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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Tomorrow, Saturday, March 13th, marks one year since the start of the longest peacetime state of emergency in the history of Minnesota. In March 2020, we had no idea how COVID-19 would impact our lives. I supported the Governor’s initial emergency order to ensure we had time to learn how the virus spread, ensure there was enough PPE for healthcare workers, and make sure our hospitals would not be overwhelmed. As many will recall, the Governor said we needed a two-week shutdown to “flatten the curve.”
That was a year ago. We have learned so much about who is at risk, who transmits the disease, and what effective treatments are available. Hospitals have not been overwhelmed and all have adequate supplies of PPE. Businesses have learned how to open safely to protect their employees and customers. In addition, three vaccines are now available and all have an incredibly high success rate at preventing hospitalizations and deaths. A significant and increasing percentage of the population has been vaccinated.
For the past year, all decisions about how Minnesotans go to work, school, church, the store, or out to restaurants have been made by the Governor. He has also made decisions about sports, weddings, funerals and even who we can have in our homes. There has been no input from the Legislature. It is time to restore the constitutional balance of power between the Executive and Legislative branches of the government and restore the voices of the people through their elected representatives.
This week in the House, we voted every day to end the emergency powers and restore the Constitutional balance of power. Not only are members of the House and Senate silenced, but duly elected officials at all levels have also been stripped of their authority to make decisions for their communities. City councils, school boards, and county commissions have all been usurped by the Governor’s one-man rule. It is time to allow elected officials at all levels to be able to carry out their duties on behalf of their constituents and make decisions that make sense in their communities. Here is a link to my floor speech on ending the emergency powers this week.
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Executive Summary
- Bipartisan letter on MSHL waiver for transfer rule
- Update on Visitation in LTC facilities
- New CDC, vaccine guidance
- New State COVID guidance; end of “Work from Home” order
- California Car comment period closing soon
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Bipartisan letter on MSHL waiver for transfer rule
I organized a bipartisan group of legislators to send a letter on Monday to Minnesota High School League (MSHL) Board President Blain Novak requesting that the rules pertaining to student athlete transfer eligibility be waived for the current and upcoming school year. The letter urged the MSHL to allow students to remain eligible for varsity athletics if they transferred schools because of the academic disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Students and families have been forced to make great sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families elected to transfer schools so that children could find the learning model and educational setting that best suited their needs. While the MSHL transfer rule is necessary to uphold the integrity of athletic competition, in the context of a pandemic it must be reevaluated.
Under the current transfer rule, students are ineligible to participate in athletic competition one year from the first day of attendance at a new school. If a student transferred in October 2020, they would be ineligible for varsity competition at the new school until October 2021. If the student transfers back to their original school in September 2021, the student could be subject to another year of ineligibility for varsity sports.
Students could miss two years of varsity athletic competition, which is so important for many athletes’ physical and mental health. Our children have already had so many disruptions to their lives this past year. We hope the MSHL will waive the transfer rules for these two school years so students can have the benefits of athletic competition.
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Update on LTC Facility Visitation
Last week I shared with you the letter Sen. Housley and I sent to Governor Walz, Commissioner Malcolm as well as the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and our Congressional Delegation, asking for updated guidance for Long Term Care residents who have been fully vaccinated. I am happy to report that Sen. Housley held a hearing on this important issue this week and members of our Congressional delegation have responded that they are reaching out to CMS to press for updated guidance.
In addition, just this morning, the Governor announced new visitation guidelines for seniors who live in LTC facilities. While these guidelines allow for increased visitation IN the facilities, they do not allow for seniors to leave. Sen. Housley and I will keep fighting to make sure LTC residents have the freedom to see their family outside these facilities.
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New CDC, vaccine guidance
This week the CDC announced that those who are fully vaccinated can now safely do the following:
- Gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
- Gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks, unless any unvaccinated has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
- If you have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine or get tested unless you have symptoms or live in a group setting.
You can read the CDC's full guidance for those who have been fully vaccinated here.
MDH also announced that they are expanding the group of Minnesotans who are eligible for vaccination. Remember it was announced a few weeks ago that once 70% of those aged 65 and older were vaccinated, the shots would become available to more groups. There are many more Minnesotans who are now eligible to receive a vaccine including people with specific underlying health conditions and food processing plant workers. I highly encourage you to read the full list of vaccine eligibility here.
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New COVID guidance, end of executive order on work from home
Gov. Tim Walz announced today many changes to the COVID-19 guidelines, including news that he will rescind his executive order requiring that, “any worker who can work from home must do so.” I led the effort to remove this executive order so businesses can begin planning to safely bring employees back to the office.
Minnesota was only one of three states that still had such a restrictive mandate, which made it illegal for business owners to have employees in the office if they could work from home. I drafted a bill, HF 1613/SF 1968, which would have removed this language and the Senate was planning a hearing on it next week. Our advocacy efforts pushed the Governor to rescind the work from home order.
Early this week, the House Majority Leader erroneously stated that the Governor was not “requiring anyone to work from home.” As I pointed out in my floor speech, EO 21-01 and other previous orders were still on the books and prohibited people from returning to the office.
Lifting the requirement to work from home does not mean everyone will go back to the office, however. Under the new order, work from home will still be strongly encouraged, though not required, beginning April 15th. Employers are required to accommodate any worker who still wishes to work from home.
Other changes that were made to the COVID-19 guidance are:
- Social gatherings: Up to 50 people outdoors or 15 people for indoor gatherings, both without household limits.
- Youth sports: Pod size increasing to 50 for outdoor activities.
- Religious services: Remove occupancy limit, but social distancing required.
- Celebrations: Follow venue guidance.
- Bars and restaurants: Increasing allowable occupancy to 75%, up from 50%, with a limit of 250 people. The limits apply separately indoors and outdoors. Bar seating increases to parties of 4.
- Salons/barbers: Removing the occupancy limit, but social distancing required.
- Gyms/fitness centers/pools: Increasing allowable occupancy to 50%, up from 25%. Outdoor classes can increase to 50 people.
- Entertainment venues: Increasing allowable occupancy to 50%, up from 25%, both indoors and outdoors, with a limit of 250.As summer nears, the state will adjust guidelines for large venues. All venues can open at 50% capacity up to 250 people. Venues with normal occupant capacity over 500 can add additional guests, effective April 1:
- Seated outdoor venues can add an additional 25% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 10,000 people.
- Non-seated outdoor venues can add an additional 15% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 10,000 people.
- Seated indoor venues can add an additional 15% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 3,000 people.
- Non-seated indoor venues can add an additional 10% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 1,500 people.
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California Car mandate comment period closing soon
The deadline to submit public comment on Gov. Walz's California Car Mandate is Monday, March 15, 2021 at 4:30pm.
The Governor is seeking to implement this policy through administrative rule, rather than the legislature. If enacted, the California Car Mandate would raise the cost of all new vehicles for Minnesota families by $1,000 or more, reduce consumer choice, and make MN the only state in the Midwest to place burdensome regulations on auto dealerships.
This mandate puts an unelected board based in California in charge of Minnesota's auto standards. Minnesota is not California and we have much cleaner air than the Golden State. Furthermore, electric vehicle sales only make up 1% of all auto sales in MN compared to 6% in CA. Allowing a body thousands of miles away to make decisions about Minnesota makes no sense.
Let your voice be heard on this very important issue. Submit your comments here.
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Photos
Speaking on the House floor in favor of removing requirement that "any workers who can work from home must do so."
I met this week with the Iron Gears to talk about the FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST LEGO League, and the Northwest Metro Robotics hub.
Meeting with Girl Scouts of River Valley during Girls Scout Day at the Capital.
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Please Contact Me
Many of you have already been in touch to discuss your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you. Thank you for sharing your ideas! Please continue to contact me to discuss any matters to which I can be of assistance.
During the continuing COVID restrictions, the best way to reach me is by email: rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn. You can also leave a voicemail on my office number, 651-296-7806, which is checked a couple of times/day. I hope you all have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
Kristin
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225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.7806 |
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