Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The Legislature’s annual Easter/Passover break is upon us, giving legislators a chance to catch their breath after the last few weeks of intense deadlines. While I’m spending my break catching up on my work outside the legislature as well as spending time with family, I’m hoping everyone else is getting the chance to get outside and into the sunshine.
There is also great news! Next week Minnesotans 16 and older will qualify for the Covid-19 vaccine. The elderly and vulnerable populations will still be prioritized but there is more opportunity for everyone to get vaccinated now. There is more information in this ENews.
I will also be contemplating the coming last few weeks of the legislative session. We have had contentious issues arise this session as well as those that share bipartisan support. All of the budgets are out from the House, Senate and Governor. The stage is set for the last month of session.
Now we have to come together to make the final decisions on what our final budget will be as well as what policies will shape our state in the years to come. So as we all take our reprieve with family and friends I ask that you reach out and share your thoughts and feelings on the different legislation as we move forward. I’m going to do my best to share what bills are coming to the floor as soon as I know about them. I’ll be sharing them on Facebook and reviewing actions taken during my normal weekly newsletter.
So enjoy the holidays with your family and keep an eye out for more information next week.
From Ours to Yours,
John
EDUCATION
The pandemic brought into stark contrast the varying inequities in Minnesota’s public school system. As distance learning became the norm, schools had to deal with students who lacked the hardware to participate in virtual classroom learning as well as the inability for some students to access the internet due to spotty broadband/WIFI services.
School staff, parents, and teachers also felt the weight of this “new normal” as they had to navigate a different landscape for students. And, because many families rely on school nutrition services to feed their families the change in academic schedules proved a hardship for many. School budgets were also hit as fees for community education and childcare dropped off and many parents either chose to home-school their children or hold back kindergarten students until next year.
In response to these challenges, the Minnesota State Senate did what it could to make education more attainable during these trying times. We worked on a bill that would protect kindergarten to third grade students from being expelled as studies have shown that students of color are expelled at higher rates than their white counterparts. We also worked on a bill that would allow schools to take the religious makeup of the surrounding community as they plan religious holidays and school absence policies. We also achieved bipartisan support and a bill to spend $7 million in teachers loans to increase the diversity of Minnesota school teachers.
Legislation to expand Hunger-Free Campus designations at Minnesota public colleges and universities would fund grants to help campus groups provide food options for students in need. Minnesota State and University of Minnesota campuses could receive the designations and grants. The funding is needed because today’s college student population has changed over the past few decades. They are older—45% are over 21 and 30% are parents. Of that 30%, 55% reported having experienced food insecurity. The Hope Center for College Community and Justice surveyed almost 10,000 students from 25 two-year and three four-year colleges in Minnesota and found that 37% of students had been food insecure the prior 30 days, 48% had been housing insecure the previous year, and 18% reported being homeless the previous year. The grants would be used for food pantries and other food emergency programs.
ENERGY
As the prices of oil and gas have fluctuated many times throughout this year we were reminded about the importance of energy independence and reliable power grids. To address the costs of price fluctuation, The senate passed a bill establishing an emergency loan account for municipal utilities that had to purchase extra gas for demand during the polar vortex; these loans would be issued with zero interest for up to five years. Another provision in the bill would establish a low-income assistance program to provide bill credits for low-income households to defray a portion of the elevated costs incurred during the arctic front. A separate, unrelated bill passed off the Senate Floor prior to the Legislature’s spring and removes the sunset on a gas utility’s ability to petition the PUC for approval for a rate schedule adjustment to recover the costs associated with replacement or modification of existing gas infrastructure. An amendment to the bill was included to provide the $15 million for a loan account for municipal utilities with immediate need. We also heard a proposal on a plan for 100% carbon-free energy by 2040. If passed, this framework would help the state’s electric utilities to achieve carbon-free electrical energy generation in just under two decades. It strengthens existing statute and includes critical protections for workers and areas of concern for environmental justice, and it also gives electric utilities the flexibility to determine how they would get there.
Health and Human Services
For many Minnesotans, 2020 has shown how important it is to have a strong social safety net and a responsive government that cares for us. So far, few HHS bills have moved to the floor or out of the Senate; instead, these will likely be considered for the omnibus bills that committees will put together in the coming weeks.
The Legislature loosened certain restrictions last year to make sure people could access the care they needed from their home during the pandemic. This session, lawmakers are undertaking a massive effort to update our state’s telehealth laws throughout the health and social services sectors. The 2021 session has put a renewed emphasis on our long-term care industry to make sure facilities have the support they need, and residents are safe and protected. At the same time, the Senate is focused on making sure there is a robust system of support and services available for people to remain at home or in their communities.
These arrangements have been vital during the pandemic and will only continue to grow as our state’s aging population increases. The Health and Human Services Committees have spent this session looking at options to make sure our long-term care facilities and other community service options are safe and affordable, and the workforce that cares for them is appropriately compensated.
COMMERCE
Minnesota’s reinsurance plan – the Minnesota Premium Security Plan – originally passed in 2017 when the individual marketplace was new. It provided state money to insurance companies to subsidize high-cost enrollees to incentivize those companies to lower their advertised premiums. The program was supported with $542 million in taxpayer dollars. It encourages – but does not require – insurance companies offering plans on the individual market to hold down their rates.
The MPSP was originally a two-year program, meant to be a bridge between the ACA implementation and a sustainable individual marketplace. The Legislature extended it for two years in 2019 and in February, the Senate passed a bill to extend the program one additional year. Reinsurance has more or less achieved its goal, holding down annual average health insurance rates about 20% from where they would have been without the program.
However, the lower rates have come at more than $542 million in taxpayer expense and about $100 million per-year reduction in federal funds that support MinnesotaCare. In addition, reinsurance subsidizes high healthcare costs, which some argue discourages insurance companies from doing anything to improve the cost of care or health outcomes in general. The federal waiver required to run the program expires next year so even if this bill passes this session, the Legislature will soon be required to find a more permanent solution to lower premiums.
Thank You!
It is my greatest honor to represent you the citizens of Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Coon Rapids here at our great state capitol. In addition to representing you, I absolutely enjoy it when you come visit. You must schedule with our office to arrange an appointment before any arrival, and we also do Zoom meetings! So reach out and tell me what matters to you or schedule an appointment so I can continue working on your behalf. You can reach me by email at sen.john.hoffman@senate.mn or by phone at 651-296-4154. I am at 95 University Avenue Suite 2235 in the Minnesota Senate Building.
Sincerely,
Senator John Hoffman
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.
This week I had the honor of joining some of my colleagues on Your Legislators! Your Legislators is a live, one-hour public affairs program produced by Pioneer Public TV for public television stations. Your Legislators is a forum for citizens to have their questions about state issues answered directly by their elected officials. The program is hosted by Barry Anderson.
The Governor announced that all Minnesotans 16 years of age and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination beginning Tuesday, March 30. The final eligibility expansion comes as the federal government has promised an increased supply of vaccine by April. By expanding eligibility to all Minnesotans, providers across the state will have the flexibility they need to fill appointments and support the state’s most critical goal: to get as many Minnesotans vaccinated as quickly as possible to end this pandemic.
The Governor and his Administration has directed providers to prioritize vaccine appointments for older Minnesotans, those with underlying health conditions, and those in frontline jobs. Providers will then have the flexibility to provide available appointments to other eligible Minnesotans.
Minnesota has become a national leader in getting shots into arms quickly. This week Minnesota was ranked number one in the country for the percentage of vaccine doses administered to Minnesotans. The state has vaccinated 80% of our seniors, outperforming the nation, and has also vaccinated at least two-thirds of our school and child care personnel.
With more doses arriving in Minnesota, the state is ramping up strategies to get more vaccines to Minnesota’s BIPOC communities and preparing to launch new, creative methods for delivering vaccine to communities who need them, including mobile vaccination units that will hit the road in the coming weeks. Minnesota was recently ranked in the top five states in the country when it comes to vaccinating socially vulnerable counties.
All Minnesotans who have not received a vaccine should sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector to get updates on vaccine opportunities and be entered into the random selection process for the state’s Community Vaccination Program sites. Minnesotans can also contact their healthcare provider, local pharmacy or use the Vaccine Locator Map to search for vaccine providers in their area.
While all Minnesotans will become eligible next Tuesday, not every Minnesotan will be immediately able to make an appointment. Vaccine shipments from the federal government will continue increasing over the coming weeks, but for now demand will still exceed supply.
Tax Filing Update
Following the IRS, the Minnesota Department of Revenue has announced a grace period for taxpayers filing their 2020 Minnesota Individual Income Tax Return. Minnesotans now have until May 17 to file their payments and returns. This tax season, please visit the Minnesota Department of Revenue’s website with information on their resources, including COVID-19 relief available for businesses, and sign up for updates.
Health and Human Services Reform Omnibus
As Ranking Minority Member of the Health and Human Services Reform Committee I am working with the Chair and my colleagues to create a strong bill that innovates and protects our vulnerable populations. Among key discussions have been:
- Enhancing and increasing availability of Substance Use Disorder treatment providers. 13% of Minnesotans identified as needing assistance actually get treatment. This must be addressed.
- Providers have been having difficulty with the new systems put in place since January 2021. Among them, the inability to share staff in a reasonable way for people with disabilities living independently with roommates. I aim to increase its ease to protect this options availability, as well as ensuring that sleep staff are available for those who need it in case of emergencies.
- I have mentioned my issues with the proposed new budget methodology for people with disabilities. This system is not in place yet, and I refuse to allow it unless it is corrected in its priority. Funds should follow the individual based on their need, not whether they are in a group home or living independently/with family. Currently there is a higher budget for group home placed high need individuals by over double (roughly 162,000 compared to 75,000 Maximums) than those living more independently. Accountability on these budgets as they are developed needs to be enhanced.
- The PCA (Personal Care Assistant) program has been hurting for funds appropriate for training and retaining quality staff. This causes a shortage that has harmed people for many years. Ensuring they have the proper funding and support for this program is another high priority.
I also had the pleasure of being on Between the Lines with Al Travis! Between the Lines is a political television show in the state of Minnesota. Al Travis invites politicians onto the show and digs between the lines to find out what is happening at the capitol.