With just three weeks remaining of the 2018 Legislative Session the pace at the Capitol is starting to pick up.
Last Thursday, the Senate passed their full Omnibus Finance bill off the Senate floor. This bill as passed will fully fund and stop the 7% cut for one year-- but over time will result in a 5% cut for Home and Community-Based Services.
The House will debate their Health and Human Service Omnibus bill today (Tuesday, May 1st). The House bill fully funds and stops the 7% cut immediately, as well as fully funds the 7% cut into the future.
Following the passage of all Omnibus bills in the House, a Conference Committee will be established to begin working out policy and funding differences between the House and Senate. As we move into that Conference Committee, ARRM’s position is to fully support the House language that stops the 7% cut.
Additionally last week, both the House and Senate DFL Caucuses sent letters to Governor Dayton, urging him to prioritize stopping the 7% cut as he enters negotiations with the House and Senate majorities. A total of 31 of the 33 DFL Senators and 48 of the 57 DFL House members signed on to the letter in support of stopping the 7% cut.
Please continue to watch and respond to upcoming Action Alerts in the next few days. Your immediate action will be critical during these final few weeks of the legislative session.
-- Sara Grafstrom, Director of Member Advocacy and Government Relations