With students at the Capitol to talk about the University of Minnesota
With visitors Darryl Tveitbakk, Dalene Monsebroten and Lucas Spaeth
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update from the Capitol.
Nitrate Rule Letter
Farmers, legislators and folks who work in agriculture were rightly outraged when they found out about the onerous buffer penalties being proposed by the Board of Water and Soil Resources recently. I am thankful that the governor and BWSR have taken this penalty proposal off the table at this time, but folks need to be able to give more input on these important policies being put forward by the Dayton Administration and his state agencies. That’s why I signed onto a letter last week asking the governor for more transparency and for allowing greater input from the agriculture community going forward.
From buffers to ditch mowing, nitrates to pesticides, it seems more often than not the Dayton Administration puts forward these controversial proposals, only to be surprised after the fact at the broad pushback from our agriculture community. We need a more commonsense approach where stakeholders are being engaged first on important issues, and then putting policy proposals forward that take into account their input.
That’s also why in our letter we asked that Governor Dayton release his draft nitrate rule now that he announced in early March, which will give folks affected by these policies more time to share their ideas and have a say in the process.
Bills Moving Forward
We are approaching third committee deadline, meaning a number of bills are moving through finance committees in the House. Several bills I am championing received hearings last week.
PCA Bill
House File 481 provides a higher rate of reimbursement for qualified personal care attendants (PCAs) who care for individuals with more complex needs that need ten or more hours of care a day. Certain training and competency evaluations would be required, but I think this is an important policy to help bring more people into this field and help more folks get the care they need. The PCA program is also important to help keep more folks who need care in their homes.
Loan Forgiveness for Alcohol and Drug Counselors
Another important bill to help meet our state's health care needs, especially in Greater Minnesota, is a bill that would make drug and alcohol counselors who practice in rural areas eligible for loan forgiveness. Mental health services are needed statewide, but especially in rural communities, and this is a commonsense proposal that can help bring more services to outstate areas.
Vulnerable Adults
Bills I’m carrying to address maltreatment of vulnerable adults are continuing to move through the legislative process and received hearings in Health and Human Services Finance last week. It is critical that we enact policies that will make a real difference, and I want to ensure any legislation passed is thoughtful, effective and will move us in the right direction on this issue. From examining harsher penalties for those who abuse vulnerable adults to bringing greater oversight to the Office of Health Facility Complaints, there are a number of policies I am advancing this session.
Tele-Medicine Bill
House File 2919 creates an exception to the cap on the use of tele-medicine for the treatment of infectious disease including Tuberculosis. This will cut down on staff having to travel long distances, especially in rural areas, to watch patients take their medication. The bill also adds certified community health workers and community paramedics to the list of eligible tele-medicine providers.
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It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. I am here to serve you!
Sincerely,
Deb
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01B