers, and provide emergency relief for small businesses that were negatively impacted during these challenging times.