Dear Friends,
This week marked the first full week of committee hearings at the Capitol. The MNsure reform bill, HF1, is moving its way through the necessary committees, since House Democrats were unwilling to declare an urgency and pass this bill last week. We hope to pass this bill and Real ID legislation in the coming weeks. Here are a few notable items from the last week:
Broadband Grant
This week recipients of the State Broadband Grant Program were announced, and I am very pleased to say that Renville County was one of the Greater Minnesota counties that was selected for a grant.
The $807,966 grant will be used to build broadband infrastructure, and improve business development, educational opportunities, and health care in our community. It will bring access to 193 households and 99 unserved businesses in our community, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of these fund throughout our area in the coming years.
Bills Introduced
I have started to introduce the bills that I will carry this biennium. Four of them were introduced this week, and here is a brief summary of each.
- HF202- This bill allows dental providers participating in certain public health plans to be excluded from the 10% minimum requirement of patients on medical assistance and MinnesotaCare, increasing access for dental patients on these government programs.
- HF156- This bill allows medical providers to receive a tax deduction for providing charity health care services.
- HF155- This bill allows for an state income tax deduction for money spent on out of pocket medical care and individual health insurance.
- HF88- This bill appropriates funding to complete 4 lanes on Trunk Highway 212 in Carver County between Chaska and Cologne.
Thank you, again, for the privilege of being your representative. I will keep you updated on the issues mentioned above and others as we move forward with the legislative session.
Sincerely,
Glenn