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Health and Human Services

FIFTEENTH MEETING

2007-2008 Regular Session - Thursday, March 1, 2007

STATE OF MINNESOTA FIFTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

MINUTES


Representative Paul Thissen, Chair of the Committee, called the meeting to order at 12:52 P.M. on, Thursday, March 1, 2007 in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

THISSEN, Paul (Chair)
FRITZ, Patti(Vice-Chair)
ABELER, Jim
ANDERSON, Bruce
BROD, Laura
BUNN, Julie
EMMER, Tom
FINSTAD, Brad
GOTTWALT, Steve
HAMILTON, Rod
HUNTLEY, Tom
LIEBLING, Tina
LOEFFLER, Diane
MURPHY, Erin
NORTON, Kim
OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
RUUD, Maria
THAO, Cy
TSCHUMPER, Ken
WALKER, Neva


A quorum was present.

Rep. Tschumper moved that the minutes of February 27, 2007 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Chair Thissen took HF721 off the table for consideration

HF721 (Fritz) providing long-term care provider rate increases

Rep. Hamilton moved the H0721A5 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Patti Cullen, Care Providers of Minnesota

Chair Thissen moved the H0721A6 amendment with the following change:

Page 1, delete lines 1.2 - 1.5.

THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Jon Lips, Care Providers of Minnesota

Rep. Fritz renewed her motion that HF721, as adopted, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance. MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Fritz moved that HF712 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Commerce.

HF712 (Fritz) Safe Patient Handling Act adopted, programs and committees established, grant funding provided and funds transferred to the assigned risk safety account.

Rep. Fritz moved the H0712DE2 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Loeffler assumed the gavel at 1:20 P.M.

Rep. Thissen assumed the gavel at 1:22 P.M.

Health and Human Services
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March 1, 2007


Providing testimony in support of the bill were:

Elizabeth (Bettye) Shogren, MN Nurses Association
Stacey Lundquist, MN Nurses Association
Joe Austin,Division Administrator St. Louis County, Employee Safety & Development
Sue Stout, Minnesota Hospital Association
Joel Ulland, MS Society
Jon Lips, Care Providers of Minnesota

Rep. Fritz renewed her motion that HF712, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Commerce. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Providing testimony on Nursing Home costs:

George Hoffman, Department of Human Services

Rep. Walker moved that HF196, the Mental Health Division report be adopted. MOTION PREVAILED.

HF196 (Greiling) division report

Rep. Walker moved that HF196, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Civil Justice. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Liebling moved that HF908 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections.

HF908 (Liebling) expanding a quality assurance system to include additional service recipients

Rep. Liebling moved the H0908A1 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Providing testimony on behalf of the bill:

Dan Zimmer, Region 10
Steve Larson, Arc Minnesota

Rep. Liebling renewed her motion that HF908, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations, Reform, Technology and Elections. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Fritz moved that HF313 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.

HF313 (Fritz) Home care tax credit established.

Rep. Fritz moved the H0313DE1 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Providing testimony in support of the bill were:

Joan Molenaar, MS Society
Iris Freeman, Alzheimer's Association
Kay Kessel, Brain Injury Foundations

Chair Thissen moved to amend H0313DE1 as follows:

Page 2, line 19, delete "An individual may claim only one credit in any tax year."
Page 3, line 2, delete "attend" insert "participate in"

Health and Human Services
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March 1, 2007



THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Fritz renewed her motion that HF313, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Taxes. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Hamilton moved that HF1073 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance.

HF1073 (Hamilton) Prescription drug removal from the formulary notice required.

Rep. Hamilton renewed his motion that HF1073 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Finance. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Gottwalt moved that HF309 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.

HF309 (Gottwalt) Long-term care insurance income tax credit adjusted

Providing testimony in support of the bill:

Dominic Sposeto, Independent Insurance Agents, and National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors
Margaret LeClair, The LeClair Agency

Rep. Gottwalt renewed his motion that HF309 be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Committee on Taxes. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 P.M.


Rep. Paul Thissen, CHAIR



Urszula Gryska
Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

HF721 (Fritz) Long-term care provider rates increased, new nursing facility case mix indices use required, MinnesotaCare employer-subsidized coverage exemption provided, and initiatives and study required.
HF196 (Greiling) division report.
HF1405 (Thissen) Incidental nursing services coverage authorized under the elderly waiver, rate exceptions provided, and elderly waiver reimbursement rate limits increased.
HF313 (Fritz) Home care tax credit established.
HF309 (Gottwalt) Long-term care insurance income tax credit adjusted
HF712 (Fritz) Safe Patient Handling Act adopted, programs and committees established, grant funding provided and funds transferred to the assigned risk safety account.
HF908 (Liebling) expanding a quality assurance system to include additional service recipients.
HF1073 (Hamilton) Prescription drug removal from the formulary notice required.
HF1194 has been removed from the agenda