Dear Neighbor,
On a bipartisan vote of 73-54, the Minnesota House approved the 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access bill (Senate File 1) on Thursday. This package provides direct relief to people who have seen huge health insurance premium increases, and starts to reform our health insurance system so there are more choices, and in time, reduced health insurance premiums.
As important as it is to provide premium relief, the reforms in this bill are, in my view, even more important.
Five years ago, Minnesota had the best health insurance system in the country, but the adoption of MNsure (Minnesota’s version of Obamacare) by Gov. Mark Dayton and his legislative allies destroyed the great system we had.
Provisions in this bill start us back on the road to a more affordable and fairer system. It preserves access to life-saving and end-of-life care, starts the process of increasing competition and consumer choices and makes it easier for small businesses to offer affordable insurance to their employees. These improvements will greatly benefit people in our state and it is good to see them included in the House bill.
Health care reform is going to be an evolving process over the next few years as we react to what the federal government does about repealing and replacing Obamacare. However, the consumer-driven improvements provided in this bill stand alone and should not be impacted by those future changes.
A conference committee will now reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of this legislation so it can be considered for final passage and sent to the governor for his action.
To update a subject I touched on last week, a Real ID driver’s license bill is making its way through the House and is scheduled to be heard Monday in the Ways and Means Committee I chair. To recap, Real ID is in response to heightened federal ID standards. Minnesotan’s current standard driver’s license ID does not comply. We have a deadline of January, 2018 to take action or, among other things, people will not be able to use a standard Minnesota ID to board domestic flights.
The House proposes a two-tier plan so people could decide which path to take. Those who want a Real ID could get one. Those who do not want a Real ID could abstain and continue using the same IDs we have today.
A number of other bills are in the earlier stages of the bill process, including some I introduced. They include:
- H.F. 137 eliminates the difference in tax treatment between the sale of bullion coin and the sale of stocks, bullion ETFs, bonds, and other investment instruments.
- H.F. 138 stipulates if a child care provider is located in a city residing in more than one county, the assistance reimbursement rate matches that of the county with the higher rate.
- H.F. 139 repeals the June accelerated sales, use and excise tax payments made by businesses.
The bullion and June accelerated bills both received hearings in House committees this week and remain in the legislative process.
I will pass along more details on these and other bills I am authoring throughout the session.
Finally, I would be remiss in not saying something about this historic day in which we inaugurated a new President. No matter how anyone voted, I hope everyone wishes our new President Trump well in his efforts to build a better America. America continues to be an example to the rest of the world in showing how there can be a peaceful transition of power between two Presidents of very different political views. Both outgoing President Obama and Trump deserve credit in this peaceful transition of power.
Sincerely,
Jim Knoblach