CAPITOL UPDATE MARCH 29, 2018
Sen. Ron Latz made a statement on the floor last week about the importance of enacting net neutrality protections for Minnesotan consumers and small businesses.
Gun Violence Prevention
On February 22, 2017, I introduced my criminal background check and gun violence protection order bills to the Minnesota Senate. Now, over one year later, Senate Republicans have yet to schedule a public hearing for either bill, despite the overwhelmingly strong bipartisan statewide calling to do so. Senate Republican leadership continues to assert there are simply too many other issues that need legislative attention. It is true that there are many important and pressing matters that require our attention, but gun violence prevention must be among the highest of priorities. It is simple, now weeks after the Parkland deaths, months after the Las Vegas massacre, years after young children died at Sandy Hook, decades after teenagers perished at Columbine, that we must come together and enact change.
On Monday, a group of professionals and DFL senators – myself included – announced at the Capitol a plan to address gun violence in our state. The plan aims to build on momentum from the March for Our Lives events, a historical nationwide gathering, that took place last Saturday. Included in the plan are three main categories of interest; schools, research, and gun safety. Because our schools do not have an adequate safety framework in place, we must improve school security equipment and require school districts to establish threat assessment teams. Additionally, we must pass laws that would allow us to collect and study de-identified data about gun ownership, similar to the common practice of addressing public health data, such as obesity and diabetes rates. And lastly, we must keep guns out of the hands of criminals and people who may harm themselves, an area where criminal background checks and gun violence protection orders would crucially mitigate.
Sen. Ron Latz addressing the media during Monday’s gun violence prevention press conference. From left to right; Sen. Jason Isaacson, Sen. Ron Latz, Sen. Scott Dibble.
Minnesota License and Registration System (MNLARS) Funding
Last week, the Legislature passed and Governor Mark Dayton signed SF 3133 to supply funding for sustained improvements and development for MNLARS. The bill issues $10 million from an existing account in Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), including $350,000 over the next two years for an information technology auditor to examine the progress being made on MNLARS, budgeting on the project and interaction with stakeholders like the deputy registrars. The bill conditions the funding to be released on a quarterly basis by steering a committee of six legislators, who will receive quarterly progress reports from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Office of Information Technology (MNIT). If a majority of the six legislators vote to slow, reduce, or condition the release of the quarterly allotment based on the progress report, the commissioners have 20 days to work to resolve the concerns of the legislators so that they may receive the quarterly funds. If the legislators are still not satisfied, the quarterly allotment is not released, and DPS and MNIT would need to submit proposed legislation to fund MNLARS during the next legislative session.
Elder Care
Legislation backed by Senate Republicans is moving quickly through the committee process. Part of this legislation includes a number of bipartisan provisions recommended from the AARP independent work group on elder abuse. However, the GOP bill falls short of several key recommendations that would produce real and systemic changes necessary to allow seniors to truly enforce their rights in a meaningful way. Not incorporated in the proposal are critical protections surrounding licensure, deceptive marketing, and discharge and termination of services in assisted living facilities, including the right to appeal those determinations. Additionally, persons would be unable to bring a private right of action for violations of the Health Care Bill of Rights and the Home Care Bill of Rights, the component of the legislation that enables seniors and their families the power to seek damages in court.
In Minnesota, assisted living facilities do not demand a license. The Senate Republican bill would assemble a task force to consider the possibility of licensure and provide recommendations to the Legislature for next year. However, seniors across our state cannot wait another year for debate. Because Minnesota is the only state that does not necessitate licensure, the process to implement licensure ought to happen as soon as this year. Unfortunately, the bipartisan work group bill that includes all of the above consumer protections has yet to be heard in committee. Despite that the Senate Republican bill does advance some initiatives, our seniors still need more considering their health and safety rests on necessary systemic changes.
From left to right; Sen. John Hoffman, Sen. Ron Latz, Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, Sen. Sandy Pappas, and Sen. Scott Dibble.
Pictured left to right; Sen. Warren Limmer speaking with Sen. Ron Latz in Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy committee.
Senator Latz in the News
MPR: Gun Violence Prevention Press Conference
Twitter: Senate Republicans Stonewalling Gun Violence Prevention Hearings
Twitter: Senate Republicans Suggest Only Informational Hearing on Gun Violence Prevention Bills
Pioneer Press: Students Take Action on Gun Violence Prevention
Thank you for your continued interest in the state legislature and in our work serving Senate District 46. If you have any time-sensitive questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at 651-297-8065.
Regards
Ron Latz