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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Jennifer Schultz (DFL)

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Legislative Update – February 6, 2020

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Dear Neighbors,

The 2020 legislative session is almost here, and all 201 legislators will once again return to Saint Paul on February 11. Last Sunday I had the opportunity to join members of the League of Women Voters Duluth to preview the session with Rep. Liz Olson, Rep. Mary Murphy, and Sen. Erik Simonson. We discussed issues important to those in attendance such as redistricting, election security, and clean energy initiatives to stop the impact of climate change.

league of women voters

This week, LeadingAge Minnesota – the state’s network of care providers for older adults – is holding its annual Institute and Expo in Saint Paul. Tuesday, I joined a few of my legislative colleagues on a panel to look back on our work last session to expand protections for Minnesota seniors, and discuss steps we can take to ensure that as they age, Minnesotans can live in a healthy environment with the dignity and safety they deserve.

leadingage

Throughout the session, I hope you’ll stay in touch about the issues important to you and your family. Feel free to call me at the Capitol at 651-296-2228 or email me at rep.jennifer.schultz@house.mn any time. I’m also on Facebook, and I invite you to like or follow my page here. Our nonpartisan Minnesota House Public Information Services office also has many valuable resources including video and Session Daily, a regular recap of Capitol activity.


Emergency Access to Insulin

For people with diabetes, insulin is critical to life as air or water. Unfortunately, as a result of its skyrocketing price, some Minnesotans have been forced to ration their supply of insulin, and in some cases, this has had deadly consequences. Since the 2019 legislative session adjourned, a bipartisan group of legislators has been meeting to develop a plan to ensure diabetics who can’t afford to fill their prescriptions are able to access insulin.

Last week, Governor Walz, DFL legislators from the House and Senate, and advocates for affordable insulin access gathered at the Capitol to introduce a compromise measure which would ensure that Minnesotans facing an emergency — those most in danger of rationing their insulin due to the high cost of the drug — have access to an immediate refill at their pharmacy. The DNT has a story about the proposal here. Strikingly, a nine-year-old with diabetes spoke at the press conference and shared how worried he is about being able to afford insulin when he gets older. This is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, Big Pharma refuses to be part of the solution. Despite their massive profits, they’ve done very little to address the skyrocketing cost of insulin. In the last year alone, the three drug makers which hold over 90 percent of the country’s insulin market earned a combined $84.1 billion in revenue and $18.5 billion in profits. A small tax on these profits could fund our insulin affordability program, and we could help ensure no one’s life will be at risk because they were forced to ration insulin. I hope we can quickly consider once the legislative session begins.


Presidential Primary

This year, for the first time in a generation, Minnesotans will select candidates for President of the United States in a Primary Election. While primary election day is officially March 3, early voting is now available, which means Minnesotans can be among the first in the nation to cast their ballots. So far, over 34,000 absentee ballots have been requested throughout the state. No matter what your party affiliation is, it's important to cast your vote and help ensure our government is representative of our shared values.

The Secretary of State’s office has answers to frequently asked questions here and you can request an absentee ballot or check your voter registration status here.


Tax Filing

The filing period for 2019 income taxes began for state and federal taxpayers began last week. Many Minnesotans can qualify to file their state income tax returns for free, and the state Department of Revenue has links to resources here. Free in-person assistance is also available for Minnesotans filing basic returns through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and AARP Tax-Aide programs. You generally qualify if you’re age 60 or older, have a disability, speak limited or no English, or have an annual income less than $56,000. There are several locations in Duluth which provide this service, and you can find more information, including hours and eligibility requirements, here.

The Dept. of Revenue has a “Where’s My Refund?” system which allows you to track the status of your refund. Additionally, don’t forget to file for your Homestead Credit Refund or Renter’s Property Tax Refund. More information on these programs can be found here.

Please feel free to contact me with your input, ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. It’s an honor to represent you at the Capitol.

Sincerely,

Jen Schultz
State Representative