Rep. Stensrud: Lots To Do Before Session Ends

Dear Neighbor,

We are spending a Saturday night on the House floor, addressing some important bills as we work our way toward adjournment.

Our self-imposed date to adjourn is April 30, but it remains to be seen exactly when the session will end. A bonding bill, a tax bill and a Vikings stadium bill are among the top items we may consider in the full House before adjournment. Things are fluid at the Capitol and it is hard to predict what will happen from one minute to the next.

One of the most important things we did this week was to pass an omnibus health and human services bill (H.F. 2294) with huge bipartisan support on a 128-2 vote. Gov. Mark Dayton approved it today.

A top component of the HHS bill removes an unnecessary and costly burden on nursing home facilities with no Medicare residents by exempting them from being certified by Medicare.

The bill also provides for a study of the Somali community in an attempt to find out why one in 27 Somali children are diagnosed with autism at birth. Another autism study would examine early-intervention therapies and consider their projected outcomes. 

Also included is reform for EBT cards. Our goal is to help to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent as intended so we can make sure assistance taxpayers provide goes to people in need. New restrictions would allow EBT cash funds to be used only in Minnesota and bordering states. New measures disqualify anyone guilty of using EBT cards to purchase prohibited items for one year on the first offense, two years for the second offense and permanently for the third offense. EBT card fraud would result in a ban from the program. This is tremendous reform.

Community paramedics were established in 2011 to provide an alternative to those who previously may have used emergency-room services for non-emergency issues. A provision in our bill ensures that these provider groups are reimbursed under Medical Assistance and state health care programs. Projections indicate this program will save taxpayers thousands of dollars each year.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold over the next couple of days and I will send along my thoughts on the developments.

Sincerely,

Kirk Stensrud (42A)