Dear neighbors,
I spent most of the weekend at the Capitol, but I was able to attend the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast in West St. Paul yesterday! The proceeds from this annual event go towards scholarships for local high school students and youth programs.
West St. Paul Mayor Dave Napier and Susy Napier helped make the delicious pancakes that were served yesterday morning.
Last night, Governor Walz and leaders from the House and Senate reached an agreement on an outline for the state budget. We successfully prevented Republican cuts to health care and education and were able to compromise on a budget that will move Minnesota forward. The details of the agreement are available here. You can read more in this article from MPR.
My colleagues and I will now fill in the details of the budget by continuing our work in conference committees and work groups. Please stay tuned for updates.
Reigning in PBMs
Last week, I voted in favor of legislation that will reign in pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). PBMs act as middle men between drug manufacturers and pharmacies. Drug companies give them rebates to encourage them to offer their product to pharmacies. That means that PBMs have an incentive to only offer expensive medications and to raise prices in order to increase their own profits. This bill would require oversight of PBMs so they can’t conspire to increase the cost of medications that Minnesotans need to stay healthy.
After this proposal passed in both chambers, members from the House and Senate agreed on a final bill in conference committee. It has been sent to the Governor for his expected signature.
The Office of the Legislative Auditor has studied oversight of PBMs and will present their findings to the Legislative Audit Commission today.
Education Minnesota Rally
On Saturday, hundreds of educators participated in a rally here at the Capitol! Jessica Davis, a math teacher from South St. Paul Secondary School who was recently named Minnesota Teacher of the Year, was among them and gave a fantastic speech about making sure that all students have access to a high-quality education, regardless of their zip code.
I’ll continue to provide updates on as progress is made throughout the week. Please keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative