On Tuesday, Senator Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids) was appointed to serve on the legislature’s conference committee for Senate File 800, the Omnibus Health and Human Services Bill.  Senator Utke will join four of his Senate colleagues and five members from the House, who will work collaboratively over the coming days to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Omnibus Health and Human Services Bill.

“I’m proud to have been appointed by Majority Leader Gazelka to serve on the Health and Human Services Conference Committee,” said Senator Utke. “My passion for protecting children, the elderly and disabled coupled with my service on the Senate’s Human Services Reform Committee and career experience has prepared me to contribute to the negotiations so that I can best represent the residents of Park Rapids and Greater Minnesota.”

The Omnibus Health and Human Services Bill was passed by the Senate earlier this month and prioritizes investments in children, the elderly and individuals with disabilities by increasing spending on Health and Human Services by $2.2 billion over the next two years.

Conference committees will begin meeting in the next few days, and will continue negotiations until an agreement is reached. Once the conference committee report is passed, the report will head back to the floor to be voted on. If passed by both bodies, it will be sent to Governor Dayton for his signature to become law. The legislature has five weeks of session left under the state’s constitution and must have all bills submitted to the Governor by Monday May 22.