| It's Friday the 13th. Tune in to Politics Friday to hear how state lawmakers are responding to COVID-19. And there's coverage at mprnews.org on the tentative deal reached between the St. Paul Public Schools and the union representing teachers and other educational staff. Here’s your Digest:
1. Walz proposes slim budget as COVID-19 situation worsens. Responding to growing economic alarm, Gov. Tim Walz released an updated budget proposal Thursday that leaves most of a projected budget surplus unspent and plows extra money into health and natural disaster response. Walz said he would shore up the state’s budget reserve fund with a nearly $500 million infusion and leave more than $1 billion unspent. “Caution, caution, caution. If there was ever a time for a one-page budget and leaving money on the bottom line, this is it,” Walz said. The DFL governor said calls for tax cuts and new spending on education will have to wait until a future session. But Republican Senate leaders say they're not done talking about tax cuts because they see it as potential economic stimulus. MPR News
2. Senate passes bill on insulin, signaling potential for compromise. "Advocates for diabetics in Minnesota expressed optimism Thursday as the Republican-led Senate unanimously approved a long-awaited emergency insulin program, even as differences remain to be worked out with House Democrats who passed a separate insulin assistance bill last month. The 66-0 Senate vote kicks off a critical phase for the development of an aid program as members of the House and Senate begin work to reconcile the two bills, capping nearly a year of negotiations since efforts collapsed at the end of the 2019 session." Star Tribune
3. How Minnesota's congressional delegation is responding to COVID-19. "Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to allocate $8.3 billion to combat the virus in an emergency supplemental spending bill. Every single Minnesotan in the Minnesota congressional delegation, Democrats and Republicans, voted for the bill. It passed 415 to 2, with two Republicans voting against it. The bill then passed in the Senate, where both Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith voted for it, with one no vote: Rand Paul (R-KY). The president signed it into law last week. The bill allocates about $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, $2.2 billion for prevention and rapid-response, $1 billion for medical supplies, and $1.25 billion for combating the disease overseas. Klobuchar has said the bill will allocate at least $10 million specifically to Minnesota." MinnPost
4. Labor inspectors make sure Minneapolis workers are getting city-mandated sick time. "Even though Minneapolis has had a policy requiring most businesses to provide paid sick leave for employees since 2016, some businesses haven’t complied, and knowledge of the safe and sick time benefits is scattered among workers. That’s why Minneapolis is one of a couple dozen cities around the country that has started to aggressively enforce labor policies like minimum wage, wage theft protections and paid sick time. The enforcement is part of a movement by labor advocates, who were frustrated by a lack of support for policies they supported at the federal level. Advocates argue that it’s all the more important to enforce because benefits like paid sick leave may help the country brace for the coronavirus pandemic." MPR News
5. Firefighters, nurses ask lawmakers for protection as COVID-19 spreads. "Concerned about the effects of coming into contact with the coronavirus, unions representing firefighters, paramedics, nurses and hospital workers are asking lawmakers to act on their behalf. As workers on the front lines of the epidemic, the unions said they want assurances — perhaps requiring additional legislation — that their benefits won’t be exhausted if they contract COVID-19 or miss work because they’re under quarantine after coming into contact with people with coronavirus. The push came Thursday in letters to lawmakers and public statements from three unions: Minnesota Professional Firefighters, the union representing firefighters, paramedics and dispatchers throughout the state, including in St. Paul; Minnesota Nurses Association, which represents nurses at a number of Minnesota hospitals; and two branches of the Service Employees Union International, which includes healthcare workers and custodial staff at hospitals." Pioneer Press | 