Dear Neighbor,
Happy Holidays! We've certainly been experiencing the extremes of nature with the weather. May the blessings of the Holiday Season visit your family plentifully.
I want to thank you for returning me to the Minnesota House as your State Representative. It’s an honor to serve and once again be your voice as we work on the issues that affect our state and community. I will work tirelessly over the next two years to move us into a position where all Minnesotans can see their lives improve.
New Laws
Several new laws will be taking effect on January 1st. You can find a full list here, but here are a few of the highlights:
ELECTIONS
Presidential primary to replace caucus election
Minnesota will change from a caucus to a primary election system during the next presidential election. A primary will allow all-day voting rather than voters coming together at a specific time on precinct caucus night. The state’s presidential primary will be held the first Tuesday in March during a presidential election year, such as March 3, 2020, or on a different date if agreed to by the major party chairs. Precinct caucuses may also continue, if the parties choose to hold them. The primary election for other federal, state and local offices will continue to be held in August.
EMPLOYMENT
Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council ideas to be law
Suggested changes put forward by the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council became law Aug. 1, 2016. But health care providers and insurers were given until Jan. 1, 2017, to comply with the requirement to electronically submit medical records and reports along with a medical bill. The new law clarifies the process for attorneys claiming payment of legal fees in worker’s compensation cases and eliminates the bond requirement for those appealing a decision made by the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals to the Minnesota Supreme Court. The law is sponsored by Rep. Tony Albright (R-Prior Lake) and Sen. Dan Sparks (DFL-Austin).
INSURANCE
Life insurance reserves to be in sync with uniform national act
A new law will require life insurance companies to use a principle-based method to determine the amount of money they must hold in reserve. The law is sponsored by Rep. Joe Hoppe (R-Chaska) and Sen. Vicki Jensen (DFL-Owatonna). The language has been adopted by 43 states, representing 76 percent of the insurance premiums in the U.S. This means that, after the National Association of Insurance Commissioners evaluates the states’ laws, the uniform act will become effective Jan. 1, 2017. However, there are issues with the valuation manual that provides specific valuation instructions to the insurance companies. The association is currently making changes to the valuation manual, and there will be a three-year implementation period during which insurers may choose to use this new methodology.
HF3384*/SF3230/CH178
Legislative Session
The Legislative Session is set to begin on January 3rd. Committee assignments were just announced and I’ll be serving as the DFL-Lead on the Agricultural Policy Committee. I’ll also be serving on the Education Innovation Policy, and the Agricultural Finance committees. I am also hoping to continue my work on the Legislative Water Commission and looking forward to being appointed to the Legislative Energy Commission.
What do you think?
What issue do you think is most important for us to address during the upcoming legislative session?
A - Transportation
B - Education
C - Public Works Projects
D - Health care
E - Other
Please feel free to contact my office with any issues or concerns you may have. I’m here to help serve you and our community.
Sincerely,
David Bly