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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you have enjoyed this little respite from the frigid temperatures of last week! As session draws closer, here are the latest updates from the Capitol.
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Executive Summary
- Supreme Court Ruling on Vaccine Mandate
- Update on Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
- Plans to Reopen the State Office Building?
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Supreme Court Ruling on Vaccine Mandate
Today we learned that the Supreme Court struck down the President's unconstitutional vaccine mandate on businesses. They did, however, uphold the mandate for healthcare facilities who receive federal funds.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that OSHA’s vaccine mandate for employers with 100 or more workers would be stayed while the case proceeded in the federal courts. MNOSHA has announced they will suspend enforcement of the mandate at the state level. You can read the majority and dissenting opinions here.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that CMS’s vaccine mandate for health care facilities could be enforced while the case continues in lower courts. CMS has announced first doses must be administered by Jan. 27, 2022 and second doses by Feb. 28, 2022. You can read the opinions on that case here.
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Update on Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
This week we learned that November and December tax revenue came in $833 million above the November forecast. This is in addition to the $7.7 billion budget surplus that was announced last month. Despite a record surplus, there has still been little movement to help businesses avoid a major tax increase to repay Minnesota's Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund debt to the federal government.
I spoke to The Center Square about the need to help our businesses. As I shared with them, this is not a partisan issue. Every business will face this tax increase in April (UI taxes are due quarterly) if the legislature does not act quickly to intervene. I look forward to working with my colleagues at the beginning of session to utilize the budget surplus and remaining COVID relief funds to help our businesses.
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Plans to Reopen the State Office Building?
I share the frustrations of many of you that the State Office Building has been closed to the public for most of the 2020 session, all of the 2021 session and will now be closed again for the 2022 session. The people of the state of Minnesota deserve access to the People’s House, their elected officials and the legislative process.
This week, the Speaker of House suggested that the reason she is keeping the State Office Building closed is not about covid, but is rather related to her concerns about security. In her letter to the Department of Administration, the Speaker stated that until her security concerns were addressed, she would not reopen the State Office Building to the public. The growing lack of transparency in our government should be concerning for all. The institution of the House and the Legislature is harmed when the public is shutout.
We are no more or less safe in the State Office Building than we were in March of 2020 or than we are in the Capitol, which WILL be open to the public during the session. The Capitol, however, is not where our offices are and most meetings with the public take place in the State Office Building. Keeping the State Office Building closed keeps constituents from meeting with their elected representatives and from testifying in person at Committee meetings, which will all also be held remotely again this year.
I hope Speaker Hortman changes her mind and again opens the State Office Building to the public. In the meantime, I am always happy to meet with my constituents. Please don't hesitate to reach out to my LA, Betsy Ritzer (Betsy.Ritzer@house.mn) if you would like to meet in the Capitol, our district, via Zoom, or by phone.
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Photos
I had so much fun with this year's Youth in Government students! I attended Youth in Government all four years of high school and am a supporter of this program which allows students to run a mock legislature, Governor's office and Supreme Court.
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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.
The House is adjourned until January 31, 2022. The best way to reach me is by email: rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn. For occasional updates, you can follow my Facebook Page at @RepKristinRobbins. You can also leave a voicemail on my office number, 651-296-7806, which is checked a couple of times/week.
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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