Legislative Statements & Testimony

  • Letter to Jobs Conference Committee Urging Inclusion of Earned Sick and Safe Time and Emergency Rehire and Retention Language in Final Bill

    Posted by · May 03, 2021 9:00 AM

    The Honorable Eric R. Pratt, Chair
    Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee
    Minnesota Senate Bldg., Room 3219
    St. Paul, MN 55155

    The Honorable Mohamud Noor, Chair
    House Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy
    379 State Office Building
    St. Paul, MN 55155

     

    Dear Chair Pratt, Chair Noor, and Members of the Conference Committee for SF1098,

    The Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice for the Catholic Church in Minnesota, writes to thank you for your inclusion of the Earned Sick and Safe Time and Emergency Rehire and Retention language in the House version of the Omnibus Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy bill and ask that both be included in the final Conference Committee Report.

    Read more

  • Letter to U.S. Department of Education: Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools in the American Rescue Plan Act

    Posted by · April 26, 2021 9:00 AM

    Office of State and Grantee Relations
    Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue SW
    Washington, DC 20202-6450

    RE: Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools in the American Rescue Plan Act

    On behalf of the 450 K-12 nonpublic schools in Minnesota, serving more than 66,000 students, we would like to express gratitude to the Senate Democratic leadership for including additional funding for the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) and for President Biden signing the bill. The EANS program was created in December in the prior COVID relief package, approved by Congress and signed by President Trump. We understand the intended goal of EANS II is to continue the vital impact of EANS I and allow the states to build on the recovery they have already begun.

    Read more

  • Legislative one-pager in opposition to the Protect Reproductive Options Act

    Posted by · April 07, 2021 2:05 PM

    Read more

  • Letter to Sen. Klobuchar highlights concerns over the Equality Act

    Posted by · March 16, 2021 9:00 AM

    VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

    Hon. Amy Klobuchar
    United States Senate

    Dear Senator Klobuchar:

    Peace be with you.

    Thank you for your service to Minnesotans and to all Americans.

    We write today to highlight concerns we have with the Equality Act, recently passed by the House of Representatives, and soon to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

    Read more

  • Letter in support of bills to decriminalize poverty

    Posted by · March 09, 2021 9:00 AM

    VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

    Minnesota House Judiciary and Civil Law Committee
    Hon. Jamie Becker-Finn, Chair
    559 State Office Building
    St. Paul, Minnesota 55155

    RE:  Minnesota Catholic Conference support of HF306 (Frazier) and HF336 (Becker-Finn)

    Chair Becker-Finn and Members of the Committee,

    The Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, writes to express our support for HF306 (Frazier) and HF336 (Becker-Finn), two measures which seek to reconsider and eliminate criminal punishments that create unjust collateral sanctions for those living at or near the poverty line.

    Read more

  • Bishop Quinn testifies in support of bill to provide undocumented immigrants opportunity to become licensed drivers

    Posted by · March 09, 2021 9:00 AM

    Testimony of Bishop John M. Quinn

    Bishop of Diocese of Winona-Rochester
    HF 1163 (Winkler)
    House Transportation Committee
    March 9, 2021

    Chair Hornstein and Members of the Committee:

    Good afternoon, my name is John Quinn, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, and I have joined the meeting today to speak on behalf of the Minnesota Catholic Conference in support of House File 1163.

    Read more

  • Letter of Testimony: Immigrant Driver’s License

    Posted by · February 28, 2021 2:21 PM

    Dear Committee Members:

    Peace be with you.  I write today on behalf of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, in support of H.F. 1500, which will provide a pathway for our undocumented brothers and sisters to obtain driver’s licenses.

    Read more

  • Archbishop Hebda testifies for bill providing undocumented immigrants opportunity to become licensed drivers

    Posted by · February 26, 2021 9:00 AM

    Chair Becker-Finn and Members of the Committee:

    Good morning, my name is Bernard Hebda, Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and I have joined the meeting today to speak on behalf of the Minnesota Catholic Conference in support of House File 1163, Drivers Licenses for All.

    Read more

  • Letter in Support of “Right to Recall” HF39 (Carlson)

    Posted by · February 23, 2021 10:29 AM

    Dear Rep. Carlson:

    Peace be with you; I hope you are well.  I write to let you know that the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, supports H.F. 39 (Right to Recall).  The bill is a common-sense piece of legislation that protects displaced workers and allows them the opportunity to get their jobs back when hospitality-related businesses rebound.  We understand that employers appreciate as much flexibility as possible, but the bill should be unobjectionable.  Employees affected by COVID-19 restrictions should have first right of refusal when businesses bring back employees.

    Read more