By Rep. Jeff Howe
Most of our time in the House this week has been dedicated to discussing finance bills on the floor. But, before we get to some of that, I would like to note the House provided final passage of legislation to help us combat the statewide outbreak of avian influenza.
This H5N2 virus has been greatly damaging to our state's turkey flock. The legislation we passed includes $900,000 in emergency funding requested by the state's Board of Animal Health and the Department of Agriculture. Language also is in the bill allowing us to access available federal funding. More emergency aid very well could be in store after the spread is mitigated and a full assessment is complete. Federal, state and local officials continue working in cooperation on this issue.
As for work on the House's budget plan, care facilities throughout the state – including in House District 13A – would receive funding increases through a Health and Human Services omnibus bill the House passed this week.
The House's HHS bill implements a statewide reimbursement system that will result in a funding increase for nursing homes, particularly in Greater Minnesota, totaling more than $138 million. In addition, the bill includes $90 million for a one-time, 5-percent cost-of-living adjustment for home and community-based care workers.
Long-term facilities are not only provide hugely important services, but are a major component in Greater Minnesota, providing a key source of jobs in small towns around the state. But they have been underfunded in recent years, leaving facilities struggling to keep their doors open and making it just as difficult to attract workers. I am pleased we passed legislation that would help alleviate these challenges and once again restore our care facilities and workers as priorities in Minnesota.
According to non-partisan House Research, nursing home facilities in District 13A will receive substantial increases in 2016 under the House Republican proposal, including:
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Assumption Home, Cold Spring: $618,672 increase (12.9-percent increase)
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Paynesville Area Hospital, Paynesville: $591,201 increase (19.2-percent increase)
Another important bill which passed the House this week provides $2 billion in tax relief for middle-class families, college students, aging adults, veterans, farmers, job creators and more.
Highlights of the tax bill include:
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2,045,000 Minnesotans could receive relief through a new state version of the personal or dependent exemption on tax returns equal to 25 percent of the federal exemption.
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366,500 aging adults living on fixed income could receive relief from the phasing-out of the tax on social security.
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240,000 farmers could receive relief through a property tax credit that reduces their disproportionate share of school district debt service.
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130,000 families with pre-kindergarteners could receive relief through the expansion of the education deduction to include pre-kindergarten expenses.
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109,500 college students could receive student loan debt relief through a NEW tax credit for principal and interest loan payments on student loans.
These bills now advance to conference committees, which will work to resolve differences between respective House and Senate proposals in preparation for final passage. Of the 10 or so components of the budget, only agriculture remains to be voted on and passed by the full House.
Things will be fluid at the Capitol between now and our May 18 date for adjournment, so stay tuned and I will do my best to keep you up to speed. As always, your thoughts, ideas and concerns regarding the issues are welcome.