Legislative Update from Rep. Jeff Backer

Dear Neighbors,

The last of the House’s several omnibus finance bills came to the floor for a vote on preliminary approval on Monday. This final bill, the Health and Human Services bill, is 970-pages long and spends more than $650 million above current funding levels over the next four years.

This bill was an easy “no” vote for me as it expands government-run healthcare while imposing burdensome mandates that will make healthcare more expensive for Minnesotans.

I was also extremely disappointed that the bill did nothing to end the emergency powers or rein in Governor Walz who has had complete control over the state of Minnesota for more than a year now.

Reminder: I have voted more than a dozen times to end the emergency powers. Sadly, it appears the powers will not end until the House Democrat majority grows a spine and joins us in voting to end this abuse of power.

The bill also does nothing to prevent vaccine passports.

Other issues with the bill include:

• Creates new mandates for insurers and drug companies which will increase the cost of care.
• More mandates and limitations for hospitals which will negatively impact hospitals’ ability to care for and support patients.
• Expands government-run healthcare by putting government bureaucrats in charge of drug, dental, and nonemergency medical transport coverage for all public program enrollees. 
• Dramatically changes welfare programs by providing less oversight and reporting requirements for those on public programs.

I am hopeful that the bill undergoes dramatic changes during conference committee with the Senate Republican majority and that I can support it when it returns for final passage sometime in May. 

Until then, I will do my best to fight for the hardworking men and women of rural Minnesota as we work to protect our way of life and make Minnesota a prosperous state for all.

Staying in Touch

That’s all for this week’s update. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me to share any thoughts, concerns, or questions you may have. I can be reached by phone at either 651-296-4929 or 701-361-1909. I can also be reached via email at rep.jeff.backer@house.mn.

Have a good day,

Jeff