Dear Neighbor,
The House has finished conducting votes of the full body on all 11 of this year’s finance bills which are the basis for the state’s next two-year budget. Health and Human Services was the last big one to come to the full floor and now it joins the rest of the omnibus packages in heading toward the conference committee process in order to resolve differences between House and Senate proposals.
Top provisions in the House plan include an additional $90 million in targeted help for disabled children, the elderly, victims of abuse and neglect and others. The bill also would repeal Minnesota’s version of Obamacare so the state can begin the process of separating from the heavy burdens and uncertainty of Washington, D.C.
Overall, the HHS omnibus package appropriates $13.7 billion in 2017-18. Other key provisions in the HHS package include:
- Preserving a 7-percent increase for home- and community-based caregivers
- Providing a substantial investment into child care initiatives and commitment to policy reform of child care regulation in our state
- Includes an article devoted to opioid abuse prevention and treatment and provides a 3% operating payment rate increase for chemical dependency treatment services
- Relieving the financial burden on families with disabled and very sick children
- Increasing emergency shelter and transitional housing for sexually exploited youth
- Expanding the statewide bed capacity for inpatient psychiatric services for mentally ill children and adolescents
- Establishing a support program and respite care for family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease
- Requiring public health care program enrollees to verify their eligibility status
In other news, the governor has enacted into law a bill regarding ditch mowing. I mentioned this subject in a column I sent to area newspapers this week. Click here for the full text and other jottings from the House.
With adjournment set for late May, we will begin heading into the final five full weeks of the 2017 session when the Legislature returns to the Capitol next week. Until then, I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter/Passover.
Sincerely,
Paul