Category: SD36

Welcome to week seven of the 2018 legislative session. After the spring break we got right back to business with two floor sessions and a return to our normal hearing schedule. In education we started with hearings on the Governor’s Appointments to the newly formed licensing board for teachers. This conversation will continue through next week finally having the individuals getting final confirmation on the floor of the Senate. The timeline for rule making for the new board are tight however, in listening to the individuals picked by Governor Dayton, the talent is there to do great work on behalf of all of our students in Minnesota. In this week’s update I shared information about the Opiod crisis, snaring, bonding and visits from constituents.

Getting back from break also gets us to the final few weeks of session. In preparation I am reminded how the legislative session last year ended in chaos – a result of the Republican majority’s decision to pursue shadowy last-minute backroom deals instead of conducting their work in a manner that is transparent, accountable, and consistent with Minnesotans expectations of their state government. Last year I pointed out the conference committee report from Human Services that was presented to the Senate floor was 2.5 inches thick and gave us less then 2 hours to review it. Not okay.  I am sad to report that the majority this year appears to be comfortable with repeating an approach that shut average Minnesotans out of the conversation. I am embedded with the purpose of assuring that we look at policy in a bi partisan manner and remind those I work with daily to do what is right for All Minnesotans. Please keep that reminder coming not only to me but to all who you entrust with public service. Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: April 13, 2018”

Hello friends and neighbors and welcome to week Seven of the 2018 Legislative session.  Although this is considered a break for the Easter and Passover Holidays there was a lot of activity in the areas I have Senate interest in. My newsletter this week is focusing on three particular items of concern and interest that I believe should be shared with the larger population and brought back into the conversation about what we are going to do next?

The first report I want to share with you is about Medicaid programs in Minnesota.  It has been over 50 years since the Medicaid program became law.  We know, as in a previous newsletter, 68% of all Federal dollars to Minnesota is for Medicaid and of that 70% is for Elderly and People with Disabilities. It is, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the cornerstone of our state’s health and long term care coverage systems.  Minnesota leads the nations in health care innovations and created Minnesota Care creating affordable coverage for approximately 89,000 individuals eligible for Medicaid.  Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: April 5, 2018”

Welcome to week 6 of the 2018 session. This is the midpoint mark and it was a busy week getting bills heard for the second deadline. We finished yesterday at 8:00 p.m finalizing the Education E-12 Policy Omnibus bill. It is now ready to be sent to the Senate floor while we wait for the House Omnibus bill to also be voted on and together sent to conference committee. We started off the week, in response to the historic March for Our Lives, as DFL senators joined high school students and Minnesotans of diverse backgrounds to announce the Senate’s first comprehensive plan to address the epidemic of gun violence in our society. The new plan focuses on three categories: Schools, Research, and Gun Safety.

We also had a vote in the Senate chamber this week unanimously approving new contracts for our outstanding state employees. The House also passed the bill with near unanimous support, and Governor Dayton has already signed it into law. As a result, more than 30,000 Minnesotans will receive a much needed adjustment to their income. The Senate also unanimously passed important legislation to begin addressing the state’s endangered pension fund. Both of these bills came together with Bi Partisan work and support.   Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: March 30, 2018”

Hello Neighbors and friends welcome to week 5 of the 2018 session.  This has been another week full of committee hearings as well as you, my neighbors and friends,  coming to our Capitol to bring issues important to our attention. As always, I enjoy getting visits from you and even if you don’t have an appointment you can easily have me pulled from the Senate floor or from committee to talk with you. Simply let my Assistant Chris Vaaler know by contacting him or coming to my office at the Minnesota Senate Building.  95 University Avenue Suite 2231.  651-296-4154

Under Minnesota law, “the Legislature shall establish by concurrent resolution deadlines for each regular session.” Deadlines help the Legislature narrow down the hundreds of bills introduced by lawmakers to proposals that have the best chance of becoming law. The first deadline passed on Thursday, March 22, which was the final opportunity for committees to act favorably on bills in their house of origin. The remaining deadlines are Thursday, March 29 and Friday, April 20.  Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: March 23, 2018”

Hello neighbors and friends welcome to week four of the 2018 legislature. Another busy week filled with visitors, hearings and our own Governor Mark Dayton delivering his eighth and final State of the State address. Monday started with a visit from Anoka Hennepin Adventures plus students from Oxbow Creek, Lincoln, Monroe and Dayton elementary schools.  I had the privilege of constituent Liz Johnston shadow me for the day and was able to sit in hearings, meetings and view the Senate floor session. She is currently getting another degree in public policy and took time away to see first hand how the legislature works. She and her husband have done organizing for AFSCME addressing Union Members rights. Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: March 16, 2018”

Hello neighbors and friends. Welcome to week 3 of the 2018 session.  The start of this month has been moving fast, it seems, with the first set of deadlines for bills coming up in two weeks. In between dealing with the lack of care from our wonderful HMO’s and CVS providers taking their sweet time in approving prior authorization I am sharing with you activities of the week. Meanwhile medical coordination or lack thereof is set for another discussion as well as the fact we should ask the question, “why have prior authorization if you are going to take 3 to 5 more days to approve it?”  Interesting dilemma these wealthy HMO’s and Insurance providers throw at us as we play by the rules they set up then just dismiss us when we ask for action.  If you or anyone you know experience the same problems please do not hesitate to contact my office directly as I am currently drafting legislation to hold these groups accountable to what they say they are supposed to do.  I will also spend the next two years calling for their accountability and transparency to the process.

Dozens of groups held their Day at the Capitol event this past week as visitors flocked to the rotunda to snap a picture with a live bald eagle, and more than 1,000 high school students marched from Central High in Saint Paul to the Capitol to demand that lawmakers do something to prevent school shootings.  All in all it was a busy week with individuals exercising their rights to be heard and push for action in true fashion of exercising rights of a democracy.  Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: March 9, 2018”

Hello friends and constituents and welcome to week two of the 2018 session. I enjoyed the company of many constituents visiting our Capitol and talking with me about matters important to all of us. I enjoyed talking with students from Anoka Hennepin Tech High School on the Senate floor and showing them the renovation of the Capitol including the once sealed up former Supreme Court Dining room.

This past Wednesday, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) released a new forecast that projects a $329 million budget surplus for the current biennium. I want to remind you that less than 10 years ago, Minnesota faced a $6 billion budget deficit including one that I had to face my freshman year. As you recall the previous legislation shifted funds that should have gone directly to our school districts forcing them to borrow the money to provide education. I believed then and now that forcing districts to borrow money that we, the tax payer, pay and promised to our students is wrong.  We should never hold our students hostage to Governments inability to balance a budget in a real manner. However, the remarkable fiscal turnaround for our State was and is due in large part to a prudent decision made by Governor Dayton and DFL lawmakers to raise income taxes by 2% on the richest 2% of Minnesotans in 2013 indicating a more fair way of percentage of taxes paid. Continue reading “Sen. John Hoffman (SD36) Update: March 2, 2018”