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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope everyone had fun celebrating St. Patrick's Day this week and that you got your March Madness picks done! Our family always does a pool for bragging rights and the winner gets to pick dinner. To my girls’ shock, I actually won a few years in a row! We’ll see how this year goes. Either way, I love spring tournament season – high school and college hockey and basketball are always fun and full of surprises.
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Executive Summary
- Updated MDH long-term care visitation guidance – Seniors can leave!
- Ending State Taxes on PPP Loans and federal Unemployment Payments
- Delay in Summer School Funding
- Bill updates
- Helpful Links
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Updated long-term care visitation guidance
Minnesota Department Health released updated visitation guidance for those living in long-term care (LTC) facilities this week. I relentlessly advocated for these changes alongside Sen. Karin Housley, Chair of the Aging and Long-Term Care Policy Committee. We wrote letters to MDH, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), and the entire Minnesota Congressional Delegation encouraging them to allow fully vaccinated LTC residents more freedom to visit with loved ones, including leaving the LTC facilities.
I am so pleased that MDH responded to the concerns we raised and provided updated visitation guidance for fully vaccinated long-term care residents. For over a year, seniors have been locked away for their own protection, which has caused great distress for residents and families. Now that the vast majority have been vaccinated, it is time to allow them go out for a meal, attend church or go for a drive with their loved ones. I am proud to have fought for the many families who contacted me so they can finally reunite.
The updated guidance includes the following recommendations related to outings:
- Residents who are fully vaccinated do not have to quarantine after non-medically necessary outings unless they spend 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period within 6 feet of someone who can spread COVID-19 (someone who has tested positive in the last 7-10 days.)
- Residents who are fully vaccinated may gather indoors or outdoors with other people who are fully vaccinated.
- Residents who are fully vaccinated can visit indoors or outdoors with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 infection.
- If the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact (including touch) with the persons they are visiting.
- If a resident who is fully vaccinated chooses to attend a place of worship or other group event, or to shop or eat in public establishments, the resident should follow the core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention. MDH strongly encourages attending places of worship or other group events only when the 14-day county percent positivity rate is below 5%.
- Unvaccinated residents who leave the building to gather with others may be required to quarantine when they return. At this time, quarantine recommendations remain unchanged for an unvaccinated resident, regardless of the vaccination status of those with whom they gather.
You can read the full list of new guidance here.
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Still no relief on State Taxes of PPP or Unemployment Payments
Taxes for many small businesses across Minnesota were due on Monday. The House still has yet to pass legislation to prevent PPP loans or federal supplemental unemployment benefits from being taxed by the state.
House Republicans made a motion to immediately pass a bill providing for federal conformity that already passed the Senate with bipartisan support on Monday. Every DFL House member, including the bill’s author, Rep. Paul Marquart, voted against passing this time-sensitive bill, which failed 63 ayes – 70 nays. We tried again on Thursday night with an updated bill but, unfortunately, it still failed with the same party-line vote.
Chair Marquart stated that we couldn’t pass the bill because we didn’t want to leave anyone out and wanted to be sure everyone benefits from the upcoming tax bill. This is a red herring. The PPP/unemployment tax relief bill would help everyone who received these loans or unemployment payments – it already includes everyone who qualifies.
There is broad bipartisan support for providing this tax relief to small businesses and those who have been unemployed. The only reason we haven’t gotten this done is because the leadership in the Majority wants to use it as a bargaining chip for other items that don’t have broad support. It is unconscionable to hold this up for political purposes.
Minnesota businesses and families have been through enough in the last year. Small businesses and unemployed Minnesotans need this relief immediately. Without certainty of whether they owe taxes on this money, many are delaying filing or will have to file amended returns, which is expensive.
Minnesota is the only state in the upper Midwest that has yet to pass federal conformity. It is time to get this done and stop playing politics with covid tax relief!
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Delay in summer school funding
On Thursday night the House also voted down a bill giving school districts much-needed funding for summer school. Again, the argument was that we need a more “comprehensive approach” and “should wait.” Schools are planning NOW to address the learning gaps from the pandemic and they need certainty that they will have the money for summer programming, transportation, and mental health services.
The bill we offered addressed all of these issues and would have given money to schools now. The bill required that the funding be repaid to the state’s General Fund when we get the expected federal money from the recently-passed American Rescue Plan.
Unfortunately, it was the same result. The Majority wants to “wait” to try to get items that have less bipartisan support in a “must-pass” omnibus bill later in the session. Meanwhile, schools don’t know how much money they will receive to plan for summer programming.
I expressed my frustration with this failure to pass important, bipartisan legislation in a floor speech on Thursday night. The public wants us to work together to get things done.
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Bill updates
My bill, HF 277, was heard in the Taxes Committee this week. This bill would create an alternative simplified credit under Minnesota's research and development tax credit. The federal government already has an alternative simplified credit, so it would bring our state in line with what is being done federally. This credit would only apply to research being done in Minnesota. It incentivizes companies to complete their research and innovation in Minnesota, which will in turn create jobs and attract top talent to our state. You can watch my full testimony here.
I also offered an amendment based on my bill HF 153, which expands the education tax credit and deduction. My amendment would have allowed low-income families to be able to use their education tax credit for tuition, as middle class families have been able to do with the tax deduction since 1955.
Every family in Minnesota should be able to use the education credit and deduction for the same list of expenses. You can watch me speak about this tax credit here.
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Helpful Links
Recreation Pass Plus: Three Rivers Park District offers a program called Recreation Pass Plus, which offers free equipment rentals, discounts on programs and events, and free recreation passes. These recreation passes include archery, swim ponds, dog off-leash areas, disc golf, snow tubing and cross-country skiing. The Recreation Pass Plus card is available for families and individuals who live in Hennepin County or Scott County and are experiencing financial difficulty.
Free Career Planning for Eligible Students: Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) offers free career services for students with disabilities plan for their career and postsecondary education options.
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Photos
Great meeting with Rogers High School Principal Jadon Paurus! So thankful for the hard work of teachers and school leaders to get students back to in-person learning!
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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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