Dear Neighbors, 

We are wrapping up the third week of the legislative session. It was a busy week with bill hearings, back-to-back constituent meetings, and postponed committee hearings to allow for travel to precinct caucuses.

In this newsletter: 

• Recent meetings
• High School Intern for a Day Program
• My PCA Service Corps Bill Hearing
• Rural Caucus
• 360 Communities Rosemount Family Resource Center
• Around the Legislature Updates

Meetings

Constituent Group Meetings:

• Minnesota Academy of Physician Assistants
• Minnesota Optometric Association
• Physical Therapy Students
• Financial Planning Association
• NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota
• Fire Service
• Health Choice Minnesota
• University of Minnesota Pharmacy Students
• Disability Advocacy Day
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
• Certified Public Accountant Day
• Occupational Therapy Students
• Minnesota Chiropractic Association
• ABATE of MN
• National Kidney Foundation Serving Minnesota
• Hunger Solutions
• Be the Match
• American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota

Additional Meetings:

• Housing First
• Minnesota Private College
• Minnesota State Troopers Association
• Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board
• Minnesota State College Faculty
• School Trust Lands
• Dakota County Public Health
• MinnState Students United
• School of Environmental Studies Students
• Indian Child Welfare Advisory Council
• Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce

Intern for a Day Program

Our first two sessions of the High School Intern for a Day Program took place over the past two weeks! High schoolers from our district have the opportunity to come to the Capitol throughout this legislative session to learn about the legislative process. These students started their day in my office in the Minnesota Senate Building. We discussed how I became a legislator, my committee assignments, bills I have authored for the session, and I answered student questions. The students then spent the rest of their day meeting with Representatives Huot and Bierman, touring the Capitol, and attending committee hearings. This opportunity has been a great way to discuss civic engagement and making a difference in our community with our current and future leaders. Thank you to constituent Frank Sachs for his leadership in developing the program.

Bill Hearing This Week (PCA Service Corps)

Personal Care Assistants (PCAs) provide services to persons with physical and mental disabilities who need help with day-to-day activities. Unfortunately, Minnesota currently has a shortage of PCAs. As a state, we must increase the quality of care and strengthen the PCA workforce to allow people to live in the environment of their choosing. I worked with the Minnesota State Healthcare Workforce Center of Excellence, PCA providers, the Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota (AARM), and families that rely on PCAs to draft a bill to work towards filling these needs. Financial incentives would be used to attract college students to serve as personal care assistants, including a tuition stipend for their service. It was introduced and received a hearing last session, but unfortunately it did not make it through the entire bill process. We got the ball rolling again on the bill this week. It received a hearing in the Human Services Reform Committee and was referred to the Health and Human Services Committee for consideration. I am hopeful this bill will keep moving in order to fulfill critical needs in Minnesota.

Watch part of my bill presentation before the Committee:

Rural Caucus

I meet with other rural, DFL senators every other week to discuss issues and bills impacting rural Minnesota. This week, we heard from our own constituent Linda Larson who is a Minnesota Farmers Union Director and the Minnesota DFL Rural Caucus Chair. We discussed the recently formed DFL Rural Caucus and the work they are doing to reach out to Minnesotans in all corners of the state. We addressed family farming, the need for jobs to support families and sustain communities, quality education, health care needs, broadband, and more. Although much of our district is considered suburban, we have many rural neighborhoods and family farms in the area for whom I continue to advocate.

360 Communities Ribbon Cutting

During the 2017 session, I secured funding to expand the 360 Communities Rosemount Family Resource Center. This week I joined 360 Communities President and CEO Jeffrey Mortensen, the City of Rosemount, and Dakota County for the ribbon cutting to celebrate the expansion. To quote 360 Communities, the Center “is a neighborhood gathering place where families access healthy food, financial assistance, and a comprehensive network of community resources.” This expansion tripled the Center’s size and will allow the organization to serve more families and strengthen our community. I am looking forward to the ways our community continues to come together, aided by the support of the expanded Center.

Click here for 360 Communities' Facebook post with more information and photos from the event.

Around the Legislature

Insulin Bill Update

I am grateful the House of Representatives passed HF 3100 this week, a bipartisan bill to establish an emergency insulin program and a longer-term insulin assistance program to help patients struggling to afford the life-sustaining drug. The House plan establishes an insulin assistance account supported by fees on insulin manufacturers, who have increased prices 1000% since 1999. I will continue supporting the Senate companion bill to the House bill and will advocate for this life-saving measure.

Presidential Primary Voter Privacy Bill Update

Voter privacy is important to Minnesotans. This week, the House of Representatives passed HF 3068, a bill to ensure voters in the March 3 presidential nominating primary have assurances their party-participation data will not be used for political purposes. National party rules require the state to record which party’s nominating ballot a person requests in this primary. The Secretary of State recommended the changes outlined in this bill, which ensure party chairs may only use the information to validate participation with the national parties and may not share or use the information for any other manner.

The Senate has not addressed this bill. Hundreds of Minnesotans have raised privacy concerns, including many of you as my constituents. I continue to work with my colleagues to ensure voter privacy.

Doctor's Caucus Health Care Bills

Last week, the Doctors Caucus of the Minnesota House and Senate introduced a package of three bipartisan bills to make health care more accessible and affordable in Minnesota. I have listened to constituents express health care being out of reach for many and the resulting negative health impacts. One bill seeks to establish a commission to review changes in drug pricing and empowers the commission to regulate the cost of drugs it deems unfairly prices. The second bill would provide direct relief to Minnesotans with high health insurance premiums through premium tax credits instead of reinsurance. The third bill in the package expands access to mental health services by requiring health insurance policies to cover a defined number of mental health visits each year.

Thank you!

Thanks again for your continued interest in the legislative process. I value hearing your input and meeting with constituents. Please do not hesitate to continue reaching out via email, phone call, or meeting request. 

Respectfully, 

Greg Clausen
Minnesota State Senator
Senate District 57