Senate overrides GAMC veto

The Senate successfully overrode Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of a bill continuing General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) on a 45-21 vote Feb. 25. An attempt by the House could follow in the near future.

Pawlenty vetoed HF2680/ SF2168* Feb. 18 following its passage in the House and Senate the same day.

Sponsored by Rep. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. Linda Berglin (DFL-Mpls), the legislation would create a 16-month GAMC program and reform delivery of mental health services. The $285 million program would be funded by reduced reimbursement to health care providers, cuts to county social services grants and the draw-down of federal dollars.

GAMC pays for basic medical services for eligible low-income Minnesotans, many of whom are single adults struggling with chemical dependency or chronic mental health issues. Funding for the current program is scheduled to end April 1.

In his veto message, Pawlenty said the legislation “does not represent meaningful reform and does not address fundamental cost issues.”

“As the state struggles to resolve a $1.2 billion deficit, passage of this legislation is at best premature,” Pawlenty said. “Legislation that appropriates significant funds simply cannot be passed in a piecemeal fashion. A comprehensive, balanced budget solution must first be reached.”

Pawlenty has proposed automatically transitioning current GAMC enrollees into another state health program, MinnesotaCare, but he would need the Legislature’s cooperation to do it.

In a Feb. 23 letter to Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL-Mpls) and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Mpls) instructed state officials not to spend any money on the governor’s proposal. Current law does not grant authority or designate funds for an automatic transition of GAMC enrollees into MinnesotaCare, legislative leaders said.

Bill sponsors and House and Senate leadership met with Pawlenty Feb. 24 to discuss their concerns. Berglin said she took the meeting as a “good sign,” adding there was agreement on the cost-effectiveness of the GAMC bill over the governor’s proposal.

A Pawlenty spokesperson reiterated the governor’s “strong preference” that DFL leadership propose a balanced budget solution before approving additional spending.

If all House Democrats vote to override, they would still need three additional votes to get to 90 votes, the number needed for an override. House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) said that no House Republicans will vote to override the veto. He accused the Senate of “hijacking” the process by sending the legislation to the governor without further discussion by a conference committee.