Dear Neighbors,
The 2018 legislative session began on Tuesday. It feels great to get back in the swing of things here in St. Paul as I spent much of the week reconnecting with colleagues and preparing for what’s sure to be a busy session.
As I previewed in last week’s update, some of the big-ticket items we will be addressing this session include federal tax conformity, a bonding bill, MNLARS reform, elder abuse prevention, and opioid prevention legislation.
Along with these large, overarching issues, I introduced a few pieces of legislation this week that I am looking forward to working on this year. The first bill, House File 2888, would allocate funding to the commissioner of agriculture for mental health counseling support to farm families and business operators through farm business management programs.
The second piece of legislation I want to highlight is House File 2760. This bill increases medical assistance (MA) payment rates for ambulance services by five percent in rural Minnesota communities with populations of less than 1,000. It is incredibly vital that ambulance services in rural areas are able to stay in operation and provide top-notch emergency care.
Finally, I will continue to push back against any attempts by the Dayton administration to implement additional ag buffer regulations. Our farmers are some of the best stewards of our land and natural resources. Instead of pursuing burdensome regulations, we should be working with farmers to ensure our agricultural industry prospers.
That’s all for this week. I should have more for you as session progresses and committees begin in earnest. Until then, 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 great weekend,
Jeff