Dear Neighbors,
The Minnesota House DFL released its budget targets this week, which will guide us as we continue to craft our state’s budget for the next two years. As we begin the month of April, we will be finalizing many of our budget bills in preparation for negotiations with the Senate.
Minnesota Values Budget
The House DFL announced the framework for its Minnesota Values Budget this week. Our budget is a reflection of priorities I believe all Minnesotans can get behind. We’re significantly investing in education, affordable health care, and safe and inclusive communities to build a Minnesota that lifts up everyone. These and other priority areas came from conversations with Minnesotans across the state, and we’ll be working on the specifics of this budget to make sure you, your family, and your neighbors can live in a better state.
After taking into consideration the Governor’s revised budget, we are in a unique position to find a balanced approach with the Republican controlled Senate. Compromise will be key, but not at the expense of Minnesota kids and families. This is why I am pleased that our budget includes a $900 million investment in E-12 education. I’ll have more specifics on our proposed state budget in the coming weeks. You can read more about our initial proposal here.
Our Plan to Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable and Accessible
Nearly one in four adults in the U.S. are struggling to afford their prescription drugs, and many of them are then forced to make impossible choices. For some it’s a matter of cutting back on groceries, for others it means rationing their medication. Alec Smith aged out of his parent’s insurance when he turned 26, soon after that he began rationing his insulin. It wasn’t long until Alec was dead because he couldn’t afford the $1,300 insulin refill. No one should have to make the choice between food or medication in Minnesota. This is why I’m a co-sponsor of HF 485, which sets up a program to provide insulin to those who need this life-saving medication. This is just one of several bills that my colleagues shared this week that would address rising drug costs while making the process of pricing medicine more transparent.
I am also the chief author of HF 2099. This is a measure that will force specialty pharmacies to fill prescriptions within five days of receiving them. Unfortunately, too many Minnesotans are forced to wait weeks or even months to receive life altering medications after they have been prescribed by a doctor. Gale Julius was diagnosed with Lupus in the end of December 2018. She was prescribed medication to help with the symptoms, but did not receive this medication until February. In the meantime, the only medication they were able to give her was a chemotherapy drug – this had a whole host of side effects in itself. No one should have to wait weeks or months to receive the medication that they desperately need. This is why I authored HF 2099.
You can read more about our efforts to curb drug prices here.
Stay In Touch!
Please feel free to reach out. You can contact me at (651) 296-8634 or Rep.Jeff.Brand@house.mn. Any meeting requests should go directly to my legislative assistant, Carley Martin. You can reach her at (651) 297-5002 or Carley.Martin@house.mn.
Your partner in Saint Paul,
Jeff Brand
State Representative, District 19A
|
|
|
|