Tag: Minnesota House DFL

Minneapolis Delegation Sends Letter to Governor Tim Walz

House DFL logoToday, Minnesota House legislators who represent parts of the city of Minneapolis sent the following letter to Gov. Tim Walz.

Dear Governor Walz:

We are writing to request that the case against the police officers who killed George Floyd, or may have been otherwise culpable in his death, be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Attorney General’s office. Unfortunately, our constituents, especially constituents of color, have lost faith in the ability of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to fairly and impartially investigate and prosecute these cases. Freeman’s press conference on May 28th, in which he seemed ill-prepared and suggested that there was unseen exculpatory evidence that might exonerate the officers, further ruptured this trust. Continue reading “Minneapolis Delegation Sends Letter to Governor Tim Walz”

Statement on first Minnesota case of COVID-19

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Majority Leader Ryan Winkler released the following statement on the first case of the COVID-19 virus in Minnesota:

“The Minnesota House of Representatives is continuing to work with Governor Walz, the Minnesota Senate, and local officials to ensure our state is prepared to respond to COVID-19. We encourage Minnesotans to follow the health guidelines put forward by the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC.”

DFL legislators continue to push for action on insulin affordability, support public hearings

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Today, DFL legislators continued to push for action on legislation to address insulin affordability and announced their support for public hearings. Today marks the 30-day deadline proposed by Senate Majority Leader Gazelka.

“We need to approach the crisis of insulin affordability as if the lives of Minnesotans hang in balance – because that is true,” said state Representative Michael Howard. “Every day, Minnesotans with diabetes are in a fight for their lives because they can’t afford the insulin they need to survive. There is a path forward. There’s no reason why we can’t get this done. We agree with Governor Walz that public hearings are necessary, and DFLers are working to move the discussion forward.”

Last Friday, DFL legislators presented a compromise framework to the Senate. The framework aims to take the best ideas from each proposal and meet the goals of ensuring Minnesotans have access to insulin, both for emergencies and over the long-term, that the program is paid for by the pharmaceutical industry, and that it can be set up quickly. Continue reading “DFL legislators continue to push for action on insulin affordability, support public hearings”

Wednesday at 10:30: House DFL hosts roundtable to address soaring cost of insulin

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Minnesota House DFL lawmakers have announced plans for a series of Community Conversations across the state to give Minnesotans an opportunity to share their concerns and ideas for improving access to insulin and addressing the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. The first roundtable is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 120 of the State Capitol. Live video will be available courtesy of House Public Information Services here. Minnesotans who depend on insulin for themselves and their families and have experienced high costs are invited to join legislators to discuss the next steps to solve this crisis facing far too many Minnesotans.

“Minnesotans shouldn’t lose their lives because they can’t afford the lifesaving medications they need, like insulin,” said Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman. “The DFL Majority in the Minnesota House passed and sent to conference committee a strong proposal that would both help Minnesotans and hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable for the greed that is fueling this crisis. After the work of a bipartisan group of legislators, it’s critical to bring the public back into this process. We need to hear directly from Minnesotans about how this issue affects them and how best to address it.”

The price of insulin has tripled in the last decade, and studies indicate that 1 in 4 diabetics have resorted to rationing their insulin due to the high cost. During the last legislative session, the DFL-led Minnesota House passed the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act as part of the House Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill. Named for a Richfield resident who tragically died after being forced to ration his insulin due to the high cost of the drug, the bill would establish an emergency supply of insulin for diabetics who are unable to pay for prescription refills. Reimbursements for pharmacies would be paid through a fee on insulin manufacturers. Continue reading “Wednesday at 10:30: House DFL hosts roundtable to address soaring cost of insulin”

Gov. Walz signs into law elder care protections championed by House DFLers

BROOKLYN CENTER, MINNESOTA – Today at the Minnesota World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Conference in Brooklyn Center, Governor Tim Walz today held a bill signing ceremony for a package of senior and vulnerable adult care reforms approved during the recently-concluded legislative session.

“Our consensus reforms to address elder abuse will give older and vulnerable Minnesotans in assisted living facilities – along with their family members – needed peace of mind,” said Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL – Duluth), the chief author of the legislation in the House. “This result was only possible with Minnesotans impacted by these horrific behaviors coming forward to share their stories. Their advocacy was invaluable and I thank them, along with consumer advocates, agency staff, and of course Governor Walz and my legislative colleagues who supported the legislation, for allowing these safeguards to become law.”

The bill, HF 90, will create a licensure framework for assisted living facilities, the establishment of a bill of rights for residents of assisted living facilities, stronger consumer protection measures, uniform standards for facilities providing dementia cares services, and ensuring the ability for a resident to have a camera in their living space. Continue reading “Gov. Walz signs into law elder care protections championed by House DFLers”

Minnesota House Approves cCompromise Public Safety and Judiciary Budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – The Minnesota House approved the final version of the Omnibus Public Safety and Judiciary Finance bill early Saturday morning. The budget includes $125 million in new investments in the courts, correctional facilities, criminal apprehension, human rights protections and many other areas to keep Minnesotans safe and ensure they have access to justice.

Unfortunately, Senate Republicans blocked a pair of initiatives to curb senseless gun violence this session. Despite the support of as many as 90 percent of Minnesotans, Republicans refused to establish “red flag” laws and expand criminal background checks for firearm purchases. House DFLers remain committed to preventing gun violence and keeping Minnesotans safe at school, at work, while worshiping, or anywhere else in their communities.

“This session, through a community-centered lens, we’ve heard from many Minnesotans about the impact of our criminal justice system, and have highlighted numerous ways in which we can reimagine public safety in our state. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface in these efforts,” said Rep. Carlos Mariani, Chair of the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Division. “There’s still a great deal of work to do, especially regarding senseless gun violence, the need to decriminalize poverty and fixing the flaws in our probation system. The work on these and other issues is not over as we build a safer, more just state.” Continue reading “Minnesota House Approves cCompromise Public Safety and Judiciary Budget”

House Public Safety Committee to take public input on inadequate Senate Public Safety budget proposal

UPDATED:  Hearing cancelled due to weather 

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Thursday afternoon, the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Division will hold a public hearing on SF 802, the Senate Omnibus Judiciary and Public Safety Bill.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), will provide an opportunity to compare differences between the House and Senate bills including the inadequate funding for correctional officers, the missing efforts to decriminalize poverty, not addressing the state’s criminal sexual conduct code, and lack of other bipartisan, community-centered initiatives.

Last week, the House Public Safety budget was announced, which includes measures to reshape Minnesota’s criminal justice system, by providing pathways for Minnesotans to avoid crime activities and correct for behaviors that lead to crime, while delivering justice for crime victims and holding those who hurt others and hurt communities accountable. Continue reading “House Public Safety Committee to take public input on inadequate Senate Public Safety budget proposal”

Minnesota House DFL releases framework for Minnesota Values Budget

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota House DFL leaders and legislators released the framework and targets for their Minnesota Values Budget today. The budget includes significant investments in education, affordable health care, and safe & inclusive communities to build a Minnesota that works better for everyone.

“Our budget will strengthen communities across the state through honest investments to improve education opportunities, support our families, and increase economic prosperity no matter where in the state you live, or what you look like,” said Speaker Melissa Hortman. “We are investing in the people of Minnesota, because everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed.”

The budget includes: Continue reading “Minnesota House DFL releases framework for Minnesota Values Budget”