Friends and neighbors –
Hope you enjoyed your week! My first couple of weeks at the Senate have been a whirlwind to say the least. We definitely hit the ground running. In fact, I was talking to a commissioner the other day who remarked that this is the fastest pace to start a session that she could ever remember.
That’s not such a good thing. Some of the bills on the Democrats’ agenda – like carbon-free mandates, driver’s licenses for all, abortion expansion, and taxes on small businesses and workers – are extremely controversial and complicated. Jamming them through before people have had time to seriously consider the impacts and unintended consequences is setting the state up for real problems down the road.
Do you want to pay California energy prices? You could soon…
One of my committees is the Senate’s Labor Committee. Recently we heard a bill that would seriously harm the state’s two oil refineries and their workers.
It’s a little bit complicated, but it would essentially force the state’s two refineries to hire union contractors by requiring 85% of contracted employees to be registered apprentices. The refineries already have some employees in this classification, but it’s not mandated. The bill mandates a dramatic jump within a very narrow window for compliance.
The penalty for non-compliance? Up to $10,000 per violation per shift. In other words, it could mean nearly $5 million in fines that will be levied on the refineries. There are no exemptions for staff who are already trained and no leniency for time requirements.
What happens if it passes? The refineries will have to lay off staff, so expect job losses in areas like Fairmont and Rosemount and other south central Minnesota communities. They won’t be able to meet the strict requirements, so they will likely be forced to shut down. And if they shut down, our energy prices will naturally skyrocket.
I’ll keep you informed about what happens as this bill moves through the Senate, but it’s deeply concerning.
Contact me
If you have any questions or feedback about anything we are working on here in the Senate, please reach out! I am here to serve as your voice in the Senate, so your ideas, concerns, and questions are critical. My email is Sen.Bill.Lieske@senate.mn and my phone number is 651-296-5019.
Have a great day!