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| March 5, 2021 |
| Neighbors, With first deadline a week away now, the Senate was busy hearing bills as I had 4 hearings this week. The bills I had heard this week would lower the cost of new homes, encourage more mental health professionals in our rural areas, help find recent immigrants jobs, and keep the state’s rental market stable. I also had my first bill this session to be signed by the Governor. Thank you, Rich My First Bill of 2021 signed by Governor On Wednesday, my legislation allowing dentists to administer the flu and the COVID vaccine to patients with vaccine training was signed into law by Governor Walz. The legislation is critical to Minnesota’s vaccination goals, giving the state and providers additional flexibility with its vaccination plan, particularly in rural communities. As the COVID vaccine becomes more readily available, we want to ensure that Minnesota and all its communities have the flexibility to administer the vaccine quickly in our communities. Our state’s rollout has been rocky to date, but as we look to improve and begin to receive doses in larger quantities having additional administers will allow us to deliver the vaccine quickly, safely, and efficiently across the entire state. Legislation like this allows Minnesotans of all parties to come together to do something to fight back against the pandemic. It’s been a tough year, but moving forward, I know that Minnesotans can work together to develop strategies that will allow our state to safely and quickly remerge from this experience. The legislation passed with unanimous support in both the Senate and the House. Current law allows for trained dentists to administer the flu vaccine to patients nineteen years old and over. This bill enables dentists to administer the flu and the COVID vaccine to patients sixteen years old and above with vaccine training. At the front line of this pandemic since day one, Minnesota health care workers have fought this virus on all fronts. The challenges they have faced have been immense, and the workload has been overwhelming. By adding more providers, Minnesota is helping to ease some of their burdens. Although currently there is a lack of available COVID vaccine in Minnesota, adding dentists to those able to administer the vaccine will increase accessibility as more vaccine becomes available. The CDC has recommended training more healthcare professionals to give the COVID vaccine to prepare for mass vaccinations. According to the American Dental Association, twenty states currently allow dentists to administer the COVID vaccine. Other states are also considering legislation to allow dentists to administer the COVID vaccine. Lowering Health Insurance Premiums On Monday, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation to extend Minnesota’s successful reinsurance program for another year. Extending the program ensures insurance rates in the individual market will remain stable and without any additional cost to the taxpayers. The original $542 million for operations was offset by federal funding, and the federal dollars will continue through 2022 with this extension. Reinsurance has been proven so effective it is being implemented in several other states across the nation. After years of skyrocketing premium increases, reinsurance has brought stability to the individual health insurance market that Minnesotans critically needed. While the program has provided critical relief to countless families, farmers, small business owners, and people with preexisting conditions across the state, it is not the final solution to fixing our health care woes. As we continue through this session and term, I will work to support healthcare solutions that not only lower our cost of care but increase access to doctors and vital services for all Minnesotans. In 2016 insurance premiums for the individual market increased by double digits, as high as 49%, due to the Affordable Care Act’s changes. Furthermore, many counties only had one insurance company to choose from. Minnesota continues to enjoy some of the lowest rates in the country, every county has at least two providers, and a new provider has started offering plans in the state. Governor Walz, in his proposed budget, did not include reauthorizing the state’s successful reinsurance program. The state risks destabilizing the individual health insurance market, drastic increases in premium costs, and could lose approximately $90 million in federal money if the program expires. February Forecast The office of Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) released its annual February economic forecast last week. The report, which details the state’s budget picture, projected a surplus of $1.6 billion for the 2022-23 budget cycle, an increase of $2.9 billion from the deficit projected in the November forecast. The revised forecast is good news and shows that Minnesota doesn’t need new taxes, but it also doesn’t paint the full picture of our situation or account for how much the federal government has propped us up this past year. Minnesota must remain cautious. We should use this surplus to provide tangible relief to the families, workers, and small businesses that have been struggling as the product of COVID and the Governor’s lockdowns. Our government must also learn to live within its means, which means targeted reform and eliminating ballooning waste. Combined, these efforts will best prepare Minnesota for a future that still remains financially uncertain. Senate Republicans have recently announced their 2021 session priorities placing an emphasis on safely reopening Minnesota’s schools and businesses while helping the economy recover. The caucus will also continue to focus on keeping life affordable for Minnesotans by balancing the budget without raising taxes. That means no new gas tax, no income tax, or sales tax increases. Senate Republicans will also ask that government to tighten its belt as well. Republicans will also support families by increasing choices for their kids’ education and working on expanding homeownership in their communities. Governor Walz recently announced his $52.4 billion budget proposal. His plan includes $1.64 billion in new taxes on Minnesotans and would vault the state to number two in the nation for the country’s highest business tax rate and number three in the nation for highest income tax rates. Contacts I’ve heard from many of you but wanted to make sure you have contact information for myself and other elected officials in the State: State Senator Rich Draheim 651-296-5558 Sen.Rich.Draheim@senate.mn Governor Tim Walz 651-201-3400 https://mn.gov/governor/contact/ US Rep. Jim Hagedorn 202-225-2472 https://hagedorn.house.gov/contact US Rep. Angie Craig 202-225-2271 https://craig.house.gov/zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/email-me US Sen. Amy Klobuchar 202-224-3244 https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-amy US Sen. Tina Smith 202-224-5641 https://www.smith.senate.gov/share-your-opinion Follow me on Facebook @SenatorRichDraheim Follow me on Facebook to see what I am up to in the Senate and around the district! www.facebook.com/SenatorRichDraheim |
