Public Policy Issues Archive (4.18.05)

This legislative update published April 18, 2005

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”  -- Anne Frank

1.  Shelter and Crime Victim Funding

2.  Federal Budget Cuts to Rob Minnesota’s Most Vulnerable
3.  Last Committee Deadline Approaches

4.  House Jobs Committee Plans to Cut $72 Million – Act Now!

5.  Child Custody in Orders for Protection

6.  Public Hearings on Bus Route Cutbacks

7.  Bill Passed in House, Could Strip Victims of Legal Protection

8.  Human Trafficking Bill Moves Forward

9.  Renter’s Credit Moves Forward

10.  Bullying Bill Moves Forward

11.  Washington County Low-Income Housing Hearing

12.  Contact Us

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1. Shelter and Crime Victim Funding

Last Thursday, a House Committee met to discuss a bill asking for increased appropriations of $1.2 million per year for crime victims services, and $2.6 million per year for women’s shelters.  The Public Safety and Finance Committee, chaired by Rep. Steve Smith (R-Mound), reviewed the bill HF 1916 and heard testimony.  Chief Author Rep. Doug Meslow (R-White Bear Lake), championed the funding request. 

Deputy Commissioner Mary Ellison presented the budget for the MN Department of Public Safety and echoed the Governor's recommendation for $532,00 for Crime Victim Services. 

Cyndi Cook, Executive Director of the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, testified about the types of crime victim services and the major cuts battered women’s agencies have seen in recent years.  Cook spoke to the need for shelter funding, as well as fielding questions on fund balances for capital and reserves that non-profits must have in order to maintain services to women and children.  Cook also stated that a number of shelters are operating in a deficit, which clearly reflected the need for shelter funding.  Cook related that services for battered women were comparative to the fire department or law enforcement. 

There will be hearing next week in the House and Senate with opportunities to hear from programs.  The Senate companion bill, SF 1807, is authored by Sen. Jane Ranum (DFL-Minneapolis).

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2.  Federal Budget Cuts to Rob Minnesota’s Most Vulnerable
Under the U.S. House budget resolution, Minnesota stands to lose a total of $528 million over five years from critical programs serving low-income people.  Women and children fleeing from abuse often face a myriad of economic barriers—due to intentional financial control at the hands of an abusive partner.  A broad, holistic safety net can help these families establish violence-free lives in the wake of heartbreaking abuse. 

The impact of the proposed cuts would affect Minnesota in the following ways:

Food Stamps:  Minnesota will lose $27 million in Food Stamps in 2006-2010 if half of the cuts that the House Agriculture Committee is instructed to make comes from Food Stamps; if all of the cuts are made in the Food Stamp program, Minnesota will lose $53 million in Food Stamps.  In 2004, 247,000 low-income Minnesotans used food stamps each month.

Medicaid:  The House and Senate proposals differ greatly when it comes to the Medicaid program.  While Medicaid cuts were removed by a successful floor amendment in the Senate, the House budget resolution would mean that Minnesota would lose at least $237 million in Medicaid funds in 2006-2010; if the committee decides to make even deeper cuts, Minnesota could lose up to $319 million in Medicaid funds.  As of June 2003, there were 555,000 Minnesotans receiving Medicaid services.

Supports for Low-Income Families:  The House budget resolution has instructed the House committee that deals with the greatest number of programs serving low-income people to make $18.7 billion in cuts in 2006-2010.  The cuts could be dealt in the following manner:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - could lose $43.7 million
• Earned Income Tax Credit - could lose $42.8 million
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) - could lose $38.6 million
• Foster care and adoption programs - could lose $13.4 million
• Child support enforcement programs - could lose $13.1 million
• Social Services Block Grant - could lose $3.9 million

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3.  Last Committee Deadline Approaches

This Friday, April 22, marks the third committee deadline at the Minnesota legislature.  The third deadline is for committees to act on the major funding and finance bills.

Both the House and the Senate will be introducing their budgets in Committees  this week.  The Health and Human Service, Public Safety, and Jobs committees will contain most of the funding issues like transitional housing, women’s shelter, crime victim’s funding, and the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP).

Rep. Steve Smith (R-Mound) introduced the House version of the Public Safety funding bill on Thursday evening and it mirrored the Governor’s bill.  In the bill, $532,000 per fiscal year in additional dollars is earmarked for Crime Victims programs, while there is flat funding for women’s shelters.  The bill will be heard on Tuesday, April 19 by the Public Safety and Finance Committee.  Amendments to increase funding are expected to be offered.

Sen. Jane Ranum (DFL-Minneapolis) is expected to unveil the Senate version of the Public Safety Finance bill sometime this week.

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4.  House Jobs Committee Plans to Cut $72 Million
Legislation that would cut an additional $72 million from programs that assist Minnesota families will be reviewed this week by the House Jobs and Economic Opportunity Committee on Tuesday April 19 and Wednesday April 20.  Proposed cuts include child care, the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), job training, affordable housing, community action agencies, and food shelves.  This is in addition to the cuts to child care and other programs proposed by the Governor.

To achieve the cuts, the House proposes to use federal funding targeted to child care and other programs that assist low-income families to fill the gap caused by the state budget deficit.  The House plan would:

• Take $18 million in federal child care funds to pay for the budget deficit

• Use $32 million in leftover federal Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) dollars to fund programs now paid for by state General Fund dollars—creating a potential hole that would have to be filled next year

• Increase the $50 housing penalty for MFIP households who live in subsidized housing to a $150 housing penalty. In other words, cash assistance for MFIP families who live in subsidized housing would be cut by $150 per month.

All of these cuts and funding shifts would affect the same families -- those who are working hard to make ends meet and to make a better life for their children.  As many as half of all women and their children receiving public assistance have been affected by family violence.

To express your opinion on this important issue:

Call Rep. Bob Gunther (R-Fairmount), Chair of the House Jobs and Economic Opportunity Committee (651-296-3240 or 800-684-4598).  It does not matter if you are a constituent, as Rep. Gunther is in a leadership position and is making decisions for the entire state.  Please note that Rep. Gunther often answers his own phone.

Join with the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, the Affirmative Options Coalition, and its members and allies to be a visible presence at the hearing of the House Jobs Committee.  (The bill will be presented on Tuesday and public testimony will be taken on Wednesday.)  The best day to attend is Wednesday April 20 at 8:15 am in Room 10 of the State Office Building (SOB), across from the State Capitol in St. Paul.  Karen Kingsley and Michelle Dibblee with the Affirmative Options Coalition will be outside the hearing room to greet you on Wednesday.  Please reply to Karen by emailing Karen@affirmativeoptions.org to 1) let her know that you've called Representative Gunther and what response you received and 2) whether you can attend the hearing on Wednesday.  Thank you for your support!

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5.  Child Custody in Orders for Protection

A bill to alter child custody rules in Order for Protection hearings is moving through the House and Senate.  HF 2110 states that the court could award temporary custody or establish temporary parenting time based on the safety of the victim and the children and the “best interest factors” of the children.

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6.  Public Hearings on Bus Route Cutbacks

To deal with its deficit, the Metropolitan Council is proposing to increase bus fares and eliminate routes.  Public hearings will be held throughout the metro area April 12 – 20.  Visit the Metropolitan Council website for full schedule of hearings, as well as details on proposed route cuts and fare increases.

You can also comment on the proposals by calling (651)602-1500, e-mailing data.center@metc.state.mn.us or visiting www.metrocouncil.org.

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7.  Bill Passed in House, Could Strip Victims of Legal Protection

The House voted 77-56 in favor of bill HF 6 dealing with a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as solely the union between one man and one woman—effectively prohibiting marriage, civil unions or domestic partnership for same-sex couples.  The Senate is expected to vote on its companion bill in the near future.  If it passes in the Senate, the amendment would be put on the ballot for the 20065 elections.

Ohio voters who approved a similar constitutional amendment last fall probably didn't envision the measure being successfully used as a defense in domestic violence cases.  But that became a reality when Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Stuart Friedman ruled that the amendment made part of the state's domestic violence law unconstitutional.  This decision has effectively stripped life-saving legal protections from unmarried victims of domestic violence—both heterosexual and gay/lesbian.  More than 80 percent of the 1,400 women who utilized emergency shelter at Tubman Family Alliance last year were unmarried, often single, widowed or divorced. 

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8.  Human Trafficking Bill Moves Forward

Legislation seeks to better protect victims of human trafficking.  Bills in the House and Senate seek $250,000 for a state-wide assessment of the problem, an assessment of agencies able to help stop trafficking and support victims, the development of human trafficking policy and an advisory committee.  It would also create one position at the Department of Public Safety that would monitor these activities.  The bill has, at this point, bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate.  The legislation HF 1760 and SF 1689 continues to move through the committee process.

Human trafficking includes trafficking of women for forced domestic labor or sexual slavery.  Women, children and men who are victims of trafficking often experience physical and sexual violence at the hands of their captors.

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9.  Renter’s Credit Moves Forward

The Senate passed a version of their tax bill earlier in the session which did not include a cut to the Renters’ Credit, but a cut could still be proposed in another upcoming version of the bill.  The Governor’s proposal and the House version HF 1679, both of which would cut the credit, remain possibilities for consideration in the House.

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10.  Bullying Bill Moves Forward
A bill to help address bullying in Minnesota schools has been heard in both the House and Senate.  The bill HF 14 will possibly be included in the omnibus education policy bills.  These bills will be worked out over the next week and throughout the remaining weeks of the legislative session.

Studies show that 25 percent or more of students report bullying at least once a week at school.  The bill will create a model policy to prohibit bullying in schools to be adopted by School Boards throughout Minnesota.  The bill also defines bullying and intimidation, and mandates that school policies outline expected behavior for students and appropriate consequences for bullying.  Under this bill, school policies must require school personnel to report student intimidation or bullying incidents and  allow anonymous reports.

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11.  Washington County Low-Income Housing Hearing

The Washington County housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) will hold a public hearing on Tuesday April 19.  The hearing will discuss and adopt the 2006 Washington County Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan.  This is an important resource for families who have fled domestic abuse and are rebuilding their lives.  Often forced to flee to shelter, housing is the number one goal for many families.

Public Hearing:

Tuesday April 19, 3:30 pm

Oakdale City Hall

1584 Hadley Avenue North

Oakdale, MN  55128

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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. 

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This Public Policy Update Published April 18, 2005.
Editor: Randy Schubring

Writers: Margaret Ostrander