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One Year of Emergency Powers
Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the Governor declaring a peacetime emergency to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. We voted multiple times this week to end his powers and on Thursday I spoke about it on the floor.
One year under the emergency powers is one year of denying the people of Minnesota their voice in the legislative process. Early in the pandemic, quick action was needed but this is no longer the case. Now it is time to let the voices of the people through the legislature be heard.
It is far easier for the people across Minnesota to call up one of the 201 of us legislators than it is to get ahold of the governor. I hate telling my constituents my hands are tied because the governor has the power. This is not how we are supposed to govern.
I hope the governor and/or my Democrat colleagues see the light soon and reassert the legislature to a co-equal branch of government.
Easing of Restrictions on Minnesotans
Here is a summary of the easing of restrictions announced on Friday by the governor. Unless otherwise noted, the adjustments are effective at noon on Monday, March 15. They include measures to:
Make it easier to safely gather with family:
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Social gatherings: Up to 50 people outdoors or 15 people for indoor gatherings, both without household limits.
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Youth sports: Pod size increasing to 50 for outdoor activities.
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Religious services: Remove occupancy limit, but social distancing required.
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Celebrations: Follow venue guidance.
Support small businesses:
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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.
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Salons/barbers: Removing the occupancy limit, but social distancing required.
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Gyms/fitness centers/pools: Increasing allowable occupancy to 50%, up from 25%. Outdoor classes can increase to 50 people.
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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:
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Seated outdoor venues can add an additional 25% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 10,000 people.
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Non-seated outdoor venues can add an additional 15% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 10,000 people.
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Seated indoor venues can add an additional 15% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 3,000 people.
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Non-seated indoor venues can add an additional 10% of their capacity over 500, with a limit of 1,500 people.
As more Minnesotans are vaccinated, work from home will no longer be required – but it will continue to be strongly recommended – beginning April 15. All employers should continue to accommodate employees who wish to work from home.
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Free The Growler & Updating Our Liquor Laws
We've hit all five of the breweries currently barred from selling growlers due to the archaic growler threshold and one of the great up and coming breweries that is currently under up approaching it. Click below to see a video at each one.
I hope to have some good news in the coming days and weeks on pushing forward on our efforts to #FreeTheGrowler. The two bills are supported by consumers and small businesses alike. Special interests are standing in the way but they are not the ones who get to decide the law.
Call your legislator, or encourage your friends and family to do so, and encourage them to support our efforts:
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HF1050 will remove the Growler Cap and help our local breweries.
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HF1192 will also remove the Growler Cap, and fix and update a number of other liquor laws helping hundreds of small businesses that support thousands of Minnesota jobs.
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Vaccine Eligibility Expanded
On Wednesday, March 10 vaccine eligibility expanded to the next two groups of priority populations – more than 1.8 million Minnesotans will become eligible to receive a vaccine beginning this week. These newly-eligible Minnesotans, the state has directed providers to prioritize appointments for individuals in the first of these groups. Providers will then have the flexibility to offer available appointments to people in the second group.
The first group includes:
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People with specific underlying health conditions: Sickle cell disease, Down Syndrome, or oxygen-dependent chronic lung or heart conditions, and those who are in active cancer treatment or immunocompromised from organ transplant
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Targeted essential workers: Food processing plant workers
- Minnesotans with rare conditions or disabilities that put them at higher risk of severe illness
The second group includes:
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People age 45 and older with ONE or more of the following underlying medical conditions; or, age 16 and over with TWO or more of the following underlying medical conditions (learn more about these conditions on the Who’s Getting Vaccinated page):
- Active cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Diabetes - Type 1 or 2
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from HIV, bone marrow disease, chronic steroids for more than 30 days, immunodeficiency disease, or from taking immunosuppressive medications
- Obesity - body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2
- Pregnancy
- People 50+ in multi-generational housing
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Essential frontline workers: Agricultural, airport staff, additional child care workers not previously eligible, correctional settings, first responders, food production, food retail, food service, judicial system workers, manufacturing, public health workers, public transit, Postal Service workers.
In the days ahead, the Vaccine Connector will inform newly-eligible Minnesotans about vaccine opportunities in their area. If you are eligible, you may also be selected to make an appointment at one of the state’s COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program sites. If you are selected, you will be notified by text, email, or phone call by one of the state vaccination partners running those sites, Vault Health or Primary Bio. Additional community vaccination sites may launch as the federal government makes more vaccines available in the future.
If you are eligible to get vaccinated, you do not have to wait for information from the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector before you get your shot. You can connect with your primary health care provider or use the Find Vaccine Locations map to find a vaccine appointment near you. If you are an essential frontline worker, your employer may be reaching out with information about vaccination opportunities.
Visit the Who’s Getting Vaccinated page to learn more about the phases and when you will become eligible.
COVID-19 & Vaccine Information Links
With the constant state of new information on COVID-19 and the vaccine process, it is best to check the following links regularly for updates:
If you have a link to local information that would be helpful to add to this list, please send my way. I will keep this section as a fixture on future updates.
Please Contact Me
Please feel free to reach out to my office if there is any way I can be of assistance. My phone number is 651-296-4282, I am here to serve you!
Have a great weekend!
Jim
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/RepJimNash
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349 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.4282 |
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