Legislative Updates & Alerts

MNAAP is a leading voice on children’s health issues at the Minnesota Capitol. The start of the 2022 Minnesota legislative session is still a few months away, but MNAAP is using this downtime to prepare to make the most of our advocacy on behalf of Minnesota’s children.

All members are invited to join the MNAAP Policy Roundtable discussion on Thursday, October 21, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. to discuss the issues that the chapter may focus on during the 2021 legislative session.

MNAAP’s policy co-chairs, Sue Berry, MD, FAAP, and Hannah Lichtsinn, MD, FAAP, will facilitate the virtual conversation focused on identifying policy priorities for the Board to consider based on member feedback, legislative viability and other considerations. The ideas that come from the roundtable discussion may also help the MNAAP board decide on the chapter’s strategic goals for the next three years. The roundtable is the perfect opportunity to share your perspective on the issues that the MNAAP should focus on at the Capitol during the upcoming legislative session.

Can’t make the roundtable? We’re still interested in hearing from you about what advocacy topics are important to you.

Click here to RSVP for the roundtable and/or provide your perspective.

Session Starts with a Heavy Heart  

The Minnesota Legislature convened on Tuesday, Jan. 5, to begin what is expected to be a five-month session. It started with a very heavy heart for many of us when we learned of the death of long-time lobbyist Eric Dick the day before.

Eric was employed by the Minnesota Medical Association for 10 years and served as MNAAP’s lobbyist for most of those years. Eric brought a wealth of knowledge of the legislative and political processes. Prior to his work with MNAAP and MMA, Eric served as a committee administrator for the Senate Judiciary Committee, and prior to that worked for Congressman Ron Kind of Wisconsin.

Eric is missed by many who worked with him over the years. Upon hearing of Eric’s death, Sen. Matt Klein, MD (DFL-Mendota Heights) said the following: “Eric Dick was a model of advocacy with integrity at the State Capitol. He was good at what he did because he believed in the power of good government to ensure ethical and accessible health care for all. He was unfailingly kind, hopeful, informed, and professional; it was a pleasure to see him in the hallways or the offices every time.”

We will all miss Eric, his guidance, his love of good policy, and his welcoming personality.

MNAAP Legislative Priorities

Minnesota again has the distinction of being the only state legislature in the country that has a split government, with different parties controlling the different bodies. This increases the challenges of reaching agreement, especially on issues for which there is controversy. In addition, the Legislature is facing a budget deficit that they will be required to balance before they adjourn in May.

These two factors create some uncertainty on how much the Legislature will be willing to accomplish this year.

MNAAP intends to actively pursue key issues despite these barriers. Priority issues for MNAAP in 2021 include:

• Preserving Medical assistance and other social support programs for children;
• Ensuring equitable and statewide access to broadband and telehealth services;
• Increasing vaccination rates; and
• Reducing firearm violence, injury, and death.

This is a summary only. To receive full legislative updates on a biweekly basis, you must be a member of MNAAP. The emails provide additional details about legislative issues that are not posted on our website and are for members only.

Nothing about our politics is normal these days. Had a Hollywood screenwriter written a script describing the state of our nation and national discourse, it’s not hard to imagine that it would be viewed as too fictional to be real. 

The arrival of COVID-19 in Minnesota in March completely scrambled the 2020 legislative session. The legislature extended its spring break by a week to put in place a new system of conducting business, and much of the remainder of the session was conducted remotely or in a Capitol building that was largely closed to the public. The unusual nature of the session continued into the summer and fall, as legislators returned to the Capitol multiple times for special sessions, as state law requires the legislature to convene when the governor initiates or extends a peacetime emergency declaration. While much of the content of these special sessions was political points-scoring and gamesmanship, some good work has come from the sessions, including an extension of telemedicine flexibility, a package of law enforcement and policing reforms, and a House resolution recognizing racism as a public health crisis. 

It’s been said so often it has become a cliché, but this really could be the most important election in our lifetimes. COVID-19 continues to sicken and kill thousands, the economy has been devastated, distrust of science and medicine runs rampant, and state budget surpluses have morphed into a projected deficit of more than $7 billion for the next biennium. In addition to the presidential race, voters will see a competitive campaign for U.S. Senate, at least three tight races for the U.S. House of Representatives, and all 201 state legislative seats will be on the ballot. The margin in both the Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota State Senate are narrow, meaning one, both, or neither body could flip to the other party’s control. As November looms closer, exercise caution in turning on your television or opening your mailbox, as the airwaves will be filled with what is likely to be one of the most negative campaigns in history.

Many traditional election activities have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. The two major party nominating conventions were held virtually, large rallies are (mostly) not taking place, and the ‘meat and potatoes’ of campaigning – door-knocking and canvassing by candidates and volunteers – will look very different. That said, there are many ways to play a role in electing candidates who support healthy kids.  State legislative candidates may well knock on your door in the coming weeks and months, and there are few better opportunities to press candidates on the issues that matter to you and the kids and families to whom you provide care. And while some are uneasy with money in politics, supporting candidates who share your values with your financial support is a critical means to influence who will have a seat in both Washington, D.C., and St. Paul. And most importantly, exercise your right to vote.  Decisions are made by those who show up, and there is far too much at stake to sit this election out.  Election Day is November 3.  Get out and vote!

The Minnesota Legislature returned to St. Paul for the second time in as many months for another special session on July 13.  State law requires the Legislature to be in session should the governor implement or extend a peacetime emergency declaration. Gov. Walz did just this week, extending the existing emergency declaration into mid-August.  While the GOP-led Senate voted to end the emergency, the House rejected a similar effort.

In addition to consideration of the emergency declaration, the Legislature is working to find agreement on proposals to fund major municipal, university, and other public infrastructure projects, as well as a package of tax relief.  Many legislators hope to pass policing and law enforcement reform in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, but the GOP and DFL proposals differ dramatically in scope.

The House may also consider  H.R. 1, a resolution stating that racism is a public health problem.  The text of the resolution, available here, notes that the American Academy of Pediatrics and other notable physician and health care organizations “recognize that racism is a social determinant of health that has a profound impact across the lifespan of an individual and that failure to address racism is an urgent public health issue that will exacerbate and perpetuate existing health inequities.”  The resolution, authored by Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL – Mendota Heights), passed out of the House Rules Committee and was referred to the House floor.  The resolution does not at present have a Senate author.  While resolutions such as this do not carry the force of law, they can serve to highlight important issues and communicate that an issue is of great importance.

MNAAP members are urged to contact their legislators urging them to take up and pass H.R. 1. To learn how to contact your state legislators please click HERE.  An effective message to legislators will note your experience as a pediatrician or pediatrician-in-training. As is always the case when communicating with policy makers, telling a story about your patients or practice is an effective way to make the case for action.

The end of the 2020 session arrived with both a flurry of activity as well as an expectation that legislators will soon be back in St. Paul for a special session. The COVID-19 pandemic scrambled the priorities of the House, Senate, and governor, and several high-profile items – a bonding bill most notably – remain unfinished. State statute requires the Legislature to return in the likely event the governor wishes to extend the peacetime emergency declaration past June 12.

After several sessions of effort, as well as by the action of dozens of Minnesota communities and counties, as well as the federal government, Governor Walz signed legislation raising the age to purchase tobacco and nicotine products to 21. The move is anticipated to prevent thousands of Minnesotans from becoming addicted to nicotine, as the vast majority of smokers begin before the age of 21. Passage of T21 was a 2020 priority issue for the MNAAP.

The effort to reform how prior authorization (PA) is governed passed the Legislature by wide, bipartisan margins and awaits the governor’s likely signature soon. The effort, strongly supported by the MNAAP, will speed the delivery of care when a drug or procedure requires PA, while also requiring health plans to post the written clinical criteria that governs their PA requirements. The bill also includes continuity of care provisions that will ensure coverage when a patient switches health plans or insurance products. And finally, the bill requires that “peer to peer” appeals be conducted by a Minnesota-licensed physician with expertise in the same or similar specialty as the condition or health care service being considered.

This is a summary only. To receive full legislative updates on a biweekly basis, you must be a member of MNAAP. The emails provide additional details about legislative issues that are not posted on our website and are for members only.