Friends,
We are now over half way through session and the process of putting together budgets and omnibus bills is well under way. Governor Dayton signed the Sunday Sales bill last week and this week we passed two key pieces of legislation. Read about them below in my update from the Capitol.
Bipartisan Health Insurance Reform Passes House
The Minnesota Premium Security Plan (HF5), which establishes a state-based reinsurance program, passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 78-53. This program is designed to stabilize and reduce premiums by mitigating the impact of high-risk individuals, or those who are the most sick, on the individual health insurance market. According to Minnesota Management and Budget, the proposal is estimated to reduce premiums by 17-18 percent.
The Minnesota Premium Security Plan is a significant step towards repairing the damage done to Minnesota’s health insurance market by Obamcare and MNsure. This legislation will ensure those who need care the most have access while it also is projected to cut premium rates.
Prior to Obamacare, Minnesota had a health insurance safety net program and it was a model for the nation. Today, Minnesota’s individual insurance market is a third as large and twice as sick as it was before Obamacare.
Making real reform to health care in Minnesota began with us enacting premium relief and opening the market up to more providers with SF1. The Minnesota Premium Security Plan is step two and will help to stabilize the individual market while it also is expected to lower premiums by as much as 18 percent. The next step is to bring further reforms to put downward pressure on health care costs.
Teacher Retention Reform
Schools should have the ability to keep the best teachers in the classroom and the current “Last In, First Out” (LIFO) system arbitrarily puts new teachers at the top of the list when lay-offs must occur, regardless if they are excelling in the classroom.
This week we passed legislation in the House this week removes the default in state law which will allow school districts and bargaining units to explore alternative options that may better serve teachers, students, and families.
In order to meet our goal of providing a world-class education to every Minnesota student, we must continually bring in new, innovative teachers and keep them in the classroom. This legislation will ensure local schools and educators have the ability to negotiate agreements that fully take into account all factors that impact student success when making difficult staffing decisions.
Hands Free Bill
My Hands Free bill passed the Transportation & Regional Governance Policy Committee earlier this month. This is an important issue that has become even more important to me as I have heard countless stories of tragedies that could be prevented with less distracted driving. Since 2011 there have been 84,000 crashes, one out of every four accidents, related to distracted driving. Enough is enough. You can learn more about what the bill does by reading the FAQ in a previous update.
Rep. Uglem & Rep. Newberger presenting Hands Free bill in committee
Law Enforcement Officer testifying in favor of Hands Free bill
Essay Contest
In order to commemorate the restoration of our Capitol, there is an essay contest for Minnesota students to write about what the Capitol means to them. The contest will have winners for three different age levels with the winner of each winning $1,000 towards college. Visit the website here for more information and to see the subjects. Encourage your school-aged children to enter!
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at 651-296-5513 or emailing me at rep.mark.uglem@house.mn.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Mark