Representative Jim Knoblach, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, discusses his proposed budget resolution during the Mar. 24, 2015, committee hearing. Source: Archived video from MNHouseInfo on YouTube On Tuesday night the House Ways and Means Committee set the budget resolution and budget targets for the various finance committees (view the committee hearing [...]
Tonight at Last week the committee heard testimony on the house budget resolution. Testimonials urged for investment in services for adults with disabilities, education, and improvement of the state's infrastructure. Bills that we're keeping our eye on include SF 825 and SF 1356. SF 825 covers reimbursement of child welfare agency costs and tribal customary [...]
On Tuesday, March 17, Governor Mark Dayton signed into law House File 8, a bill that implements two recommendations from the Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children. The new law is effective immediately. In his press release on this action, Governor Dayton said that he has dedicated an additional $52.5 million for child [...]
Decades of policy advocacy have led to numerous changes in our child welfare system. Some have said the current changes to public child welfare harken back to reform in 80s that workers hoped would have a longer lasting effect than it has. In order to really understand the policies that impact child welfare, it is [...]
On Monday, February 23, House File 8 was passed out of the House by a unanimous floor vote (130-0) and sent to the Senate. Today the Senate Rules and Administration committee substituted HF 8 for its companion, SF 807, and HF 8 was given a second reading. Per the Senate lawmaking process, HF 8 will [...]
The House and Senate introduced their 2015-2016 Health and Human Services (HHS) Omnibus Bills that will establish the HHS budget for the next two years: SF 825 and HF 850. The bill covers everything from child protection to health care to food services. This post will highlight the proposed policy changes to past child welfare [...]
Over the last week, a few bipartisan bills were introduced that would redirect the legislature's and Governor's attention to the importance of positive life experiences for young children in their policymaking. Since the last biennium, early learning and experiences have been a focal point at the legislature, what with the passing of universal all-day kindergarten [...]
Senator Kathy Sheran discussing the DE amendment for SF 807 during the Feb. 18, 2015, hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Housing. Source: Senate Media Services webcast (screenshot) Two of the initial recommendations from the Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children are the focus of the delete-everything (DE) amendments [...]
