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Post-session review with Governor Walz
By Patti Cullen, CAE | July 16, 2021 | All members
At a recent post-special session event, Care Providers of Minnesota President/CEO Patti Cullen and lobbyist Nicole Mattson had an opportunity to discuss vaccination rates and hero pay with Governor Tim Walz. Gov. Walz complimented this profession and the hard, collaborative work we did to mitigate the spread and implications of COVID-19 in the state. We discussed the slow (but steady) increase in our staff vaccination rates and how we need to continue to educate and address the misinformation that continues to create vaccine hesitancy in our staff. Finally, we strongly urged the governor to ensure our workforce receives a significant portion of the frontline essential worker funds which will be determined by a working group (a.k.a., hero pay).
The working group consists of nine members-three each from the House, Senate and Executive branch. The working group must make a recommendation for the disbursement of $250,000,000 in direct financial support to frontline workers, including but not limited to long-term care workers. In developing its recommendation, the working group must consider factors including a frontline worker's increased financial burden and increased risk of virus exposure due to the nature of their work. If seven of nine members do not approve a single recommendation, then the working group may present not more than three drafts of legislation implementing potential options. Appointees are to be named by July 15—at press time we are only aware of the following appointees:
- House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (DFL-Golden Valley)
- Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope)
- Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul)
- Senator Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake)
- Senator Karin Housley (R-St. Mary’s Point)
- Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove
- Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Roslyn Robertson
- Department of Revenue Commissioner Robert Doty
Gov. Walz noted that if there isn’t bipartisan agreement on coming up with a single recommendation for distribution of the funds, as required by the law, an option would be to add additional available money above the $250 million allocated.
Patti Cullen, CAE | President/CEO | pcullen@careproviders.org | 952-851-2487