Dear Neighbors,
It was another busy week in St. Paul as we debated and passed more budget bills. Here is an update from the Capitol.
HHS Bill Increases Nursing Home Reimbursements
On Tuesday, the House passed the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill which invests $138 million in our nursing homes, increasing their funding and helping to raise the wages of their hardworking employees.
From the beginning, Republicans in the House have made the quality of life and quality of care for aging Minnesotans a top priority. This provision in our HHS Omnibus Bill represents a historic investment in our nursing homes which is especially important in Northwest Minnesota where our nursing homes receive far less funding compared to the metro area and Iron Range. I am proud to support our plan because it offers a long-term solution to the funding disparity for care centers in Greater Minnesota and will make a real difference for our district.
A significant increase in funding is a top legislative priority of mine. Our bill takes a major step forward in meeting the requests from nursing home facilities in our district. The care centers that will see a jump in reimbursement rates include:
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Kittson Memorial Hospital in Hallock
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Karlstad Healthcare Center Inc. in Karlstad
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Good Samaritan Society in Warren
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Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls
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Oakland Park Communities in Thief River Falls
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Lifecare Greenbush Manor in Greenbush
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Lifecare Medical Center in Roseau
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Warroad Care Center in Warroad
Our investment in nursing homes and care centers goes far beyond the planned investment of the Senate or governor's budget recommendations, and House leaders will work hard to make sure this funding increase remains throughout negotiations and ends up in the final bill.
Tax Omnibus Bill
On Wednesday, the House debated and passed our Tax Omnibus Bill which provides a substantial $2 billion in tax relief to middle-class Minnesota families, college students, aging adults, veterans, farmers and job creators.
For families, there are new and additional deductions for college savings, daycare and education expenses.
For Minnesota seniors, there is a phase-out of the income tax on social security and new tax credits for folks saving for future long-term care costs.
Farmers will see relief with the federal conformity of the estate tax, allowing family farms to be passed onto the next generation. They will also see relief by reducing the disproportionate share farmers pay for school district debt service through property tax relief.
Finally, to help lower prices for consumers and raise employee wages, there is a phase-out of the statewide general property tax. There are also new and expanded credits for biotech and research and development, spurring economic investments and entrepreneurship in our state.
These are just a few examples of the $2 billion in tax relief in our bill, and in all, folks and middle class families could see hundreds in savings over the next two years if this legislation is signed into law. We all know Minnesota is a high tax state, and after billions of new taxes were raised last biennium, it's time to offer hardworking taxpayers some relief.
Public Safety Omnibus Bill
Also on Tuesday, the House passed the Public Safety Omnibus Bill. Included in that legislation is my bill, HF 305, which will hopefully create a path for Minnesota to recognize North Dakota's permit to conceal and carry as valid within our state.
For folks in my district that live near the border, or for those who come over to Minnesota from North Dakota, this will simplify conceal and carry laws by recognizing permits on our side of the border. This "reciprocity" is an issue that I have been working on since 2013 at the request of several residents in Northwest Minnesota.
The Public Safety Omnibus Bill passed with strong bipartisan support!
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My door is always open to the needs and priorities of our area. Please feel free to let me know if I can be of assistance to you and your family. I am here to serve you!
Dan
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