senator michelle benson

Benson: Allowing elective procedures “offers a ray of light”

(ST. PAUL, MN) –  Today, Governor Walz issued Executive Order 20-51, which lifts restrictions on doctors, dentists, and veterinarians to perform some elective surgeries and procedures. The facilities must submit a safety plan compliant with Minnesota…

Senator Anderson's Legislative Update

Dear Friends, Over the past seven weeks, our lives have been disrupted in major ways. There is not one community in our state that hasn’t been impacted – everyone has been impacted and it has…

Senate unanimously passes Rural Broadband Emergency Bill

St. Paul, MN) –The Senate unanimously passed an important emergency rural broadband bill Monday. The bill is chief authored by Sen. Torrey Westrom, chair of the Senate Ag., Rural Development and Housing Finance Committee.  It rushes…

Senator Koran on Coronavirus Economic Recovery Act

Help Given to Small Businesses, Farmers, Schools (St. Paul) – Last week, the Minnesota Senate approved with bipartisan support a major Republican-led Economic Recovery Act to help small businesses battling financial hardship caused by the…

Westrom: Long term food shortages are preventable

(St. Paul, MN) – The United States food supply is in dire straits unless the market opens up soon. As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am well aware of the numerous reports of…

Senator Anderson’s Legislative Update

Friends and Neighbors, The Governor has extended the stay-at-home order again. While this is still devastating for many, some businesses will be opening for curbside pickup. The Department of Employment and Economic Development said: “EO…

Senator Utke discusses recent legislative news

The last couple of weeks the news cycle has seemed redundant and confusing. We have seen progression to open the state back up with an increase in testing and an abundance of ICU bed availability,…