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At the Capitol: Hero Pay Bonuses for LTC Workers Included in Budget Deal
On June 23, 2021 by Matt Steele
As lawmakers work to complete their work to agree upon a two-year budget before July 1, legislative leaders announced an agreement to allocate $250 million for Hero Pay bonuses for frontline workers during the pandemic.
At the Capitol: Minnesota Lawmakers Return for Special Session
On June 16, 2021 by Matt Steele
On Monday, June 14, Governor Walz called a special session to finalize and pass a two-year state budget. At the outset of the special session, only a few committees had publicly announced their joint agreements with the remaining budget areas having until June 30 to finalize unresolved details to avoid a state government shutdown. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week:
Bipartisan Agreement Reached to Phase Out Eviction Moratorium
On June 16, 2021 by Kari Thurlow
Minnesota legislators announced on Monday an agreement to end Gov. Tim Walz's eviction moratorium over the next three-and-a-half months. The eviction moratorium has been in place since March 2020, when the governor used executive powers to ban evictions except in extreme circumstances. The agreement still needs to be approved by legislators, but the vote could occur later this week. The bipartisan deal creates a phased eviction moratorium off-ramp, with some protections lasting into June 2022. Governor Walz has said he will rescind the moratorium once a legislative solution is passed.
DHS to Begin Issuing Medicaid Termination Letters due to Potential for Government Shutdown
On June 16, 2021 by Jeff Bostic
In the event of a state government shutdown, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) will cease payments to providers of Medicaid services. Per the statutory obligation, DHS will begin to inform Medicaid providers, including aging services providers who serve Medicaid clients, via letters that will be sent out as early as this week.
At the Capitol: Minnesota Lawmakers Prepare to Return for Special Session
On June 9, 2021 by Matt Steele
With Governor Walz expected to call a special session on Monday, lawmakers worked this past week, mostly behind closed doors, to iron out differences in the two-year budget. By Monday, June 7, only three committees--Commerce and Energy, Legacy, and Higher Education--had publicly announced their joint budget agreements. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week:
At the Capitol: First Deadline Passes and Upcoming Special Session
On June 2, 2021 by Matt Steele
This week, lawmakers mainly met in private to debate the specific spending details for each budget area. The first of two self-imposed deadlines passed on Friday, May 28, without any public notice of the finalized details of the budget. The second deadline, June 4, is quickly approaching; lawmakers to agree on what policy provisions will be included in the final deal when Governor Walz calls a special session on June 14. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week:
At the Capitol: Deadlines loom for budget details and the upcoming special session
On May 26, 2021 by Matt Steele
This week, lawmakers are approaching a May 28, self-imposed deadline to decide how to allocate the money announced in the recent budget deal by legislative leaders last Monday. Throughout the week, only one legislative committee met publicly. There have yet to be any specific spending details released by budget area. With a looming special session presumed to happen on or before June 14, here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week.
At the Capitol: With Days Until Session Adjourns, Most Legislative Work Remains Unfinished
On May 12, 2021 by Matt Steele
This week, lawmakers enter the final stretch of the legislative session before adjourning on May 17 at midnight, regardless of the status of the budget. Most at the Capitol view the Monday deadline as irrelevant given several circumstances that almost guarantee that lawmakers will leave their work unfinished at the end of their constitutionally allotted time.
At the Capitol: The Legislature Begins Conference Committees as the End of Session Nears
On May 5, 2021 by Matt Steele
This week, lawmakers are starting to reconcile the differences in significant budget bills passed off the House and Senate floors in conference committees. Conference committees mark one of the final steps in the budget-making process before the bills are sent to the Governor for his approval. We expect our most important issues to be debated in conference committees in the upcoming days.
At the Capitol: The Legislature Debates the Health and Human Services Budget Proposals
On April 28, 2021 by Matt Steele
This week, lawmakers are debating the Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus budget bills on the House and Senate floor. The proposals contain most of the policy priorities affecting the senior services sector. Here is what you need to know about each version of the bills and what the next few weeks ahead look like as we approach the end of the legislative session:
At the Capitol: The Legislature Begins Passing Budget Bills
On April 14, 2021 by Matt Steele
This week, lawmakers began passing budget bills off the House and Senate floors. This step establishes starting positions for the House, Senate and Governor as they enter negotiations to reach a final budget deal by May 17. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the Capitol:
Missed Week at the Capitol? It’s Not Too Late to Become an Advocate
On March 24, 2021 by Matt Steele
As we approach the midway point of the legislative session, LeadingAge Minnesota members virtually gathered for our largest advocacy event of the year, the Week at the Capitol. LeadingAge Minnesota members met with over 40 lawmakers from around the state, including Senate and House legislative leaders, to make their voices heard and advance important policy initiatives for seniors and their caregivers.
Register by March 6 for Week at the Capitol
On March 3, 2021 by Matt Steele
Calling all members – join our largest advocacy event of the year, the virtual Week at the Minnesota State Capitol, March 15-19. We need your voice to raise awareness for the needs of older adults and their caregivers with lawmakers.
At the Capitol: Vaccine Rollout Remains Top Priority for Lawmakers
On March 3, 2021 by Matt Steele
As March begins, state health officials reported a new vaccine milestone. As of March 2, 53% of Minnesota seniors received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Building off this announcement, Governor Tim Walz stated that his administration will not move on from the current vaccine distribution phase until 70% of Minnesotan’s ages 65 and over have been fully vaccinated. With the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine arriving in Minnesota this week, Walz believes the state can reach the 70% senior benchmark by April. Here is what you need to know about what’s happening at the Capitol:
Sens. Housley and Eken, Key Aging Committee Leaders, Slated for Week at the Capitol Discussion
On February 24, 2021 by Matt Steele
Assistant Majority Leader Karin Housley (R – St. Mary’s Point), Chair of the Minnesota Senate Aging and Long-Term Care Policy Committee, and Sen. Kent Eken (DFL – Twin Valley), the committee’s ranking minority member, will join LeadingAge Minnesota members for a bipartisan discussion about long-term care issues at this year’s LeadingAge Minnesota Week at the Capitol.
At the Capitol: Legislature Prepares for February Forecast Release
On February 24, 2021 by Matt Steele
The Minnesota Office of Management and Budget will release the February Forecast, a major indicator of the financial health of the state, this Friday afternoon. Lawmakers and policy experts anticipate an improved economic situation from the December Forecast and are beginning to have conversations on how it will influence the two-year budget-making process already well underway. Here is what you need to know about what’s happening at the Capitol:
At the Capitol: Senate Committees Host Hearings about Vaccine Rollout
On February 17, 2021 by Matt Steele
With Governor Walz announcing a loosening of social and business restrictions, the legislature is giving greater attention to the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. This week, lawmakers will be focusing on how the vaccine is affecting virus infection rates as well as its disbursement to vulnerable population groups, especially seniors. Here is what you need to know about what’s happening at the Capitol:
At the Capitol: Committees on Human Services and Taxes Hear LTC-focused Bills
On February 10, 2021 by Matt Steele
With about a month to go until the first of three lawmaking deadlines, policy makers are shepherding numerous bills through the committee process, in particular, legislation that allows for providers to have extra time to get background reviews completed for their employees following the expiration of the public health emergency. Here is what you need to know about what’s happening at the Capitol:
At the Capitol: Senate Committee Takes Closer Look at COVID-19 Effects on Nursing Home Funding
On February 3, 2021 by Matt Steele
With one month of the legislative session complete, lawmakers are in full swing putting together a budget for 2022-2023 Governor Walz introduced his budget proposal last week and lawmakers have turned their attention to examining the details of that proposal this week. Here is what you need to know about what’s happening at the Capitol:
At the Capitol: No Cuts for Senior Services in Walz Budget
On January 27, 2021 by Matt Steele
As the legislature enters the last week of January, the pace of the legislative session has picked up and Governor Walz has released his proposed 2022-2023 budget, which holds senior services harmless. Here’s what you need to know about what’s happening at the Capitol: