Refinery Safety Amendment Adopted to Omnibus Jobs Bill

During the Senate floor debate Friday on SF 9, the Senate Omnibus Jobs Bill, Senator Karla Bigham (DFL-Cottage Grove) successfully offered an amendment with overwhelming bipartisan support to require petroleum refineries to employ only skilled and trained workers. 

 “We must do everything we can to make sure that the people doing the day-to-day work at these high-hazard sites are only the most highly trained and skilled people possible,” said Senator Bigham. “This amendment is an important step forward for the safety of workers and our community and will ensure that only the most highly skilled and trained people possible are working in our refineries.”

This policy would require a minimum level of training for any workers on site at petroleum refineries in Minnesota. After debate, the amendment was successfully added to the bill with the bipartisan vote of 50-17. The Senate Omnibus Jobs bill was tabled and awaits a final vote.  

Senator Karla Bigham
Karla Bigham represents District 54 in the southeast Twin Cities metro, including parts of Dakota and Washington counties.

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