Public Policy Issues Archive (04.05.05)
This legislative update published April 5, 2005
“We have come dangerously close to accepting the homeless situation as a problem that we just can’t solve.”
–Linda Lingle
1. $12 Million to Fight Homelessness – Act Now!
2. Child Support Reform Hearing this Week
3. $2 Million Price Tag to Protect Victims from Strangulation
4. Family Violence Hearings This Week
5. Federal Budget Moves to Important Committee This Week
6. Committee Deadlines Approach in the MN House and Senate
7. How Much Money is in the Budget?
8. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
9. Contact Us
1. $12 Million to Fight Homelessness – Act Now!
A proposal of $12 million to combat homelessness awaits action on the floor by both the House and the Senate as a part of the Bonding Bill, with action as early as this week. This $12 million would finance building or repair for up to 4,000 housing units for homelessness relating to mental health, chemical dependency and family violence. The money would be pooled with funds from state, federal government and nonprofits to create several housing projects around the state.
Call your state Senator and House representative today. Urge them to support resources to combat homelessness:
To find contact information for your elected officials, go to the State of Minnesota’s District Finder at: http://geo.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/districts/start.html
Nearly 1,400 homeless women and children fleeing abuse called Tubman Family Alliance shelters home last year alone. Don’t let another woman bear a beating from an abusive partner because she has nowhere else to go. Our elected officials need to hear an outcry of public support that:
- Combating homelessness—a major issue in the lives of thousands of victims of domestic abuse—is a priority for Minnesota’s citizens.
- The Bonding Bill must invest in safe, decent, affordable housing.
- The Legislature must also address comprehensive services necessary to prevent and address homelessness and family violence.
Back to Top
2. Child Support Reform Hearing This Week
On Thursday, March 31, the Senate Judiciary Committee discussed two different child support reform bills – SF 630 authored by Sen. Thomas Neuville’s (R-Northfield) and SF 1900 authored by Sen. Linda Berglin (DFL-Minneapolis). Both Sen. Neuville and Sen. Berglin discussed their respective bills. Jo Beld, previous chair of the Child Support Guidelines Review Advisory Task Force, testified. No vote was taken on either bill, and they are scheduled for further review by the committee this Thursday, April 7.
After thorough analysis two child support reform bills, the Legal Services Advocacy Project has concluded that SF 1900 would provide better options for children and families than either current law or the alternate bill, SF 630. According to analysis by this group, SF 1900 is:
- A solution to the many problems in current child support law without inviting conflict and litigation between parents.
- Fair to both parents by using an “income shares” approach, which takes into account the income of both parents, a reform the legislature has been seeking for over ten years.
- Clear in evaluating and ordering health care coverage for children.
- Valid and reliable when estimating the costs of raising children, using the USDA’s recommended expense figures.
- Informed by extensive research, including analysis of existing child support cases, significant economic research and provisions from other states.
- Tested through a high level of public scrutiny and a product of collaborative development by many participants from diverse viewpoints who often disagree.
The bill proposed by Sen. Neuville SF 630 links time and money, and some advocacy organizations have voiced a well-founded fear that SF 630 will exacerbate litigation over parenting time (visitation) just to get child support orders reduced. This is particularly a concern for cases where abuse has been involved—and the abusive partner is using a family court battle as a way to further victimize their victim. The Legal Services Advocacy Project has recommended that legislators oppose SF 630.
Both SF 1900 and SF 630 will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee this week:
- Thursday, April 7, 6:30 p.m. – Room 112, State Capitol, St. Paul
Contact Senate Judiciary Committee members to voice your views:
Back to Top
3. $2 Million Price Tag to Protect Victims from Strangulation
A House fiscal note places the costs associated with the “strangulation bill” at $2 million. These expenses are from the costs of enforcement, prosecution, and more importantly increased prison time, from a new felony-level family violence crime. This $2 million price tag is expected to be scrutinized by fiscal analysts in future committee hearings.
This bill has passed through policy committees in the House and Senate and now awaits hearings in finance-related committees. The Senate version SF 934 authored by Sen. Jane Ranum (DFL-Minneapolis) is expected to be heard in the Senate Public Safety Budget Division soon, as early as this week. The House companion bill HF 963 authored by Rep. Steve Smith (R-Mound) is waiting to be heard in the House Ways and Means Committee. Neither bill is scheduled for this upcoming week.
Both bills, SF 934 and HF 963, moving through the House and Senate, would make it a felony to strangle a household or family member. Currently, it is typical to charge a domestic abuse offender who uses strangulation with assault in the fifth degree, a misdemeanor.
Back to Top
4. Family Violence Hearings This Week
The Senate Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee will consider two family violence related bills this Tuesday, April 5.
- Domestic Abuse No Contact Orders: SF 1143 authored by Sen. Jane Ranum (DFL-Minneapolis) clarifying domestic abuse no contact orders. The House companion bill HF 2100 awaits hearing in the House Civil Law Committee.
- Victim Protection Against Employer Retaliation: SF 1438 authored by Sen. Ranum, strengthening protection for crime victims taking time off work to attend court proceedings.
Senate Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee
Tuesday, April 5, 3 p.m. – Room 107, State Capitol, St. Paul
Back to Top
5. Federal Budget Moves to Important Committee This Week
Neither the U.S. House nor Senate has produced a balanced budget. In fact, both budgets produce substantial deficits going well into future years. At the same time that these resolutions are awash in red ink, they also include drastic cuts in federal spending for:
- Medical Assistance, known as Medicaid on the federal level
- Food Stamps
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
- Various other programs that are vital to the well being of low- and moderate-income Minnesotans.
Health care and other resources are critical for survivors of abuse and their children, as they fight to rebuild their lives in the wake of devastating violence. Many families not only struggle to make it on the single income of the victim but also face barriers from the intentional isolation of an abusive partner, like being cut off from friends, family and finances.
Act quickly to convey your opinion to your U.S. Senators. Both Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) took votes in the first round of budget deliberations that would protect funding for Medicaid. They could play a key role in protecting Medicaid, Food Stamps, and other programs in this next state of the budget debate. A joint House-Senate Conference Committee will begin meeting this week in an effort to resolve the differences between the two budgets and present a Budget Conference Report to the full House and Senate.
Click on links below to contact your Minnesota Senators and express your opinion on this important issue:
To learn more about what the key provisions in the U.S. House and Senate Budget Resolutions and the impact that they would have in Minnesotans, click to see the Minnesota Council of Nonprofit’s analysis Low-Income Minnesotans Could Lose Big in Federal Budget at www.mncn.org/bp/ccfactsheet.pdf.
Back to Top
6. Committee Deadlines Approach in the MN House and Senate
The Legislature is in for a busy few weeks as committee deadlines for hearing bills approach. There is no deadline for a bill’s introduction, but each year the legislature establishes deadlines for committee action on bills. Bills that do not meet these deadlines can’t move forward and are considered “dead.”
- April 5 – First Deadline: Bills must be approved by all policy committees in either the House or Senate by this date to be considered further.
- April 12 – Second Deadline: Bills must have passed through all policy committees in both the House and the Senate by this date to be considered further.
- April 22 – Third Deadline: Committees must approve their omnibus appropriation bills by this date.
However, actions of the tax committee, various finance committees and the Rules and Administration committee in both the House and Senate are not bound by these deadlines.
Back to Top
7. How Much Money is in the Budget?
Two new tools are now available to demystify the Legislature’s process for creating the state budget for 2006-2007. Do you want to know where funding is proposed to go? Look at the following snapshots for a quick picture.
- Tracking sheet for the “Bonding Bill” showing how much is allocated for various projects by the Capital Investment Conference Committee as of April 1, 2005. The Bonding Bill provides funding for physical improvements, like roads and buildings. $12 million for permanent affordable housing, critical for family violence survivors, is currently earmarked in this bill.
Both documents have been prepared by the non-partisan Fiscal Analysis Department.
Back to Top
8. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
Take a stand against child abuse this month. “Listen, Imagine. You Can End Child Abuse, Minnesota” yard signs and window clings are available through Stop It Now! Minnesota. For questions or to order a yard sign or window cling contact (651) 644-8515 or alindstrom@projectpathfinder.org.
For more information on child abuse prevention, visit Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota.
Back to Top
9. 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.
Back to Top
This Public Policy Update Published April 5, 2005.
Editor: Randy Schubring
Writers: Margaret Ostrander
|
