Session Ends: No Deal in Sight
By John Tschida
For the ninth time since 1995, state legislators must go into a
special session due to the inability to reach agreement on major
budgeting issues. The 2005 legislative session officially ended May
23, but wide gaps between House Republicans and Senate DFLers remain
on the issues of health care, education and transportation.
“Exactly how people with disabilities are going to fare, we
just don’t know yet,” said Joel Ulland, public policy
director for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Minnesota Chapter
and co-chair of the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
(MN-CCD). “We’re hoping for some significant state investments,
but we’ll need to wait until a compromise is reached to see
how much we’ve accomplished.”
With a current deficit
of $466 million, legislators must pass a balanced state budget
by July 1 or face a partial government shutdown. Major sticking
points that prevented a timely end to the session still remain,
especially in the health care budget. Overall, Senate DFLers insist
more revenue is needed. House Republicans have aligned with the
governor in saying the state has a spending—not a
revenue—problem.
A late May concession
by the governor to institute a 75-cent per-pack ‘health
user fee’ on cigarettes has been positively received by some
lawmakers in both parties, but Senate DFL leaders don’t like
the conditions Governor Pawlenty has attached to his acceptance of
it.
Any additional revenue would be welcome by advocacy groups seeking
to preserve services and programs for Minnesotans with disabilities.
“We just hope the money can be directed toward the health
care budget,” Ulland said.
MN-CCD has pursued an aggressive legislative agenda that includes
health care, education, and transportation policy changes. Designed
to educate lawmakers on the needs of Minnesotans with disabilities
and avoid cuts to existing programs, many of the coalition recommendations
could become law.
One major advance that both House and Senate leaders have agreed
upon would allow those with disabilities living in nursing homes
to enlist the support of private or nonprofit organizations to help
them move out to a more independent living setting. Currently, just
a few counties allow for this practice.
Another provision would, upon federal approval, provide those seeking
to leave nursing homes with a $3,000 allowance to pay for moving
expenses, such as utility set-up, security deposits, or even furniture.
But many positive policy changes are stuck in limbo as legislative
leaders haggle with the governor over how big the state budget should
be and how much new revenue is required to balance the books. As
yet unresolved:
• Lower monthly
premiums for parents of children with disabilities in the TEFRA
program;
• Lower monthly costs for those in the MA-EPD program who now
pay their Medicare Part B premium;
• More money for disability service providers and nursing homes
that would be passed on to workers as compensation increases;
• A call for expansion of the Minnesota Disability Health Options
program, the state’s voluntary Medicaid managed care program
now operating in the metro area;
• Planning groups or studies to address dental access, medical
transportation, and case management services;
• A protection of the current Metro Mobility service area;
• A more reasoned approach and uniform state policy for police
intervention when dealing with kids with disabilities in an educational
setting.
Advocates and lobbyists for people with disabilities are optimistic
that a number of these unresolved issues will become law.
“But we need all the help we can get,” said Jeff Bangsberg,
governmental affairs director for the Minnesota Home Care Association. “Calling
your legislators and asking them to support programs and services
for Minnesotans with disabilities is always a good idea.”
More information on
state legislative issues can be found at www.leg.state.mn.us,
or call 651-296-0504, or 1-800-657-3550.
