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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you all can get out and enjoy this beautiful spring weather! Just a couple weeks ago it was dangerously cold outside — guess that's Minnesota!
The National Eagle Center invites you to SOAR DIFFERENTLY this March in the comfort of your own home! You can join the National Eagle Center’s team of eagle experts as they bring the beloved LIVE eagle classroom program to you and your family wherever you are. Register online here.
Next week will be a busy one at the legislature as we hope to reach bi-partisan agreement on both the common-sense version of the SAFE Account and exempting PPP loans from Minnesota state taxes. It’s also a deadline week for bills to have had their first hearing in committee in order to advance this session so we will be spending extra time in evening committee hearings.
Have a great weekend!
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Exempting PPP Loans from MN Taxes
Minnesota businesses cannot wait for the end-of-session negotiations that happens at the State Capitol. PPP loans were lifelines for businesses to keep employees on staff and to not have to close their doors when they were ordered to shutdown for public health purposes.
It is unconscionable to now tax that money, especially when all of our surrounding states do not do so. House Republicans want to move on this now, the DFL Taxes Chair has expressed support, and so has the governor — we need to get it done now and not make already struggling Minnesota businesses wait and hope they aren't caught up in end-of-session gamesmanship.
On Tuesday, I joined the call by the Republican Lead on the House Taxes Committee Rep. Greg Davids who sent a letter to House Taxes Committee Chair Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth, urging quick action to pass a bill exempting forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan income from state taxes in light of the state's projected $1.6 billion surplus. A copy of the letter can be found here.
I sent out a press release on this important issue earlier this week.
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Enterprise Minnesota Roundtable
I joined fellow House Member Gene Pelowski and Senator David Tomassoni for the Spring 2021 Issue of Enterpise Minnesota's Legislative Roundtable. We talk about important issues ranging from manufacturing to constructing the state budget. You can read the full roundtable here.
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Lake City Port Authority Bill Hearing
Last week in the State Government Finance Committee, I was joined by Lake City Mayor Mark Nichols, EDA Board Chair Tom Dwelle, and board member Mark Fayette to present my bill to permit Lake City to establish a port authority commission. It was great to be joined by these community leaders to present this important local issue! You can watch the brief testimony here.
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Governor's Workforce Development Board
I was honored to be reappointed to the Governor's Workforce Development Board this year. The Governor's Workforce Development Board works to strengthen the skills of Minnesota's greatest asset — its workforce. The Governor’s Workforce Development Board has a responsibility to advise the Governor on Minnesota’s workforce system.
The Board represents key leaders from business, education, labor, community-based organizations, and government. The GWDB has statutory responsibility under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which provides leadership on opportunities and key workforce strategies for the state. The Board provides a venue for workforce stakeholders building on a shared vision and mission.
The GWDB is mandated and funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and further defined by Minn. Stat. Sec. 116L.665.
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Vaccine Information Links
On Wednesday, I sent out an update on the COVID-19 Vaccine. You can read that here.
With the constant state of new information, it is best to check the following links regularly for updates:
STAYING IN TOUCH
As always, if you have questions or concerns regarding any issue, please contact me. You can reach me at rep.barb.haley@house.mn or 651-296-8635.
Sincerely,
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/RepBarbHaley
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239 State Office Bldg.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-8635
rep.barb.haley@house.mn |
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