Governor Appoints DHS Commissioner 
Governor Dayton chose Lucinda Jesson to lead the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services (DHS). Jesson has been with Hamline University School of Law since 2006, serving as an associate professor and Director of the Health Law Institute.
Responsible for managing the DHS budget, the transition of thousands of people to Medicaid, and likely cuts to the Department's budget and programs, Jesson appears optimistic despite a challenging budget outlook. In an interview with MPR on January 11, Jesson said that this position gives her the "opportunity to really go in, think of new better ways to provide these human services, and make sure we do preserve the safety net for those who really need it."
In addition to her time at Hamline, Jesson also taught at the William Mitchell College of Law and the University of St. Thomas Business School, received accolades for her work in private practice, served as Deputy Attorney General, and taken on many committee, Board, and volunteer positions throughout her career.
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New Legislature Cuts Back on Committees
In the new Republican-controlled Legislature, committee restructuring intended to "streamline" policymaking has reduced legislative committees and sub-committees by one-third. Several House Committees have been eliminated or folded into other committees, including the Housing Finance Committee.
There are also some new faces on committees that handle matters related to housing, services, and health care. Check out the links below to see which representatives have joined a few of these committees and how best to reach them:
Health and Human Services Finance Committee - MN House
Health and Human Services Committee - MN Senate
Long-term care funding, health care and the health insurance market, and a "government shut-down overview" have already been discussed in committee. We need to ensure that policymakers in these key areas can find a positive way to reform services that continues to protect Minnesota's most vulnerable citizens.
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Pending State Bills
SF 1 - GOP Senator Geoff Michel kicked off the 2011 legislative session with his "jobs bill" that aims to cut the business income tax by half in the next six years, and roll back and freeze business property taxes to 2009 levels. The first Senate bill is considered to be an important 'vision' and priority statement for the majority party each year. The proposal will cost $200 million and Sen. Michel has stated his hope that this figure will be considered in the state's budget this year.
HF 128 - Representative Jim Abeler has introduced HF 128 - scheduled to be voted on in committee Thursday (1/20) afternoon - which would cut the Children and Community Services Act (CCSA) by $38 million over the next biennium. The overall goal for CCSA is keeping children safe and improving their well-being.
Even before this proposed cut, Minnesota ranked close to the bottom of all of the states in state funding of child welfare services. CCSA's target population includes: Children, adolescents, and adults within the county who experience dependency, abuse, neglect, poverty, disability, and chronic health conditions. 7,218 reports of abuse and neglect involving 24,499 children were investigated in 2009.
HF 8 - This bill proposes to eliminate the current MinnesotaCare program for people at or above 133% of the federal poverty guidelines and instead gives people who are currently enrolled in or eligible for MinnesotaCare the funds to purchase insurance in the marketplace.
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Federal Policy Update
This action alert comes from the National Alliance to End Homelessness:
The new Congress is currently drafting fiscal year (FY) 2011 funding bills. The House is expected to vote on its version of the legislation as soon as late January. Current proposals call for cutting funding to programs within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by 20 percent - a plan the Alliance estimates would result in over 200,000 additional people homeless who would otherwise be housed.
We must make sure Congress protects important programs for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We should ask Congress to provide:
- $2.2 billion for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants programs;
- 10,000 new HUD - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers;
- 10,000 vouchers through the Housing and Services for Homeless Persons Demonstration; and
- $126 million for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs within the Department of Health and Human Services.
Contact the housing staff member in your Representative's DC office RIGHT AWAY. If you need help finding contact information, email Kate Seif at cseif@naeh.org.
