Dear Neighbors,
It’s been another busy week at the State Capitol with full committee agendas. Here’s an update on some of the measures I’ve been working on.
Improving Opportunities for People with Disabilities
We’ve made good progress in recent years to help more people with disabilities live in their own homes if they choose to, but they continue to face barriers, including a crisis-level shortage within our direct care workforce. I’ve recently presented several bills to the House Human Services Committee aimed at strengthening opportunities for Minnesotans to thrive in their homes and in their communities.
The committee recently held a hearing on my bill to create certification requirements for children’s out-of-home respite services while moving respite services from the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS) to the law governing Home and Community-Based Standards (HCBS).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned a great deal about the need to be flexible and respond to life’s daily challenges. Small changes can open new doors for people to succeed and thrive. Among other things, the bill will help support the ability for people with disabilities to stay in their own homes, update reporting requirements by providers, and incorporate changes to reduce administrative costs.
The committee also discussed my legislation to further remove barriers people with disabilities face when they choose to live in their own homes. The bill builds upon the “Informed Choice” law I worked to pass last year, while addressing the state’s workforce shortage, including a lack of personal care assistants (PCAs) and other direct support professionals (DSPs). The legislation expands options for people who live in their own homes to share services and service providers, provides training for case managers regarding support coordination, and allows people who receive services in their own homes to appeal service terminations.
Finally, the committee heard my bill to increase funding for the Minnesota Council on Disability. The council, consisting of 17 members appointed by the governor, has several duties including advising the governor and state agencies, serving as a public information source regarding services, programs, and legislation, to research, formulate, and advocate for plans, programs, and policies to serve people with disabilities, and more. The council does vital work to ensure people with disabilities can succeed at home, at work, and everywhere else in the community while having the resources they need to advocate for themselves and thrive. They deserve the resources they need to carry out their important mission.
Streamlining Real Property Recording Processes
Last week, the House passed my first bill this year with unanimous support! The legislation, developed with the cooperation of the Minnesota State Bar Association, updates the processes involving real estate recording systems. The bill updates state law to current, more user-friendly practices, while streamlining the processes involved to make transactions less expensive.
I was proud to see it pass unanimously.
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to contact me directly with your viewpoints or if I can be of assistance. My email is rep.kelly.moller@house.mn and my phone number is 651-296-0141. You can learn about bills that have been introduced here and keep track of the bills I’ve authored here.
If you have neighbors, friends, or family who you think would find these updates valuable, please share this with them; they can subscribe here. I also encourage you to “like” or “follow” me on Facebook.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
Kelly Moller
State Representative