MINUTES
MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STATE OF MINNESOTA
EIGHTY-EIGHTH SESSION FORTY-SEVENTH MEETING
HOUSE HEALTH CARE AND HUMAN SERVICES FINANCE COMMITTEE
Thomas E. Huntley, Chair
Chair Thomas Huntley started the forty-seventh meeting of the Health Care and Human Services Finance Committee at 5:08 p.m. in Room 5 of the State Office Building on Monday, March 24, 2014. A quorum was not present.
H.F. 3215 (Huntley) - Governor’s Supplemental Budget language. Informational only, as bill is not yet in this committee. Testifying were:
David Greeman, Department of Health (MDH)
Sandy Burge, Department of Human Services (DHS)
Julie Marquardt, Department of Human Services
At 5:16 p.m. a quorum was present and the committee legislative assistant noted the roll:
Members Present:
Rep. Thomas Huntley, Chair
Rep. Kim Norton, Vice Chair
Rep. Matt Dean
Rep. Peter Fischer
Rep. Patti Fritz
Rep. Laurie Halverson
Rep. Melissa Hortman
Rep. Carolyn Laine
Rep. Tina Liebling
Rep. Diane Loeffler
Rep. Tara Mack
Rep. Joe McDonald
Rep. Rena Moran
Rep. Jerry Newton
Rep. Duane Quam
Rep. Nick Zerwas
Members Excused:
Rep. Jim Abeler
Rep. Susan Allen
Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen
Rep. Joe Schomacker
Vice Chair Norton moved approval of the March 19 and 20, 2014 minutes. The motion prevailed.
Testimony continued:
John Sellen, Department of Human Services
Loren Colman, Assistant Commissioner, DHS
Anne Barry, Deputy Commissioner, DHS
Jane Lawrenz, Department of Human Services
H.F. 1992 (Dehn), the 2nd engrossment - Home and community-based waiver housing program requirement exceptions established.
Chair Huntley moved H.F. 1992 before the committee for consideration and Representative Dehn gave an overview of his bill and moved the following oral amendment:
Page 4, line 33, after “counties,” insert “municipalities,”
Minutes
March 24, 2014
Page 2
The motion prevailed. The oral amendment was adopted. Testifying to the bill, as amended, were:
Chuck Peterson, Coalition for Choice in Housing, Clare Housing
Ann Fox, parent of developmentally disabled son
Ben Ashley-Wurtmann, Mental Health Association of Minnesota
Christopher Bell, Attorney, MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, for American
Council of the Blind of Minnesota, expressed concerns
Alice Hulbert, parent of autistic son, expressed concerns
Peggy Crolick, for family, expressed concerns
Representative Dehn made closing comments on his bill and the Chair laid the bill over, as amended, for possible inclusion in the Health and Human Services Finance omnibus bill.
H.F. 2472 (Dorholt), 1st engrossment - Mental health crisis intervention and stabilization services modified.
Chair Huntley moved the bill before the committee for consideration. Representatie Dorholt gave a brief introduction and Sue Abderholden, NAMI-MN, testified in favor of the bill.
Chair Huntley laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the Health and Human Services Finance omnibus bill.
H.F. 2446 (Simonson), 2nd engrossment - Board of Pharmacy cease and desist authority granted to prevent the sale of synthetic drugs, laws governing misbranding or adulterated drugs modified, drug definition expanded, sunset and legislative reporting requirement for the Board of Pharmacy's emergency drug scheduling authority repealed, mandatory restitution provided when a person is convicted for selling controlled substance under false pretenses of being legal, public education plan established, and money appropriated.
Chair Huntley moved H.F. 2446 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and Representative Simonson explained his bill. Testifying were:
Dave Hartford, Assistant Commissioner, Chemical and Mental Health Services, DHS
Dr. Weiberg, Board of Pharmacy, was available for questions but did not testify
Following discussion, Chair Huntley renewed his motion that H.F. 2446 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The motion prevailed.
H.F. 2241 (Savick) , 1st engrossment - Medical assistance asset availability requirements modified.
Chair Huntley moved H.F. 2241 before the committee for consideration and moved adoption of the
H2241A1 amendment. Representative Savick explained the H2241A1 amendment and the motion prevailed. The H2241A1 was adopted. The Chair then moved adoption of Representative Savick’s oral amendment as follows:
Page 2, line 31, of the bill delete “the day following final enactment” and insert “January 1, 2015”
The motion prevailed. The oral amendment was adopted. Testifying were:
Mary Jo George, AARP
Mark Anderson, St. Paul Attorney, for AARP
Following discussion, Chair Huntley laid the bill over as amended for possible inclusion in t he Health and Human Services Finance omnibus bill.
H.F. 1039 (Loeffler), 1st engrossment - Medical assistance income standard for seniors and persons with disabilities modified, commissioner required to request authority to continue current home and community-based services waiver policy on treatment of a nonassisted spouse's income and assets, and recommendations on asset limits required.
Minutes
March 24, 2014
Page 3
Representative Loeffler moved H.F. 1992 before the committee for consideration and further moved adoption of the
H1039DE1 amendment. The motion prevailed. The H1039DE1 amendment was adopted. Rep. Loeffler then moved adoption of the
H1039A4 amendment. The motion prevailed. The H1039A4 amendment was adopted.
Testifying in support were:
Anne Henry, MN Disability Law Center
Heidi Myhre, Advocate
Anni Simons, Fredrikson & Byron, for Minnesota Home Care Association
Following discussion, Chair Huntley laid the bill over, as amended, for possible inclusion in the Health and Human Services Finance omnibus bill.
H.F. 2797 (Loeffler) - Medical assistance personal need allowance increased for persons in facilities.
Representative Loeffler moved H.F. 2797 before the committee for consideration and further moved adoption of the
H2797A1 amendment. Testifying was:
Melinda Hugdahl, Staff Attorney, Legal Aid
Following discussion, Chair Huntley laid the bill over, as amended, for possible inclusion in the Health and Human Services Finance omnibus bill.
H.F. 2556 (Newton) - Veterans housing and long-term care; new residential facility moratorium exemptions provided, grants provided for veteran housing needs assessments, and money appropriated.
Representative Newton moved H.F. 2556 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. Discussion followed, after which Rep. Newton renewed his motion that H.F. 2556 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The motion prevailed.
H.F. 2314 (Fabian) - Hospital construction moratorium exception provided.
Chair Huntley moved the bill before the committee for consideration and further moved adoption of the following oral amendment:
Page 5, line 7, delete “notwithstanding section 144.552”
Page 5, line 7, delete “25” and insert “16”
Page 5, line 8, after the period insert “This section is effective the day following final enactment.”
Testifying were:
Brian Carlsen, CEO, Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center
Casey Johnson, CFO, Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center
Discussion occurred and additional testifiers were:
Ben Ashley-Wurtmann, Mental Health Association of Minnesota
Stefan Gildemeister, Minnesota Department of Health
Following more discussion, Chair Huntley laid the bill over, as amended, for possible inclusion in the Health and Human Services Finance omnibus bill.
H.F. 3222 (Huntley) - Legislative Health Care Workforce Commission created and report required. Informational only, as the bill is not yet in this committee.
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March 24, 2014
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At 8:39 p.m. Vice Chair Norton took the gavel and Representative Huntley explained his bill, along with Dave Renner of the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA). Vice Chair Norton adjourned the meeting at 8:45 p.m.
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Thomas E. Huntley, Chair
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Kim Norton, Vice Chair
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Jan Horner, Committee Legislative Assistant