Tag: Minnesota House of Representatives

Minnesota House Expected to Approve State Government, Elections, Veterans Budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House is expected to approve the State Government budget bill, which includes provisions from the Elections and Veterans & Military Affairs committees. The bill includes measures to make it easier to vote and appropriates the full $6.6 million in Federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funding to secure Minnesota’s elections. The budget also includes provisions to restore the right to vote to those who have completed prison sentences, and to end veteran homelessness.  

“Minnesotans deserve effective state government and our budget delivers,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “The Minnesota House DFL makes needed investments in consumer protection and cyber-security initiatives.”

“Minnesota leads the country in voter participation, and we need to be a leader in caring for our veterans. Our budget will ensure that continues into the future,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “While Republicans drag their feet on election security and aim to restrict access to the ballot, House DFLers are protecting and enhancing our nation-leading election system. Our budget also supports and respects our veterans, in recognition of our obligation to them for their incredible service to our state and nation.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Expected to Approve State Government, Elections, Veterans Budget”

Rep. Liebling statement on Senate GOP’s devastating HHS budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota Senate is scheduled to consider their Health and Human Services budget Tuesday. Over four years, it contains over $1 billion in harmful cuts, including cuts to critical health care programs and elimination of state funding for child care assistance. Further, the budget relies on made-up savings that non-partisan fiscal staff cannot verify.

Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), Chair of the House Health and Human Services Finance Division, issued the following statement:

“Minnesotans need the opportunity to live healthy lives, with access to the care they need, when they need it, and for a price they can afford. Unfortunately, the Senate Republican budget does not deliver. It eliminates lower-cost dental care for low-income adults, which will lead to poorer health and higher costs through emergency room visits. It fails to continue funding for the Health Care Access Fund, putting the stability of rural hospitals at risk and jeopardizing health care for over 1.2 million Minnesotans. As prescription drug prices skyrocket, Senate Republicans do little to control these costs. They also gutted funding that helps low-income working families with child care costs, helping many Minnesota families climb out of poverty. Continue reading “Rep. Liebling statement on Senate GOP’s devastating HHS budget”

Minnesota House Expected to Approve New Higher Education Budget

Cornerstone of House DFL proposal is two-year tuition freeze

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to approve a new higher education budget that would freeze tuition for two years at the state’s public colleges and universities. As a result, tens of thousands of individuals currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State systems will not pay one penny more in tuition.

A fact sheet with more information about the House DFL budget is available for download here. Continue reading “Minnesota House Expected to Approve New Higher Education Budget”

Minnesota House Was Expected to Approve Transportation Budget Monday

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to approve a new transportation budget today that makes honest and responsible investments to fix our state’s roads, bridges, and transit. The American Society of Civil Engineers rated Minnesota’s roads as “D+” on their most recent infrastructure report card. Bridges received a “C” and transit was awarded a “C-.”

A fact sheet is available for download here.

“Minnesotans expect our transportation system to be safe, modern, and efficient, but our roads are crumbling, our bridges are structurally deficient, and our transit system is under-developed,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “The Minnesota Values Budget makes significant, honest investments to address the safety risks posed by our aging infrastructure and improve our transit system.”

The House DFL Majority’s transportation budget reverses destructive Republican budgeting that shifts more than $400 million in general fund dollars meant for schools, health care for seniors and people with disabilities, and other social safety net programs that Minnesotans depend on to live dignified lives. Instead, it raises those revenues honestly. In addition to a gas tax increase phased in over four years, the budget raises approximately $461 million in new revenue through changes in tab fees in Fiscal Years 2020-2021 and more than $650 million in Fiscal Years 2022-23. Nearly half of all Minnesota vehicles would qualify for lower tab fees. The budget also brings the motor vehicle sales tax in line with all other sales taxes (from 6.5% to 6.875%). Continue reading “Minnesota House Was Expected to Approve Transportation Budget Monday”

Minnesota House expected to pass new Public Safety and Judiciary budget

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota House was expected to pass a new two-year Public Safety and Judiciary budget last night.  The bill includes funding for corrections, the courts, criminal apprehension, human rights protections and many other areas, along with investments in a safer, more just Minnesota.

“We’ve worked in a thoughtful, deliberate way to reimagine how we can better approach public safety in this state to improve outcomes for everybody with a more just criminal justice system,” said Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Division Chair. “This session, through a community-centered lens, our work represents the first step toward a public safety approach centered in not just accountability and punishment, but prevention and pathways to redemption.”

“House DFLers are working to ensure fairness and deliver justice, and after bringing regular Minnesotans affected by our system to the table to hear their concerns and ideas, we’ve produced a budget accomplishes this,” said Rep. John Lesch (DFL – Saint Paul), the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division Chair. “With investments in our courts, steps to decriminalize poverty, and other innovative strategies, our work will ultimately lead to more Minnesotans being able to seek and receive justice.” Continue reading “Minnesota House expected to pass new Public Safety and Judiciary budget”

Minnesota House Expected to Approve Transportation Budget on Monday

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House of Representatives is expected to approve a new transportation budget on Monday that makes honest and responsible investments to fix our state’s roads, bridges, and transit. The American Society of Civil Engineers rated Minnesota’s roads as “D+” on their most recent infrastructure report card. Bridges received a “C” and transit was awarded a “C-.”

A fact sheet is available for download here.

“Minnesotans expect our transportation system to be safe, modern, and efficient, but our roads are crumbling, our bridges are structurally deficient, and our transit system is under-developed,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “The Minnesota Values Budget makes significant, honest investments to address the safety risks posed by our aging infrastructure and improve our transit system.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Expected to Approve Transportation Budget on Monday”

Minnesota House Approves Agriculture and Housing Budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House approved a new Agriculture and Housing budget Friday, April 26. The House DFL’s budget supports Minnesota’s agriculture industries, invests in food access programs, and provides a $26 million funding increase for housing programs. The bill passed on a vote of 99 to 28.

“The success of Minnesota farmers is essential to the economic success of our entire state,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “Our budget supports Minnesota’s farm families during this difficult time. We’re also increasing investments in housing programs that are critical for security and stability for families struggling with housing affordability.”

In addition to funding the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the budget bill invests in agriculture research, protection services, marketing and development, financial assistance, bioenergy, and the Board of Animal Health. The budget sees an overall 4.5 percent increase in funding for MDA. Continue reading “Minnesota House Approves Agriculture and Housing Budget”

House Higher Education Division Approves Measure to Deliver Financial Relief to Argosy Students

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The House Higher Education Finance and Policy Division held a public hearing today to discuss legislation to help Argosy University Twin Cities campus students recover financially from the college’s recent abrupt closure.

Representative Connie Bernardy (DFL-New Brighton), Chair of the Higher Education Finance and Policy Division is the chief author of the bill. The legislation announced today would give the Office of Higher Education the authority to release Argosy students from liability for any Minnesota SELF student loans for the spring 2019 semester, and pay them directly for other state financial aid.

Close to 1,000 students were enrolled at Argosy University Twin Cities when it abruptly shut its doors on March 8, about halfway through the spring semester. In addition to their education being disrupted, students also did not receive grant and loan funds they were depending on to pay living and miscellaneous expenses. The legislation discussed today would give the Minnesota OHE the authority to release Argosy students from liability for any Minnesota SELF student loans for the spring 2019 semester, and pay them directly for other state financial aid. Continue reading “House Higher Education Division Approves Measure to Deliver Financial Relief to Argosy Students”

Minnesota House Passes Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Thursday night, the Minnesota House voted in favor of the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act, passing the first-of-its-kind legislation that seeks to ensure that no Minnesotan loses their life because they can’t afford the insulin they need to survive. The bill was included in a House omnibus Health and Human Services budget bill that passed on a vote of 74 to 55.

“Never again should any Minnesotan lose their life because they cannot afford the insulin they need to survive,” said State Rep. Michael Howard (DFL- Richfield). “Far too many Minnesotans are being crushed by the cost of prescription drugs and it’s our responsibility to take bold action that puts the health and well-being of citizens ahead of Big Pharma profits.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Passes Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act”

Statement on DFL House Advancing Ban on Conversion Therapy

Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement in response to the Minnesota House of Representatives adding an amendment banning the use of conversion therapy on minors to their HHS omnibus bill.

“I strongly encourage Minnesota Senate Republicans to take up the ban on conversion therapy that the DFL controlled House of Representatives just voted on. Conversion therapy is a discredited practice based on junk science and it should not be used on the youth of Minnesota.

“For far too long, Republicans have fought tooth and nail against freedom, dignity, and equality for LGBTQ Americans. Their thinly veiled prejudice has to end.

“The DFL stands ready to protect Minnesota’s children by banning conversion therapy. It’s time for Republicans to join us and stop putting their extreme ideology before the youth of our state.”