Neighbors, I serve as vice chair of the Human Services Policy Committee and on Wednesday, the Minnesota House unanimously passed the Human Service Policy conference committee report. The 2024 legislation builds on the work of the 2023 session, helping our most vulnerable Minnesotans with disabilities, those in recovery from substance use disorder, recipients who rely on waiver services, and others. Among the legislation’s highlights: - Prohibits the classification or treatment of recovery peers as independent contractors.
- Guarantees people with disabilities can stay in their communities while they live in group homes by exempting certain facilities.
- Modernizes deaf and hard-of-hearing statutes.
- Provides for increased transparency in nursing home related party transactions.
- Modifies behavioral health licensing and eligibility.
- Ensures opioid treatment programs are responsive to workforce shortages and availability of counselors.
- Modifies sober homes requirements so all residents can use medications for opioid use disorders and co-occurring mental health diagnoses.
Video of the floor session is available on the House Public Information Services YouTube channel. Other Significant Legislation Passed We continue to spend our days in floor session, passing additional legislation and conference committee reports. Here are some of the measures we passed in the last week: - The Health Supplemental Budget and Policy budget bill. This strong bill takes meaningful action to enhance health insurance coverage, improve health care access, increase patient protections, reform Emergency Medical Services, and help address mental health in Minnesota.
- The Elections Committee Policy and Finance conference committee report. The policy provisions of the report focus on improved voter access and election transparency. It targets policy areas where the state can improve voter turnout and ensure that if voting is restricted, voters have a means of redress. It enhances disclosure requirements for those seeking to influence elections, expands voter access and comprehension, and increases election transparency.
- The Higher Education Supplemental budget bill. The legislation adds on last year’s record funding increase for Minnesota’s colleges and universities that froze tuition at Minnesota State for two years, fully funded the University of Minnesota’s systemwide safety and security request and provided free college to students with a household income under $80,000, among other investments.
- The Agriculture Supplemental budget, which includes the reauthorization of the Food Safety and Defense Task Force, farm-to-school grant funding, creates the first Spanish language commercial pesticide applicator exam., addresses the groundwater nitrate crisis, and more.
- The Climate and Energy Budget and Policy bill, which includes reforms to the permitting process for clean energy projects, support for geothermal energy power, and additional investments and policies to ensure we reach the 100% Clean Energy by 2040 goal the Legislature set last year.
- The conference committee report cracking down on hidden, deceptive fees to ensure consumers have fair, upfront pricing for event tickets, restaurant meals, hotels, credit cards, and more.
The Capitol and the CommunityI welcomed Mankato East students to the Capitol today. What a great day to see these engaged students visit our State Capitol. We had a good conversation and I reminded them of the work we did last year enabling them to be able to register to vote!  New State Flag Raised Last Saturday, May 11, 2024, the new Minnesota State Flag was raised above the Capitol building for the first time.  (Photo credit: House Public Information) Stay connected with the LegislatureThe Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website. You can also visit my House of Representatives website. I welcome your questions and comments anytime. You can send an email to rep.luke.frederick@house.mn.gov or call me at (651) 296-3248. Also, please visit and “like” my Facebook page for more Capitol and community updates. Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature. Sincerely, Luke Frederick State Representative |