Senate DFL Week in Review: March 21, 2019 , CD3 DFL

WEEK ELEVEN: March 21, 2019

Divided government is not working in Minnesota

At the close of another week of session, despite promises of working together and getting things done, Senate Republicans continue to obstruct, block, stall, and delay important legislation to move Minnesota forward.

Reducing the price of insulin is one of the issues waiting to be addressed. Both Republican and DFL legislators have been denied hearings on bills addressing the exorbitant cost of insulin despite strong bipartisan support.

One of the Republican authors of a bipartisan bill to set up an emergency fund which diabetes patients could access once a year if they can’t afford their medication finally spoke out against this travesty. He has been unsuccessful in gaining support for the bill from his caucus. He said:

“It’s horrifying that people are dying and horrifying that the Legislature isn’t moving fast enough to solve this. I think the pharmaceutical industry is powerful enough that when they flex their muscles, they make it difficult for things to move forward.”

Putting powerful lobbying groups ahead of the health and well-being of Minnesotans is not what people want from those who represent them.

The Help America Vote Act is another example of Republican obstruction. The Senate author won’t even meet in a conference committee to work out differences between the House and Senate bill. It just doesn’t make sense.

Minnesota stands alone as the only state in the nation that has not passed full funding for election security through the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). This critical funding was signed into law by the President last year to boost cyber security for all 50 states after concerns of foreign entities interfering in Minnesota’s elections.

The House passed full funding for HAVA on a strong bipartisan vote of 105-23 in February. In contrast, Senate Republicans refuse to approve more than $1.5 million of the $6.6 million available for critical cybersecurity projects. In the first days of the 2019 session, approving full HAVA funding in Minnesota was cited as a bipartisan agreement both DFLers and Republicans could pass right away as an example of finding common ground on important legislation. Yet after 11 weeks of session, Minnesota remains the only state in the U.S. that hasn’t accepted its voting security money – and apparent it might be awhile before it does.

Other issues blocked by the Senate Majority include: paid family leave, common-sense gun violence prevention laws and safety in schools, restoring the right to vote for thousands of Minnesotans, bills to expand access to affordable health care, and the Equal Rights Amendment. Legislation addressing the opioid epidemic, elder abuse, and hands-free cell phone use while driving were heard but are not yet scheduled for a full floor vote, despite passing the House with bipartisan support.

Divided government is not working in Minnesota. Senate DFLers are ready to roll up their sleeves to get the important work for the people of Minnesota done.

Rally to “unset the sunset” on the provider tax held
The “This is Medicaid” coalition held a rally this week calling upon legislators to repeal the sunset of Minnesota’s healthcare provider tax. The governor and several legislators spoke in favor of extending the tax, which is set to expire at the end of the year. The provider tax is the largest source of funding for the Health Care Access Fund (HCAF), and if funding for it ends many Minnesotans will be at risk of losing their medical assistance benefits, endangering their long-term healthcare needs.

Hands-free in the House, Senate to follow suit
A bill passed by the House this week addresses distracted driving in the state. According to the Department of Public Safety, distracted driving was a contributing factor in one in five crashes between the years of 2013-2017. During this timeframe, there have been an average of 59 deaths and 223 serious injuries each year in Minnesota as a result of distracted driving.

Veterans hold their Legislature accountable
Minnesota veterans from all branches of the military, including members of the Minnesota Association of Country Veterans Service Officers (MACVSO) and the United Veterans Legislature Council of MN (UVLC), met at the Capitol this week in a rally supporting veterans’ legislation. They were joined by the governor and several legislators to voice support of bills which seek to expand veterans care and to ensure that the needs of all veterans are being met by the state of Minnesota. Also at the rally were several World War II veterans. Their service, alongside that of several members of various veterans’ associations, was recognized by everyone in attendance.

Hometown heroes assistance program
Minnesota’s firefighters would receive vital supplemental state health assistance thanks to the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program being proposed in the Legislature this year. This bipartisan legislation addresses the alarmingly high incidence of cancer, cardiac issues, and emotional trauma facing the state’s 22,000 firefighters.