Dear Neighbor,
It is another busy week in the House, especially as we work to finalize a package of health insurance premium relief and to gain resolution on Real ID.
Before I get to those issues, the $21.7 million in immediate tax relief the House passed last week was approved by the Senate today and is in the hands of Gov. Mark Dayton for his enactment. The bill brings the state tax code into compliance with federal provisions so Minnesotans can benefit this tax season.
I wrote about the health insurance premium issue in a column I submitted to District 12B newspapers this week, so be sure to check them for complete details.
The House Republican package not only includes immediate insurance premium relief, but also provides for continuity of care, which would help those on the individual market and who are currently receiving care for an acute condition to continue receiving that care. The Dayton-backed bill only provides funding to help with premium increases, something of a Band-Aid approach that does not address the overriding problems.
The House bill has been making its way through the committee process this week after Democrats blocked efforts to expedite it last week. It appears to be on track to reach the floor for a vote on passage soon.
A Real ID bill also is moving through committees. This has been an ongoing issue in response to the federal government raising the standards on ID requirements for a number of purposes, including boarding commercial, domestic flights. Minnesota’s current ID does not comply with the increased federal standards and – barring an extension – we have until January of 2018 to find resolution.
The House proposal is virtually the same as the one we passed last year with strong, bipartisan support, only to have it get bogged down in a House-Senate conference committee. This year’s version once again features two tiers, including an opt-out choice provided for citizens who want to abstain from Real ID. Measures also are included to protect people from extra costs that may be incurred if implementation conflicts with their regularly scheduled renewal date.
On a final note, we received word this week that Albany Mutual Telephone Association, Big Watab Lake, is receiving a grant of more than $726,000 to expand broadband access.
According to a press release from DEED, the project will serve 242 unserved households in the Big Watab Lake area in Stearns County. Albany Mutual will improve service for families that need high-speed broadband for school and work. The total eligible project cost is $1.45 million, with a $726,185 local match.
The Legislature approved a total of $45 million in broadband grants during the 2015-16 biennium. When combined with federal CAF II funds, Minnesota will see more than $100 million in broadband expansion this year alone. The Albany project is the kind we envisioned when the House championed that historic investment.
Congratulations to those involved in making this successful grant application.
Sincerely,
Paul