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.
In our weekly hearings we spent time discussing the role of Levy Contracts as well as our continued conversation and bill presentation on Elder Abuse and long term Care. Speaking of long term care, at the end of last week, the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) informed the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) that CMS denied Minnesota’s legislatively approved investments in the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS), the system that determines service rates for Minnesotans with disabilities accessing community based disability services. CMS’s denial of these specific investments within this rate setting system will result in a cut of 7% to the rates for community based disability services across the state for Minnesotans with disabilities. The 7% that is being cut is money that we, as a legislative body voted for in 2013 and 2014 and has now fallen to the bottom line. A cut of 7% will prove devastating to affected individuals and that staff that serve them.There is a bill drafted, that I am co author of addressing this. (SF2889/HF 3191) This bill will stop the 7% cut to individual service rates by targeting these investments specifically to workforce competitiveness and increased frequency and predictability of scheduled rate adjustments, all within the community based disability services rate setting system. We must continue to do what is right for people with disabilities and our elderly in our State.
As I listened to the Governors last State of the State address, I had mixed emotions; Proud of his work, joyful of the advice and advocacy he showed my family 17 years ago when we were battling an HMO over services for our daughter, and finally sadness as his vision, leadership and care for ALL as Governor will be ending this year. His speech reminded us of the dire financial straits that the Pawlenty Administration left our state in, and the progress we’ve made since that time. Recalling the inheritance of a 6.2 Billion dollar Debt and 2.8 billion dollars owed the schools during the shift, which we paid back the first year I was in office. Despite his predecessor’s terrible record of fiscal management, Governor Dayton has made great strides in his promise to build a better Minnesota. We are all better off thanks to his leadership during his eight years as our state’s top executive. To you Mark Dayton, my family and I say THANK YOU!!!!
Sincerely,
Senator John Hoffman
Governor Dayton Delivers His Final State of the State Address
Governor Mark Dayton gave his eighth and final State of the State address on March 14, outlining his accomplishments during his two terms as Minnesota’s governor. When Gov. Dayton first came into office, he inherited a $6.2 billion budget deficit and $1.9 billion had been borrowed from our public schools. Fixing the state’s budget mess and providing us fiscal stability has been a hallmark of his administration. Dayton has guided Minnesota towards a more stable budget outlook with nine budget surpluses out of 10 budget forecasts. Today, we have $1.9 billion in budget reserves and last month state officials forecast a $329 million surplus for the remainder of the current two-year budget cycle. Gov. Dayton made his commitment to continuing that prudent fiscal management clear.
When Dayton was running for office, he vowed to fight for education and he delivered. Minnesota has made meaningful investments in early education, implemented all-day kindergarten for parents who choose it for their children, and increased investments in K-12 public education. These investments have provided an academic jump-start for our state’s youngest learners and increased student performance to help our students be college and career ready.
Today, more than 40% of Minnesota’s waters are listed as impaired or polluted, and more and more rural drinking water systems are having to deal with nitrate contamination. Across Minnesota, water treatment plants and clean drinking water systems that keep our waters safe are in serious disrepair. Gov. Dayton asked the legislature to pass his proposed clean water investments in the bonding bill to repair our aging, under-funded clean water infrastructure and make clean water available and affordable for every Minnesota community.
Minnesota also made sensible investments in our economy and job creation. When Dayton took office, more than 200,000 Minnesotans were out of work and the unemployment rate was 6.9%. Today, our jobless rate is at 3.3% and we’ve created more than 286,000 new jobs. That’s good news for working families.
Is there more to do? Absolutely. Minnesota needs to work harder to close the achievement gap for all students. We need to look at ways to close the economic and racial disparities gap. We must continue to find solutions for stable and long-term funding to pay for roads, bridges, and mass transit improvements. We need to pursue the proposal to allow all Minnesotans to buy into the MinnesotaCare health insurance system to bring down the costs of health care for working families, businesses, and farmers. And Minnesota must continue on our path to fiscal stability by passing budgets that are responsible and sustainable. We know that our future as a state depends upon the strength and well-being of all who live here.
Legislation to prevent elder abuse
Bipartisan legislation was introduced this week that takes concrete steps to protect Minnesota seniors. The Governor, joined by DFLers and Republicans, held a joint press conference to unveil legislation that contains a package of robust proposals developed in response to reports from the Office of the Legislative Auditor and the Governor’s consumer workgroup on elder abuse.
The bill has four major components: improving licensure, enforcement, reporting, and investigations; strengthening and expanding the rights of older and vulnerable adults and their families; enhancing criminal and civil enforcement rights; and creating new licensing frameworks for assisted living facilities and dementia care.
Minnesota seniors deserve safe, quality care. This truly bipartisan proposal will take the critical and necessary steps needed to prevent abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities. It is a multi-pronged approach that will hold providers accountable for the care they provide, strengthen and improve the reporting system though the Department of Health’s Office of Health Facility Complaints, and empower seniors and their families. (SF3088)
Republicans in the Senate also unveiled separate legislation this week addressing elder abuse. This partisan approach has shut out the consumer voice and has garnered criticism from industry and advocates alike
Health care proposal is destructive for People with Disabilities
Republican lawmakers held a press conference March 12 to promote a bill to make Medicaid health care access contingent on work requirements. Republicans claim this proposal will boost the state’s workforce and curb government spending.
The problem is, more than two-thirds of Medicaid recipients, who do not have a disability, are already working. In reality, this proposal would likely result in the loss of affordable health coverage for tens of thousands of the state’s poorest individuals. This plan would be expensive to implement, increase Minnesota’s uninsured population, and escalate costly emergency visits.
Medical Assistance costs in Minnesota are on the rise, but the increases are primarily due to coverage for elderly Minnesotans and families with children. This plan does nothing to address the real rise in health care costs. We all share in the goal of helping people find meaningful work but making heath care access contingent upon work requirements is not a good idea. This short-sighted proposal will set Minnesota back in our efforts to expand access to health care for the people who need it the most. As noted, under provisions of this plan we know that those individuals on MNFIP show 45% either have a disability or a child with a disability. According to an article by Robyn Powell, Medicaid is an important lifeline as well as a facilitator to gainful employment. Medicaid not only provides health care, but it also covers critical supports for people with disabilities, such as personal care assistants and durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs). Medicaid is the only type of health insurance that funds these types of necessary supports. Historically, people with disabilities had to choose between working and receiving Medicaid because working often left people ineligible for the program because their income was too high. However, Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has helped to remedy this problem by expanding eligibility rules. Notably, research suggests that the employment rate of people with disabilities is higher in states that have expanded Medicaid.
Omnibus Pension Bill
The Omnibus Pension Bill passed the State Government Finance Committee this week and is heading to the full Finance Committee. The bill makes substantial changes to all statewide public employee pension funds and includes pension benefit changes, actuarial changes, required contribution increases, and direct state aid. The bill will resolve unfunded public pension liabilities and represents a “shared sacrifice” approach with all stakeholders contributing to the solution.
Cost-of-living adjustments or post-retirement benefits provide annual increases to pensions to prevent the erosion of benefits due to inflation and other factors. This bill reduces COLAs for most plans and represents a commitment by retirees to be part of the pension solution.
Public employers, including school districts, cities, counties, and state agencies are required to provide additional funding to employees’ pensions into the future, which greatly improves the funding ratio of plans. The legislature has committed to contributing state aid to local governments due to these increased costs and will provide this support over the next 30 years.
Finally, the omnibus pension bill reduces the assumed rate of return that the pension plans use to calculate future asset growth from 8% to 7.5%. While the stock market has seen large gains in the past few years, using a lower rate will make it less likely the state overestimates asset returns into the future.
MNLARS
For the better part of seven months, Republicans in the Minnesota legislature have held numerous public hearings and news conferences, written letters and opinion pieces, and even created their own websites to highlight problems with the Minnesota License and Registration System (MNLARS). But for all of their efforts to better-publicize the problems with MNLARS, they have done little to nothing to help fix those problems.
Finally, Senate Republicans announced the MNLARS contract worker funding bill would be heard on the floor on March 15. One hour before session, Senate Republicans pulled the bill from the agenda, once again delaying passage. Senate DFL members made a motion to take it up that day on the floor. Republicans said no. MNLARS is in crisis. Although this bill fell far short of solving the problem Minnesota is facing with vehicle tabs and title transfers, it would have been some movement in the right direction.
Republicans refused to include money in the bill for customer service centers and refused to include money to actually fix MNLARS past the end of the fiscal year. These missing provisions totally defeat the purpose of trying to help people trying to renew their tabs or transfer auto titles. DFLers had an amendment ready to fix these shortfalls and move forward. Instead, all Minnesotans received were delays and excuses.
We all agree the MNLARS rollout was not ready. We know Minnesotans are frustrated with not being able to transfer titles and not receiving their auto tabs. Instead of pointing fingers and politicizing the issue, we need to pass this bill to restore lost trust with the public and finally provide Minnesotans the services they need and expect from Vehicle Services.
Veterans Day on the Hill
Constituents, Father and Son team of Doug and Jared Sturgill 2nd and 3rd Vice Commander of the Anoka American Legion, joined other Veterans for a Veterans Day on the Hill this week, advocating for legislation that provides services and benefits for those willing to give everything for our state and country. After a pre-rally at the Veterans Center of Minnesota, supporters and veterans marched to the Capitol for a day of work speaking with state legislators about veterans’ priorities for the legislative session. These priorities include keeping surviving veteran spouses in their homes, ending illegal predatory lending against veteran benefits, funding for Fort Snelling, and increasing access to the outdoors for Veterans with disabilities. I also want to thank Jared Sturgill for his 10 year anniversary as a State Highway Patrol Officer and for all he does protecting us in Minnesota.
Hospitality Day on the Hill
On Monday, March 12th the Minnesota Restaurant Association’s constituents Thomas Nesheim from Clive’s Roadhouse & Dale Busch from Clean Response met with me. Clive’s Roadhouse in Champlin, is a scratch-made kitchen right in the heart of Senate District 36. My favorite are their chicken wings. Definitely worth the drive up Highway 169.
Thank you for stopping by Thomas and talking to me about the issues that affect the hospitality industry.
AH 11 Adventures Plus School Tour
Epilepsy Advocacy Day
I had the honor of speaking at the Minnesota Epilepsy Foundation’s kick off event for their advocacy day on the hill. I was invited as I am the co-author on the best Life Alliance bill. This bill would provide a stronger and more stable system for people with disabilities and the direct care staff who support them. Especially in the face of the direction from the federal government via Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services which will cut rates for supportive services by 7% beginning July 1, 2018. The State Legislature can stop this cut and strengthen the system for setting supportive service rates.
ABATE Day on the Hill
American Bikers for Awareness, Training, and Education (ABATE) of Minnesota is a not for profit, grass roots organization that is committed to educating motorcyclists and the general public about motorcycling. Thank you Dave, Joe and Putz for stopping by. I always enjoy our conversation and talking about Motorcycle safety.
Housing Day on the Hill
Thank you Hannah, Dave, Jerry, Angela, Jerome and Coon Rapids Mayor Jerry Koch for stopping by. We had a great discussion about Improving housing affordably by addressing regulatory cost-drivers, improving the online continuing education experience, enacting critical consumer protections for residential PACE loans, advocating for homeowners and home ownership as MN addresses tax conformity, and addressing the construction industry workforce shortage.
Minnesota Medical Association Day on the Hill
On Wednesday, some students and a resident that are apart of the Minnesota Medical Association stopped by the capitol to see me. I was in the Health and Human Services Reform committee while they were here but I always make time for constituents and had my assistant pull me out of committee to meet. Thank you Marty, Hannah and Kelsey for stopping by. Thank you Dominic Sposeto for being there as well. Say hi to Des Moines for me.
Puntland Former Finance Minister Visit
I had the privilege to speak at a large gathering welcoming the former Finance Minister of Puntland to Minnesota. Dr. H.E Farah Ali Jama met and spoke with members of the Somalia Community in Minnesota especially constituent and friend Abdul Ahmed from Coon Rapids. We thanked Ali Jama for paying Minnesota a visit as he tours other states in preparation for his election bid as President of Puntland.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call my office at 651-296-4154 or by e-mail at jhoffman@senate.mn