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TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 4766
June 2024
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Rideshare companies will remain
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One closely watched issue for the 2024 Minnesota Legislature is that of how transportation network companies’ (TNC) drivers are compensated. State lawmakers passed a measure to increase driver pay, as part of a massive omnibus bill. Gov. Tim Walz signed the measure May 24, after vetoing TNC legislation in 2023. It takes effect in December. The changes don’t apply to drivers on delivery platforms, such as DoorDash or UberEats. The changes provide an array of protections for drivers and riders. But changes in state law also could bring higher fares. The controversy over rideshare services and wages caused consternation for people with disabilities who use rideshare services. It also shone a brighter spotlight on the problems some disabled riders face with TNCs. Many rideshare vehicles aren’t accessible to people who use wheelchairs or scooters, or who have mobility issues. In other cases, drivers have refused to accommodate riders who use service animals. Those issues were in the mix in the 2024 session, especially the need to provide more accessible vehicles. But they weren’t addressed to the satisfaction of many disability advocates, who still want and need accessible options. Ideas brought forward during the session included incentives to help drivers purchase accessible vehicles, as there are questions as to whether or not that would be done voluntarily. As the session’s end neared, a proposal was introduced to provide $2 million from the state’s workforce development fund. It would have created a vehicle loan program for drivers, at 0 percent interest. Loans would have been available at $15,000 for regular vehicles and $20,000 for wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Eligibility requirements were in place for drivers seeking loans. That didn’t pass. The Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD) hopes to bring accessibility measures back in 2025. Still, the new law is expected to resolve a debate that has gone on for many months at the state and local levels. But it accelerated a conflict between state leaders and the Minneapolis City Council. That council passed its own wage requirements earlier this year, prompting Uber and Lyft to announce they would no longer provide services there. The state action pre-empts local actions on wages. Minneapolis council members posted criticism of Walz and state lawmakers on social media after state lawmakers acted. Cities can still license and regulate TNC companies. The minimum pay for drivers statewide is set at $1.28 per mile and 31 cents per minute, not counting tips. RIDESHARE To page 3
NEWS DIGEST
A consistent message this session was for community supports and services.
Despite a chaotic session end; many gains are celebrated It was win some and wait until 2025 for the disability community, as the Minnesota Legislature’s 2024 session came to a tumultuous end. Chaos erupted in the House and Senate chambers before the gavels fell at the midnight May 19 constitutional deadline. What generated the most angst was a 1,430-page bill that was a melding of nine separate bills. Republicans loudly decried the tactic of introducing such a lengthy bill so late in the session, shouting “Follow the
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rules!” and “Tyranny!” and even chanting “U-S-A!” Disability advocates and organization staffers were still poring through legislation as May came to an end. The time crunch at session’s end didn’t allow for detailed overviews of the bills as they were voted on. Still, some losses were all too clear. A bonding bill didn’t pass, meaning a wide range of infrastructure improvements must wait. That includes needed accessibility SESSION To page 6
He draws on experiences with autism for performances by Jan Willms Anxiety, restlessness, being a superpower and feeling free and unchained are some of the emotions St. Paul actor Michael Wolfe experiences while waiting for a bus. Wolfe, who identifies as a Black, queer performer with autism, will share the feelings he goes through on a daily basis at a performance June 2 at the Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis. “Thresholds: Art, Science and Neurodiversity” will offer two short films and a live performance featuring Wolfe. Neuroscientist Guadalupe Astorga will talk about her research on the neurodiversity of visual perception. Both Wolfe and Astorga will share insights about their unique processes. The event is being presented by Beth Graczyk Productions (BGP). Graczyk is the director. Wolfe said he has wanted to have a career in movies and television since he was a child watching Batman films. “The one starring Michael Keaton, as well as other movies, sparked my interest in acting,” he said. “Every time I watched a movie that I loved, I told myself that I could do that some day. Unfortunately, I was born on the mental disability spectrum with autism, so all of a sudden I had a problem. How could I get a
Michael Wolfe's latest performance draws on his waits for the bus. career in the entertainment industry, when no one wanted to work with someone on the spectrum? It was kind of a curve ball thrown to me.” Wolfe also said that he has been singing his entire life. “When I was a kid I would sing to
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myself all the time,” he said. “It would often annoy others around me. I was very introverted and kept to myself. But then I joined the choir in high school and began to take singing more seriously. I thought maybe I could have a career
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PERFORMANCE To page 13