Capitol View for November 11

Good morning and welcome to Thursday, which is also Veterans Day.

The COVID-19 spike isn’t going away. Newly reported cases are trending at their highest level in 2021 — averaging 3,400 a day over the past seven reporting days. Active cases also reached a 2021 high — 25,623. The rate of COVID-19 tests coming back positive topped 8 percent, according to MPR News calculations , higher than the 5 percent officials find concerning and a key signal that transmission of the virus is accelerating. “We find ourselves in a really truly alarming spike in cases in recent days,” Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters Wednesday, adding that the current surge is due in part to the waning vaccine immunity among some who were inoculated early in the year.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra toured a pediatric vaccine clinic in Rochester Wednesday with Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. The visit came days after federal regulators recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. Becerra said it's time to protect children and, by extension, the adults who come in contact with this group of 28 million kids. "Who can now join their grandparents with hugs and kisses, who can celebrate the holidays, Thanksgiving and all of the holidays that are coming, together, if we do this right,” Becerra said. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, at least 94 children ages 5 to 11 have died from COVID-19, more than 8,300 have been hospitalized and more than 5,000 have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the virus.

As many as 100,000 Minnesotans who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and not enough to easily afford health insurance are set to benefit from a cash infusion from the federal government to the MinnesotaCare program in 2022. The $100 million comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the American Rescue Plan — the COVID-19 stimulus package signed earlier this year by President Joe Biden. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we are making increased investments to protect health coverage access for vulnerable Minnesotans,” Becerra said in a statement. “MinnesotaCare is another strong example of the Biden-Harris Administration working hand-in-hand with states to help more Americans realize the peace of mind that comes with health coverage.”

The Minnesota Supreme Court reinstated a lawsuit against Pope County and three child protection workers in the 2013 death of a four-year-old boy. Eric Dean’s stepmother Amanda Peltier was convicted of his murder in 2014. The boy had been the subject of repeated abuse. His estate contends in a wrongful death suit that the abuse should have been reported to law enforcement. A district court dismissed the case, saying the workers were immune from liability. The Star Tribune reports the Supreme Court ruled that immunity didn't apply to the social workers. The court also said the significance of a failure to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement is something that should be weighed by the district court.

Minnesota tax collections pushed past projections for yet another month. October’s state revenue was $87 million above expectations. Revenue is now outpacing earlier estimates by $744 million since July, or 10 percent more than had been expected. Last month’s excess was driven by stronger than expected sales and corporate tax revenue. The Department of Minnesota Management and Budget monthly report only looks at tax collections and doesn’t factor in spending patterns. But it suggests an economic forecast due out early next month will show a projected surplus that lawmakers would be able to tap into next year.

Who’s driving this bus? In the Westonka School District, it might be Minnesota Senate President David Osmek. Tom Hauser of KSTP TV reports Osmek took the job to help ease the school bus driver shortage. "I believe in public service and I think this is just part of being a public service so I'm happy to do it," he said. From the story: As for whether he thinks it will be easier to keep order on his school bus or on the Senate floor, he said with a laugh, "My colleagues are going to be watching this. I'm not going to let you bait me into that. I'm sure the floor will be just as entertaining as it is to be in a school bus with 50 kids yelling and screaming and having fun."