Public Policy Issues Archive (3.21.05)
This legislative update published March 21, 2005
“All great achievements require time.” – Maya Angelou
1. Meslow Authors Shelter & Crime Victims Funding Bills
2. Bill Calls for $15 M for Transitional Housing
3. Cuts to Renters Credit to affect over 12,000 households
4. Child Support Bill Amended
5. Strangulation Bill May Add $2M in Enforcement Costs
6. Domestic Abuse No Contact Expansion Bill
7. House Budget Resolution Passes Committee
8. Proposed Cuts to Child Care Assistance Program
9. Senate Minimizes Cuts to Children’s Mental Health Care
10. Upcoming Events
11. Upcoming Hearings of Interest
12. Contact us!
1. Meslow Authors Shelter & Crime Victims Funding Bills
A bill asking for increased appropriations of $1.2 million per year for crime victims services, and $2.6 million per year for battered women’s shelters was introduced last Thursday by Rep. Doug Meslow (R-White Bear Lake). Also signing on to the bill were Representatives Mary Murphy (D-Hermantown), Ray Cox (R-Northfield), Loren Solberg (D-Grand Rapids), and Kathy Tinglestad (R-Andover).
The Senate companion bill, SF 1807, is authored by Sen. Jane Ranum (D-Minneapolis).
Hearing dates have not been set yet.
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2. Bill Calls for $15 M for Transitional Housing
A bill calling for an additional $15 million for transitional housing and emergency service grants, sponsored by Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL-Maplewood) was heard on Tuesday, March 15 in the House Jobs and Economic Opportunity Committee, chaired by Rep. Bob Gunther (R-Fairmont).
Michael Dahl, executive Director of the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, testified in favor of the bill, along with others.
The Senate companion bill, SF 684, is sponsored by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) and was passed in a previous Senate Committee and awaits further action in the full Senate Finance Committee.
According to the nonpartisan House Research Department, transitional housing programs provide housing designed for independent living to homeless persons or families at a rental rate of at least 25 percent of a family income for a period of up to 24 months.
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3. Cuts to Renters Credit to affect over 12,000 households
The Renters' Credit, a vital resource for Minnesota's 275,000 low- and moderate-income rental households, is threatened to be cut. Governor Pawlenty's budget proposes changing the amount of rent that is considered the renter's share of property taxes from the current 19 percent to 16 percent in 2005 and 15 percent in 2006. This would result in 12,634 fewer Minnesota households receiving a Renters' Credit in 2005 than in 2004, and the average amount of credit would drop by $89.
Legislators need to hear from those directly affected by this cut. Hearing stories about how a cut would impact families will help legislators decide whether or not to safeguard this credit.
The Renters' Credit is an important source of tax relief and housing assistance for low- and moderate-income persons across Minnesota. According tax projections from 2004, the Renters' Credit will provide an average credit of $554 to nearly 275,000 low- and moderate-income Minnesotans when they file for the credit. In his proposed 2006-07 biennial budget proposal, Governor Pawlenty recommends cutting the Renters' Credit by 20 percent in Fiscal Year 2007 and up to 25 percent in Fiscal Year 2008 and future years. This credit is an important resource for rental households, including working families, the elderly and disabled (in some communities more than 60 percent of renters are elderly and seriously disabled).
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4. Child Support Bill Amended
A bill, which would change Minnesota’s child support guidelines (HF 1321), authored by Rep. Steve Smith (R-Mound), was heard in the House Civil Law committee on Wednesday, March 16. The bill was approved and referred to the House Jobs and Economic Opportunity committee.
The bill calls for support to be calculated using the parent’s combined income. Language from two previously introduced bills—HF 779 authored by Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-St. Paul) and HF 1191, authored by Rep. Rob Eastlund (R-Isanti)—were amended onto Smith’s bill. These amendments address joint physical custody, and calls for both parents to give the child love, affection, care, and guidance. In addition, they call for children of divorce to be raised in their culture, language, and religious background.
Language from the Eastlund bill may make it easier for a father to gain custody of the child. The provision states that the court “may not use any one factor to the exclusion of all others and may not prefer one parent over the other on account of gender.”
The Senate companion bill (SF 630), authored by Sen. Tom Neuville (R-Northfield) was passed by a subcommittee and awaits action in the Senate Judiciary committee. SF 630 does not currently contain the Mahoney and Eastlund House amendments.
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5. Strangulation Bill May Add $2M in Enforcement Costs
A bill adding strangulation to the crime of domestic assault (HF 963), authored by Rep. Steve Smith (R-Mound) was heard Tuesday in the House Public Safety Policy and Finance committee.
The bill makes it a felony to assault a family or household member by strangulation. Currently it is typical to charge an offender who uses strangulation with assault in the fifth degree, a misdemeanor.
The committee also heard from House Fiscal Analysts who estimated that the measure, if passed, could add an additional $2 million to the state for enforcement costs.
The bill was passed and will now move on to the House Ways and Means committee.
The Senate companion bill (SF 934), authored by Sen. Jane Ranum (D-Minneapolis) was previously passed by a committee but was also amended to broaden the scope of the bill to specify it is third degree assault for anyone, rather than just a family or household member, to assault someone by strangulation. An amendment to add the term asphyxiation was also added to the bill.
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6. Domestic Abuse No Contact Expansion Bill
SF 1143, sponsored by Sen. Jane Ranum (DFL-Minneapolis), clarifies that a domestic abuse no contact order is an order issued by a court against a defendant in a criminal proceeding for domestic abuse, violation of an order for protection, violation of a domestic abuse no contact order, harassment or stalking.
This bill will be heard Tuesday, March 22 at noon in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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7. House Budget Resolution Passes Committee
The Minnesota House’s Ways & Means Committee passed the Budget Resolution (HF 6) on Thursday, March 17. This is a short piece of legislation that sets the maximum amount of General Fund spending for the 2006-07 biennium. As passed by the committee, the House Budget Resolution sets 2006-07 General Fund spending at just $75 million more than was proposed in the Governor’s budget. The entire House is expected to vote on the Budget Resolution early next week (March 22 or 23).
Once the Budget Resolution is passed, the House is locked in to spending no more than the amount set in the Budget Resolution. This is also the number used to determine the spending targets for each of the House’s finance committees.
The House Budget Resolution as passed by the Ways and Means Committee is inadequate to meet the state’s critical needs. A bipartisan amendment to the Budget Resolution will be offered by Representatives Dorman and Greiling. This amendment would increase total General Fund spending by an additional $750 million. This amendment would leave the door open to raising revenue and allows for a more thoughtful discussion about the state’s budget.
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8. Proposed Cuts to Child Care Assistance Program
In Governor Pawlenty's proposed budget $70 million is cut from child care assistance spending by freezing the amount the state reimburses to providers who serve children on the child care assistance program. The proposed budget continues funding Early Childhood Family Education, Head Start, and School Readiness, but at the reduced levels set in 2003. Thousands of children and families will not be able to access quality educational opportunities because of these cuts. In 2003, $100 million was cut, causing tremendous harm to families and communities.
On February 28, an additional $234 million of revenue not projected in November's budget forecast was announced for FY06-07. The Governor and legislators propose budgets based on forecasts of how much revenue the state expects to receive, and they are deciding right now how to spend the additional $234 million.
Child care advocates are calling on the governor and legislators to use $185 million of the $234 million windfall to lift the freeze to child rates and fund the Minnesota Early Learning Fund, a public-private partnership that demonstrates effective programs for low-income families.
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9. Senate Minimizes Cuts to Children’s Mental Health Care
The Smith-Bingaman amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution to strike all Medicaid cuts passed by a vote of 52-48. Republican Senators voting for passage were Chafee, Coleman, Collins, DeWine, Smith, Snowe, and Specter. All Democratic Senators and Senator Jeffords (Independent) voted for the amendment.
The House of Representatives will soon, as early as Monday, March 21, pass its budget resolution and while the Democrats are offering an amendment to strike the Medicaid cuts, it is not expected to win. At that point, the issue will need to be resolved in Conference between the House and Senate—a process where both sides work together to come up with a compromised version of the bill.
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10. Upcoming Events
Follow the Dollars, sponsored by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Tuesday, March 22, 2005, 2 – 4:00p.m.
Model Cities Brownstone Room, 849 University Avenue West, St. Paul
(4 blocks west of Dale St. on University Avenue)
Free parking is available on either side of the building or on the street.
Fee: $35 for MCN members/$50 for nonmembers
In the 2005 Legislative Session, the Minnesota Legislature will pass the state's budget for the next two years. Advocates, leaders, front-line staff, and members of the public will all benefit from understanding how the state's budget process works and how to participate in that process on behalf of the programs they care about and the people they serve.
This workshop is led by Nan Madden, Director of the Minnesota Budget Project, an initiative of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. The Minnesota Budget Project provides independent research, outreach, and advocacy on budget and tax issues that impact low- and moderate-income persons and the organizations that serve them.
Media Advocacy: Making your Case
Tuesday, March 29, 2005, 1 – 4:00 p.m.
Model Cities Brownstone Room, 849 University Avenue West, St. Paul
(4 blocks west of Dale St. on University Avenue)
Free parking is available on either side of the building or on the street.
Fee: $35 for MCN Members/$50 for nonmembers
By late March, bills at the legislature will be approaching their first deadline and some alternatives to the Governor's budget will surface. Serious budget debates will gain momentum as we approach the last months of the session.
This workshop will outline ways in which your organization can use the media to influence both broad and specific policy, as well as ways in which you can make the case for your organization's programs and services at the state level this session. This workshop will also support your organization's policy efforts at the county and city program and budget debates this summer and fall.
The workshop will be led by Tom Kelly, President of Kelly-Killeavy Strategic Communications and Ginger Sisco, President of Sisco Public Relations.
Issue Briefing and Advocacy Session: Promoting Economic Stability in Minnesota
Cosponsored by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and the Affirmative Options Coalition.
Friday, April 1, 2005, 9:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters and Joiners
700 Olive Street, St. Paul, MN 55101
This briefing is free and open to the public
To register, please RSVP to Josh Schenck at josh@mncn.org, or call 651-642-1904 Ext. 223
Join us to learn what's happening at the Minnesota Legislature on issues affecting the economic stability of Minnesota families - health care, jobs/welfare-to-work, early childhood education/child care, and housing. Find out how you can take action to influence policy decisions, sign up for advocacy opportunities, and network with other members of the nonprofit community. Significant changes are being proposed in the 2005 legislative session and nonprofits can play a vital role in educating policy makers about the investments that are needed to secure Minnesota's future.
Worry-Free Advocacy: Understanding the Rules of Nonprofit Lobbying & Election-Related Activity
Co-sponsored by the Alliance for Justice and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Thursday, April 28, 2005, 8:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Model Cities Brownstone Room, 849 University Avenue West, St. Paul
Free Parking is available on either side of the building or on the street.
Fee: $35 (registration fee includes all workshop materials and meals)
During this one-day workshop for nonprofit managers, staff, and volunteers, our attorney-trainers will teach you the rules so that you can answer questions such as:
- What is lobbying?
- How much can our 501(c)(3) lobby?
- Can we produce a voter’s guide or invite candidates to speak?
The Alliance for Justice is handling registration for this workshop. For more information, or to register, please click here.
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11. Upcoming Hearings of Interest
Monday, March 21 at 12:30
HF1406 – Criminal Sexual conduct life without release sentences provided, sentences increased, Sex Offender Review Board Established, sentencing guidelines modified, and predatory offender registration and notification requirements modified.
HF1507 – Quarantine and isolation provisions for persons exposed to or infected with a communicable disease.
HF1810 – Comprehensive incident-based reporting system law enforcement data access and classification provided.
HF952 – Abortion alternative grants and public information provided, “Positive Alternatives Act” created, and money appropriated.
Any bills not heard during the regular hearing will be heard in the basement hearing room starting at 4:30 p.m. Bills may be added or deleted from this agenda at the discretion of the Chairperson.
Tuesday, March 22, 12 noon
SF1143 – Expanding the applicability of the domestic abuse no contact order.
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12. Contact Us
This legislative update is produced by Tubman Family Alliance, a pioneer in family violence prevention nationwide. Tubman Family Alliance offers a full range of services for all community members—men, women, and children—with the aim of preventing and ending family violence.
Get involved by volunteering at Tubman Family Alliance, or invite the Tubman Speaker’s Bureau to bring violence prevention outreach to your workplace, faith community, civic group or professional association.
For further information on legislative issues and how you can help take action, contact Randy Schubring, Director of Public Affairs at Tubman Family Alliance at 651-770-8544/612-825-3333 or at grassroots@tubmanfamilyalliance.org.
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This Public Policy Update Published March 21, 2005.
Editor: Randy Schubring
Writers: Margaret Ostrander and Randy Schubring
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