Legislative Update: 3/12/13

• An amendment adopted into a larger bill would prohibit the destruction of newborn screening test results until the Minnesota Department of Health reports back to the Legislature in 2014 on the validity of the time frames that samples and results are stored.  Testifying in support of the new language was Sue Berry, MD, president-elect of the MN-AAP. The bill’s next stop is the Senate Judiciary Committee. At this time, the newborn screening language is not yet included in the House companion to SF 1017.
• One of the key legislative priorities for the MN-AAP has begun its march through the committee process in both the House and Senate. Legislation to address bullying and harassment in schools by requiring consistent and comprehensive definitions of bullying, protections for enumerated individuals more likely to be bullied and reporting of incidents was heard in education committees in both bodies.  MN-AAP member, Tom Scott, MD, testified in support of the proposal in the House.
• A proposal to invest in early brain development via expanded access to early education programming has been introduced in both the House and Senate.  The “MinneMinds” package would provide almost $200 million in early education scholarships to 3 and 4 year olds in low-income families.  The MN-AAP is a member of the MinneMinds coalition that is advocating for passage of the bill.
• The February forecast announced by Minnesota Management and Budget paints a somewhat rosier budget picture for both the current and next biennia.  The latest numbers project a small surplus in the 2012 – 2013 budget and a deficit of $627 million in 2014 – 2015.  That deficit figure is smaller than the October projection which had suggested a deficit of $1.1 billion.  The February forecast will serve as the framework from which legislators will craft the biennial budget, a process that will soon begin in earnest.