DAVE BAKER

Rep. Dave Baker: A dark day in Minnesota: A time to grieve, reflect, and heal

Rep. Dave Baker — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

This past week has marked one of the darkest chapters in our state’s history. The horrifying violence of June 14, 2025, that took the lives of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, has left a deep wound in our hearts and in our Capitol community. Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also wounded in the attack but, thankfully, are recovering from their injuries. As we mourn this tragedy, we must pause, reflect, and begin the long and challenging process of healing.

I’ve served eleven sessions in the Minnesota House, every one of them alongside Speaker Hortman. She served eleven terms, a remarkable 21-year career. I recall sitting with her on the Energy Committee early on, impressed by how sharp and well-versed she was in even the most complex policy discussions. Melissa was not just a colleague; she was a respected leader and a friend.

She led with strength, patience, humility, and grace. Whether it was calming a tense debate with a bit of humor or navigating difficult negotiations behind the scenes, Speaker Hortman was a steady hand and a brilliant strategist. She knew when to listen, when to act, and how to bring people together, even across party lines. Her leadership strengthened our institution, and her absence will be deeply felt for years to come.

Even as a member of the minority party and someone who often fought hard just to make my voice heard, I looked at her leadership with deep respect and awe. I was proud of this year’s election results when we broke the DFL trifecta, but that never changed my admiration for the kind of leader she was.

Senator Hoffman and I have worked closely together for years, especially on issues surrounding opioid abuse — a deeply personal issue for me — and public safety. He and his wife have been in my prayers every day since this tragedy unfolded. They, like Melissa and Mark, represent the very best of public service: people who show up, work hard, and care deeply about Minnesotans.

In the wake of this horrific event, I’ve been disappointed by some of the reckless and divisive rhetoric that’s surfaced online and in political circles. Let me be clear: Governor Tim Walz did not know the shooter. Vance Boelter was not part of any political inner circle. Governor Walz lost a friend and is grieving just as we all are.

This is bigger than politics. We lost two extraordinary people last weekend. Misinformation and finger-pointing only add more pain for those of us mourning and for the families trying to process this unimaginable loss.

We are public servants, yes, but we are also human beings. And in this moment, we must let ourselves grieve. We must put down the political weapons, silence the speculation, and come together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Minnesotans, united in sorrow and committed to healing.

Let’s take a breath. Let’s honor their lives. And let’s begin to heal.

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Minnesota Republicans offer new approach to reopening. Will it pay off?

Dana Ferguson — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 22:00:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — After months of pushing to end the state's peacetime emergency and, with it, Gov. Tim Walz's executive orders, House Republicans this week took on a more nuanced approach to rolling back the restrictions.

GOP lawmakers put up plans that would let businesses drop capacity limits if they have COVID-19 safety protocols in place, require the signoff of both legislative chambers to continue the peacetime emergency and set each executive order up to expire two weeks after it takes effect.

And they sought to hammer home two areas weighing most heavily on the minds of Minnesotans: reopening schools and businesses.

On Monday, Feb. 8, Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, introduced a bill that would set a May 1 target for reopening businesses without restrictions. Under the proposed "roadmap" to reopening, existing restrictions would shift, allowing restaurants to operate at 75% capacity, gyms and fitness centers at 50%, and indoor and outdoor events with a 50% cap and a 100-person limit.

After four to six weeks, capacity limits would again be bumped up until they were ultimately lifted on May 1 (or sooner) if COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain within a manageable threshold. If cases or hospitalizations jumped, capacity limits or other constraints could be imposed again.

"I just want to crawl and scratch my way out of a box that we're in and we're just trying to focus on business openings, how we can move something along that makes some sense, that makes my businesses happier," Baker told Forum News Service. "When nothing is being talked about and nothing is being shared with what does a pathway look like, everyone starts canceling because they're not sure."

Business owners embraced the plan and said any information that could help them plan for next phases of reopening or dialing back could help them. Minnesota Chamber of Commerce leaders and heads of the state's hospitality industry noted the blow the pandemic and the state's response had had on the bottom lines of many businesses.

Baker said he'd heard bipartisan support, as well as pushback, on the bill.

State health officials and Democrats said the virus and new variants of the illness continue to spread and could pose a serious challenge in outlining a recovery plan. They advocated for planning the next stages of reopening based on where the state stood with the pandemic.

Walz on Friday, Feb. 12, said he'd again extend Minnesota's peacetime emergency to fight the coronavirus, setting up one year of his enhanced authority. And asked Friday for a clearer target for next phases of reopening, Walz said, "we're going to continue moving in that direction, as long as the virus keeps being suppressed."

Slow return to the classroom strikes a chord

As Minnesota families approached the one-year mark of enduring distance and hybrid learning, Republicans moved forward plans to strip the governor's authority to close down or change school schedules or activities during a state of emergency.

While elementary school students around the state had resumed in-person instruction and, in some districts, middle and high school students were back in the classroom, GOP lawmakers said school board members and parents around the state felt constrained by current processes for determining whether to teach in-person, remotely or using a combination of the two.

Sen. Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, brought forward the bill to end the governor's authority over school closures saying the closure of Minnesota schools in March, and later move to hybrid or distance learning, resulted in untenable situations for parents and kids. And on Thursday, Feb. 11, the House voted down a motion to take up a similar bill on the floor without moving it through committees. Republican lawmakers said the matter was urgent and needed to be considered immediately.

"The governor and his administration at this point have created a culture of fear and confusion. There's no way to overcome the administration's fear or to keep up with the changing executive orders," Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, said. "Our school officials are having a hard time keeping up with what they can, should and shouldn't do in these guidelines."

Current planning models let district officials determine instructional plans with the consultation of state health and education officials. And those decisions hinge on the number of active COVID-19 cases in a given county.

House Democrats said the proposal wouldn't resolve the issue of getting more students into the classroom. They ultimately voted down the effort to take up the bill right away.

"It's a bad idea and it's not an urgent idea," House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, D-Golden Valley, said, noting that his three children were attending in-person classes. "This isn't an urgency because it's already happening. This isn't a question of local control because local school districts are making decisions every day about which kids should be in school and when."

The bill doesn't appear to have a path forward in the DFL-led House but is set to come up for a floor vote in the GOP-controlled Senate as early as Monday, Feb. 15.

Walz on Friday said state education and health officials are working to get all students back into the classroom "as quickly as possible." But challenges could emerge at the district level as officials navigate larger classes, older school buildings and potentially higher rates of infection in the community.

"It's not a cookie-cutter approach, each school has always had a say in the Safe Learning Plan, we think there'll be some that take a little longer," Walz said during a Friday visit to a Roseville elementary school. “The worst thing we can do is lose staff, lose a teacher and not be able to continue on."

More fighting over pays for security against riots

A deadline imposed by the governor came and went this week without legislative agreement on whether to put up funding for additional security called in to respond to possible civil unrest around the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin.

The Senate and House teed up differing proposals that were set to come up for debate next week. And public safety officials urged them to quickly move funding that could help Minneapolis repay police departments called in to assist them in the event that demonstrations grow violent.

In the Minnesota House, lawmakers scheduled a Monday, Feb. 15, floor debate on a bill that would create a fund to respond to emergency situations and put $35 million in it for potential unrest. But Democrats tacked on an amendment that threatened Republican support in that chamber as law enforcement groups said they opposed it.

Meanwhile, Republican senators said the state shouldn't create a fund to help Minneapolis when the city had cut its police budget. They put up a counterproposal that would require cities that call for mutual aid to pay back departments that help them using their local government aid funds if they don't have other money available.

Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter @bydanaferguson, call 651-290-0707 or email dferguson@forumcomm.com

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Minnesota Republicans set May 1 goal for full reopening, press Walz for metrics driving dial turns

Dana Ferguson — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 20:50:47 GMT

ST. PAUL — Minnesota hospitality industry leaders and Republican lawmakers on Monday, Feb. 8, pressed Gov. Tim Walz for a more defined timeline of when restaurants, bars, gyms and theaters would be able to open at a larger capacity. And they set a May 1 goal for the full reopening of businesses and larger events.

As new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths trend downward in the state and vaccines become more readily available, the governor should allow more sectors of the economy to open at a greater capacity, they said. At a minimum, the Walz administration should work with lawmakers and business owners to set a metric to signal when the state would consider revisiting executive orders to loosen restrictions or to tighten them, the business owners said.

The push comes after businesses have been closed or limited in terms of capacity and restrictions for patrons for months. And hospitality industry leaders said without a clear guide for when capacity limits might grow or large events might again be allowed, operators have had planned reservations or other business canceled through fall.

Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, put forward a timeline that would immediately allow for restaurants to operate at 75% capacity, gyms and fitness centers at 50%, and indoor and outdoor events with a 50% cap and a 100-person limit.

“This offers a roadmap showing how we can actually open up quickly and as quickly as possible without unpredictable announcements that we’ve been hearing for several months,” Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, said pointing to the governor's dial turns adjusting orders around various industries. “The thing we’re going to have to come up with is something everybody can trust: a number or some kind of guide that says this is working."

Health officials and the governor have said executive orders aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 have been informed by health data. And Walz has said he has tried to provide substantial lead time ahead of his announcements but has been constrained by having to make decisions quickly.

Walz hasn't recently indicated if or when he intends to increase capacity limits or ease other COVID-19 restrictions.

"As more and more Minnesotans are getting vaccinated, Governor Walz will continue working with business owners across the state to keep their businesses open and operating safely," Teddy Tschann, Walz's spokesman, said Monday.

Business owners said they'd been hard-pressed by the pandemic and the state's steps to mitigate COVID-19 and they urged Walz to provide them more notice before announcing additional changes around executive orders. Hospitality Minnesota President and CEO Liz Rammer said the industry is down 116,000 jobs because of COVID-19.

“The consumer confidence is there. We need to instill that consumer confidence and ensure our consumers that we have a forward-looking plan," Madden's Resort Managing Director Ben Thuringer said. “We could really use the certainty within tourism and hospitality."

The measure will need bipartisan support if it's to make it through the divided Capitol. And Baker said he hoped to find Democratic lawmakers willing to work on the proposal. He also said he'd be open to the governor taking up the timeframe on his own as it could more quickly be implemented into law through executive order.

House Democrats on Monday also highlighted a plan that would require business owners to prioritize hiring back employees laid off as a result of the pandemic as their budgets allow. Larger hotels and event centers, security services and airport hospitality positions would be among those directed in the proposal.

Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter @bydanaferguson, call 651-290-0707 or email dferguson@forumcomm.com

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Lawmakers green light $216 million in COVID-19 aid for Minnesota businesses, workers

Dana Ferguson — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 04:25:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — Minnesota lawmakers on Monday, Dec. 14, approved a $216 million deal to provide grants to business owners hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic and extend unemployment insurance to workers through April.

Legislators returned to the Capitol for the seventh special session of the year Monday afternoon and while they were only required to consider an extension of the state's peacetime emergency, they also sent to the governor's desk a COVID-19 relief package.

The measure would make available $88 million in grants for Minnesota businesses that lost 30% of their revenue or more due to the pandemic and state response, $14 million for movie theaters and convention centers and nearly $115 million that counties could hand out to businesses that might not meet those criteria. The plan would also extend Minnesota unemployment insurance through April. Benefits were set to run out this month.

Money could get out the doors to restaurants and bars, theaters, convention centers and other businesses heavily impacted by the end of the month. And that comes as business owners complete a month-long shutdown with additional closures possible.

Lawmakers and business groups celebrated the bill's 62-4 Senate approval, hailing it as a lifeboat for businesses about to sink. The plan passed on a 117-13 vote in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers for weeks worked to craft a plan that could aid business owners and workers amid the latest round of state restrictions and shutdowns.

"Really Minnesotans are looking for a lifeline," House Speaker Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, said, "and although we are hoping the federal government will take the kind of action that they need to and provide the kind of substantial relief that Minnesotans need, we're stepping in at this moment to provide a package that will help workers and businesses and families."

But Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, said, "It’s not going to build a bridge to a long-term business strategy" as the pandemic continues to rage on.

"(Business owners) are going to lose their retirements, their livelihoods, their homes if they’re not allowed to open," Benson said. "That’s very real for them and if we don’t acknowledge that that is part of the damage that is done by these shutdowns, then we are missing the boat."

A plan to provide another $500 one-time payment to families on the Minnesota Family Investment Program didn't make the final cut in the compromise bill and other aid proposals dealing with child care, food grants and Minnesotans experiencing homelessness could also come up later if bipartisan support couldn't be reached Monday, lawmakers said. Democrats who'd brought forth the proposals said the needs would remain without legislative action.

They also raised concerns about restaurants and bars not having more ability to sell alcoholic beverages to help pad their bottom lines. Sen. Sandra Pappas, D-St. Paul, introduced an amendment to allow restaurants and bars to sell greater volumes of beer and wine to-go, as well as to-go cocktails and beer growlers, but her effort came up a few votes short.

Pappas said the proposal had broad public support and that leadership could have called a hearing on the topic if they wanted input. Legislative leaders said proposals outside a prenegotiated compromise could doom its passage.

"I don’t believe there were any hearings for any of the bills that are before us today," she said. "These were all negotiated in private workgroups and so I don’t think that’s an excuse that we can use here today."

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and industry group Hospitality Minnesota applauded the package but also said business owners needed more to survive the sustained punch thrown by the pandemic.

And while the relief was expected to be signed into law, more than 150 business owners said they were prepared to open this week in violation of Gov. Tim Walz's executive orders, saying they couldn't endure them any longer. The shutdowns on restaurants, bars, gyms and areas of public entertainment were set to lapse Friday, Dec. 18 without state intervention.

Some raised concerns about the business grant program applying to restaurants or bars that had opened or planned to open in violation of the state's executive orders, House Majority Ryan Winkler, D-Golden Valley, said the actions of those establishments shouldn't delay payments for other needy business owners.

"If we create a program where all these verifications and checks have to take place, the money will get out the door much later, and frankly too late, for all the businesses that are following the rules," Winkler said. "So if one-hundred-and-whatever number of businesses want to make a political statement, they're entitled to do so but we shouldn't be ruining this program for all the other businesses that are out there doing the right thing."

Attorney General Keith Ellison has sought and courts have granted restraining orders against restaurants, bars and gyms acting out of compliance with the executive orders. And at least one bar had its liquor license suspended for violating the orders.

Lawmakers also voted for the seventh time on whether to extend Walz's coronavirus peacetime emergency powers. Some Democrats and Independents joined the Senate Republican majority in a 40-25 to revoke Walz's powers. The effort didn't have enough support to come up for a vote in the DFL-led House early Tuesday.

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Minnesota lawmakers introduce relief packages to aid business on 'brink of collapse'

Dana Ferguson — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 19:39:45 GMT

ST. PAUL — Minnesota legislative leaders and the governor on Tuesday, Nov. 24, said they could pass a package of financial relief for business owners and workers impacted by the most recent round of state restrictions.

The plan could fast track payments or grants to business owners around the state and provide a financial boost to unemployed workers and low-income families before the end of the year. Or it could crumble in the divided Legislature.

Tens of thousands of Minnesotans affected by the pandemic and the state's steps to quell it have called for rapid support to dull the economic blow they've felt this year. And many have said the closures of gyms, entertainment venues and limits on bars and restaurants last week have left them in dire straits.

"We're finally at the cusp where we can get some help from the state. We've been taking a 10-month bath right now," said Mike Runyon, co-owner of the Nook restaurant in St. Paul. "We're on the brink of collapse on this industry and we need everything that we can do."

Minnesota lawmakers introduce relief packages to aid business on 'brink of collapse'

Republicans in the House of Representatives rolled out a pitch to offer $400 million in grants to businesses, offer sales tax and fee relief, reopen gyms and fitness centers and temporarily let restaurants, bars and breweries sell growlers and take-away beverages beyond their current cap.

And in a separate news conference, Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic-Farmer-Labor House leaders said they hoped to roll out roughly $350 million in direct aid payments to businesses, extend unemployment insurance benefits to workers and provide tax credits and grants to businesses that donate food to the needy.

“The sacrifices they’re making can’t be for naught," Walz said about restaurant and bar owners affected by new measures. "We’re actually saving people by keeping them out of the hospital but we need to make sure that we’re taking care of these folks."

Contrasting with Republicans' plan and previous state action months ago, Walz stressed on Tuesday that Democrats’ latest proposal would give relief “to every single one of these businesses." House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, D-Golden Valley, said that skirting the grant process allows the state to distribute aid to the 14,000 businesses impacted by the latest round of shutdowns “very, very quickly.”

With federal CARES Act dollars from the springtime nearly dried out, Winkler said Minnesota’s state dollars need to fill in the gap as the country waits for another round of stimulus to trickle down from Washington.

“While we wait for federal action, Minnesota needs to step up and provide essential relief to the people most at risk of suffering the most devastating economic consequences of COVID,” he said.

Democrats' and Republicans' plans varied in whether to focus support on businesses or workers and on how a possible next round of federal relief funding could offset state spending from the rainy day fund. But on a bipartisan basis, lawmakers said the state should offer support as soon as possible. And they said they were optimistic they could reach a deal and get support to affected Minnesotans within 30 days.

“My hope would be that we could have money in their pockets within 30 days,” Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, said. “Knowing that it’s coming for these operators and knowing we have relief on the way will allow them to sleep a whole lot better and they’ll be able to communicate to their employees that life is going to get better.”

Sen. Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, said the governor hadn't consulted Senate Republicans before his plan came out Tuesday but members hoped to put forward a proposal of their own soon.

Business groups around the state said it didn't matter who came up with the ultimate plan but urged lawmakers to work quickly to get help out to business owners.

“The governor and Legislature must come to an agreement on a relief package as soon as possible," Minnesota Chamber of Commerce President Doug Loon said. "Tapping budget reserves will speed assistance to those who need it now, stabilize impacted small and mid-sized businesses, and save livelihoods and jobs. Minnesota’s main street economy needs this help now.”

State budget officials are set to give an assessment of the state's finances and projections for the upcoming budget year next week. Their findings could determine what lawmakers can afford to offer in relief funds.

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Willmar lawmaker suggests legislative help for businesses affected by COVID-19 restrictions

Forum News Service — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 21:00:00 GMT

WILLMAR, Minn. — A Willmar, Minn., lawmaker says proposed remedies to help ease the financial strain on Minnesota businesses affected by the latest COVID-19 restrictions should be brought to the Legislature yet this year.

Rep. Dave Baker said in a news release that he’s exploring several proposals that could be addressed in the next special session in December — if not before — to help bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and other businesses affected by the latest executive orders.

"Without quick action, we could lose hundreds or thousands of the Main Street businesses that are fixtures in our communities, and provide employment for thousands of Minnesotans," said Baker, a former restaurant owner from Willmar who still owns and operates a hotel there.

His proposals include:

Immediately transferring unspent state or federal COVID response funding into a targeted relief program for impacted businesses and employees. The state has enacted multiple small business relief programs over the past several months that could be used to implement a targeted relief program.

Allowing all bars, restaurants, wineries and breweries to sell to-go alcohol in up to 64-ounce containers to prevent establishments from wasting beer or other alcohol that they have in stock currently.

Waiving or delaying sales tax payments.

Delaying loan repayment dates for businesses who received state-based or state-administered loan programs.

Baker, a Republican, said the latest restrictions are “severe” but are a reaction to the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases that are straining hospitals and health care workers.

“Businesses are ready to do their part and will do everything they can to survive this latest challenge, but we need to do our part at the state level to help them,” said Baker, who encouraged people to “rally to support their local businesses.”

He said ordering takeout and buying gift cards for the holidays can help local businesses stay in business.

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Minnesota restaurant, bar coronavirus compliance checks fuel latest spar between GOP, Walz

Dana Ferguson — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 04:13:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — A new series of coronavirus safety compliance reviews at Minnesota bars and restaurants this week launched another dust-up between Republican lawmakers and the Walz administration.

Republican state lawmakers on Monday, Aug. 31, wrote to Gov. Tim Walz urging him to check regulators' tone as they continue compliance checks on businesses, saying the additional inspections amounted to unnecessary harassment of business owners.

GOP officials for months have been critical of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Walz's efforts to repeatedly extend the peacetime emergency to combat the disease.

The emergency expands the governor's authority to issue executive orders. And since the emergency took effect in March, Walz has issued dozens that have waived evictions, allowed for scaled-up production of COVID-19 tests, temporarily shuttered schools, businesses and churches and set in place a mandate to wear masks in public spaces.

The Departments of Health, Labor and Industry and Public Safety in announcing the additional compliance checks last week said regulators wanted to pinpoint establishments that weren't following state guidance because they created an unsafe environment for workers and customers and a potentially unfair advantage compared to businesses that followed the rules. Those in violation could face fines, liquor license suspensions or closures.

But dozens of GOP lawmakers pushed back, saying business owners in the hospitality industry had adapted to meet the new standards and only a small number of COVID-19 cases had stemmed from those establishments.

"So many of the restaurants we all love are still struggling to stay afloat, and instead of being a partner in our efforts to keep Minnesotans safe the Walz administration is sending threatening letters," Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, said in a news release. "There's no data to suggest that restaurants are major drivers of outbreaks, so there's no reason for them to be treated like this by state agencies."

Department of Health Director of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Kris Ehresmann on Monday said 55 bars and restaurants have been cited as locations where COVID-19 had been transmitted, contributing 1,286 unique cases. Thirty-one of those have been named publicly due to the threshold of cases believed to have started there.

"The number that we're seeing is concerning to us from a public health standpoint but it's really a small number of the total establishments," Ehresmann said. "The majority are definitely following the guidance that we have laid out."

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm on Monday said the reviews were part of a more targeted approach to compliance oversight and were based on patron complaints as well as random selection.

“I’m happy to say that the significant majority of business establishments, bars and restaurants in particular, that were visited were found to have only very minor violations or really no violations,” Malcolm said. “But a significant enough minority of establishments had significant enough violations that require a follow-up visit from a regulatory agency to just work with them on the specifics of the executive orders and where they are not in compliance.”

Lawmakers are expected to be called back to St. Paul again next week to weigh a fourth 30-day extension of the state's peacetime emergency to manage COVID-19. Walz has maintained that the pandemic remains a crisis that requires a flexible and rapid response from the state.

And state health officials Monday said the state was "walking on the edge of a cliff" in terms of its COVID-19 cases. Cases had plateaued at a high rate in recent weeks and they worried increased social interactions without adequate precautions could allow the illness to further spread.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, said the emergency posed by the pandemic had ended and the state ought to provide clear criteria for when the peacetime emergency would be rescinded.

"We have flattened the curve, no Minnesotan has been denied necessary medical treatment, and, thankfully, our hospitals have not needed to use their surge capacity," Gazelka said in a letter to the governor. "There is no longer an emergency."

Correction: This story was corrected at 3:45 p.m. Sept. 2 to reflect communication between Republican lawmakers and the governor's office. Lawmakers have asked that state regulators check their tone with business owners.

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'We’re going to save a bunch of lives': Opioid response bill makes it out in final hours

Dana Ferguson — Tue, 21 May 2019 02:41:19 GMT

ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives on Monday, May 20, approved a proposal to hike the fee on drug manufacturers to pay for the impacts of the opioid epidemic.

In the final hours of the legislative session, a conference committee put up a last-minute deal that would require the manufacturers and distributors to pay fees expected to total more than $20 million. Those funds would be used to provide education and prevention programs as well as treatment programs.

The package was years in the making, and its authors said they were determined to get it passed this year, even if it wasn't perfect.

“This bill is not about retribution (against the drug companies)," Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center, said. "It’s about taking care of the needs of Minnesotans going forward and making sure we don’t have any more lost loved ones.”

Rosen acknowledged "clunkers" in the bill that she committed to fixing in future legislative sessions.

The state has sued the drugmakers and if it receives a settlement, that could offset the fees, but not until $250 million has been generated and not before 2024. The plan would also boost funding to social service agencies that have borne the cost of out-of-home placement of children whose parents became addicted to opioids and establish an advisory council to provide further guidance on the issue.

The number of opioid-related deaths is on the rise, according to state statistics, as are emergency medical treatments for those overdosing on opioids.

Several lawmakers that spoke about the bill highlighted the years-long effort to make the drug companies come to the table to help clean up the impacts of the opioid epidemic in Minnesota. And they said its passage exemplified the concern and compassion that Minnesotans have for one another.

“This is a transformative piece of legislation,” Rep. Liz Olson, DFL-Duluth, said. “We’ll have more work to do. This isn’t the end, this is the beginning."

Not everyone agreed with the bill.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, complained that the legislation would raise costs of “farmers and ranchers of Minnesota who are struggling to make ends meet” because it would charge veterinarians who prescribe opioids $5,000 a year.

It also would raise costs for sick Minnesotans, Rep. Jeremy Munson, R-Crystal Lake, said. “Taxing the sickest among us is not a moral thing to do.”

For Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, and Sen. Chris Eaton, DFL-Brooklyn Center, the bill's passage was especially meaningful. Baker's son and Eaton's daughter died after they'd become addicted to opioids. And the pair for years had pushed for reforms that boosted access to treatment resources for those affected by opioids.

“We’re one of the first states to do this," Baker said. "When you look at the overall picture of what the cost has been to our communities and what the profits have been for certain companies, $20 million is a good start. I am so proud to be a legislator today. We’re going to save a bunch of lives with some money that we didn’t have yesterday.”

He looked across the table to Eaton and said, "Chris, we did it," just before the panel unanimously approved the proposal on a voice vote.

Eaton, speaking on the Senate floor Monday night, said, "A lot of tears have been shed designing this bill and a lot of hard work. And I know there are a lot of children looking down, proud of their parents today."

The House approved the bill on a 109-25 vote and the Senate approved it on a 60-3 vote.

The bill moves now to Gov. Tim Walz's desk for his signature. The DFL governor has said he will sign it into law.

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Ridgewater College student inspires Minn. legislation on epilepsy

Linda Vanderwerf / Forum News Service — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 02:02:39 GMT

WILLMAR, Minn. -- When Ruth Schmitz was a little girl, it fell to her to tell her teachers and classmates in Paynesville about her epilepsy.

On the first hour of the first day of seventh grade, she had a seizure. When she knocked the books off her desk, the teacher thought she was misbehaving. Kids who knew her told the teacher what was happening, but he was unprepared.

Throughout her school days, Schmitz had to explain epilepsy. She now acts as an advocate for others with epilepsy and volunteers at a summer camp for children with epilepsy.

Now a 38-year-old Ridgewater College student in Willmar, Schmitz wants to spare other Minnesota kids the burden of teaching their teachers.

What started as a college English class assignment has grown into proposed legislation to encourage development of seizure smart schools across the state.

The paper was a proposal for educating people in schools, colleges and universities about how to recognize and respond to seizures. An hour-long training could help reduce bullying and help put to rest the many myths about epilepsy, Schmitz wrote.

Seizure Smart ��s is a program of the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, inspired by former University of Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill.

After she completed her assignment, Schmitz sent her proposal to 16 lawmakers and others around the state. Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, contacted her about the proposal, and so did state Sen. Andrew Lang, R-Olivia. She also heard from legislators representing other areas of the state.

Baker has worked with the foundation to author HF 1422, introduced Thursday, Feb. 21, which would require schools to provide study materials on seizure disorders and symptoms for school personnel. The bill does not require training but encourages it, Baker said.

The law also would require schools to designate an employee trained in seizure medications and in recognizing and responding to seizures.

Schmitz’s story inspired him, Baker said, and he hopes she can tell it to legislative committees.

“Ruth does have a compelling story, and we hear that so often from adults looking back on their childhood,” said Heather Besonen, human resources and advocacy director for the Epilepsy Foundation. “She’s been instrumental in helping us move forward.”

Baker hopes the training can help kids with epilepsy by helping their classmates understand it. “I want to be so protective of anybody who’s made fun of and bullied,” he said.

Wednesday, Feb 27, is Epilepsy Foundation Advocacy Day at the Capitol. Besonen said 100 people representing the foundation, including Schmitz, will be at the Capitol with appointments to meet with their legislators.

Schmitz is happy to see her proposal moving in the Legislature because of the good it could do. “There is a stigma that goes with epilepsy,” she said. “I hope this will help ease the stigma.” More people with the training should help communities, too, she said.

Annual fundraising walks by the foundation would help pay for the cost of the training, so there would be no cost to the schools, Schmitz said.

Schmitz offered some basic directions for helping someone having a seizure:

Stay calm. Time it, that’s key, anything over 5 minutes, you have to call 911, because then it’s considered status epileptic. Find out if there’s a rescue medication you need to administer. Keep them safe. Let them know when they wake up out of the seizure that they’re OK and you’re there, that everything’s going to be OK, and they’re not alone.]]>

Dayton plans to veto most major legislation

Donald Davis — Sun, 20 May 2018 01:17:06 GMT

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he does not think he and lawmakers will be able to agree on major legislation in the final day of the 2018 legislative session.

"I am not optimistic we will get a budget bill or a tax bill," Democrat Dayton told reporters Saturday night, May 19. "I am not optimistic we will get education funding. This session has been a shambles."

Republicans who lead the Legislature planned to pass a 990-page bill late Saturday or early Sunday that folds together most spending proposals and hundreds of policy items that Dayton said should not be mixed with spending provisions. The bill was first made available after 7 p.m. Saturday, with senators planning to debate and pass it at 9:30 p.m.

Dayton said he will have his staff go through bills the Legislature sends him "with a fine-toothed comb" over the next few days, so there will be no chance for him to veto bills quickly and for lawmakers to rewrite and repass them. The governor vows not to call a special session.

The state Constitution gives the Legislature until midnight Sunday to pass bills, which includes overturning vetoes.

Before Dayton made his comments, Republican leaders emerged from his office. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, said; "I hope he signs all of it."

Moments later, however, House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, admitted that Dayton was not likely to accept the overall budget and policy legislation, known as an omnibus bill.

Daudt and Gazelka said they offered to put $250 million more in education, but Dayton said it would come from existing funds such as community education programs and was not new money.

On Friday, after a deadly Texas school shooting, Dayton and legislative leaders said school safety would be a top priority. But Saturday night it appeared that at least most of the school safety funds would be in bills Dayton expects to veto.

Republicans said they made 71 of 116 changes Dayton demanded in the omnibus bill. However, Dayton said, that was before health and human services provisions were ready, and they contained a lot more problems.

The GOP leaders were not impressed by an offer Dayton made early Saturday evening. Among other things, it reduced tax relief Republicans sought.

Gazelka said it appeared that Dayton's plan would raise taxes on higher income people and eliminate the GOP middle-income tax cut. But it seemed Republicans had not had time to analyze the proposal.

It’s not clear what happened behind closed doors when Dayton and Republicans met for about half an hour. But when they came out, the Republicans said they would pass the omnibus bill later Saturday.

It appeared that a public works bill remained possible.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, D-Cook, said he was working with Sen. Sandy Pappas, D-St. Paul, to help Republicans draw up a new bill that would pass.

Republicans can pass most bills without any Democratic votes, but a super majority is needed to borrow money -- needed to fund public works projects -- and no Democrats voted for the first Senate measure.

Bakk said more projects would need to be added to pass a public works bill, but Sen. Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said he could not put any more money in the bill.

Dayton's comments about a failed session means that after three months of work, lawmakers and Dayton may not enact their priorities, such as deciding how to spend a $329 million budget surplus, what to do about opioid abuse, how to handle elder abuse, whether to enact sexual misconduct legislation, work to fix the trouble-plagued motor vehicle registration and licensing system and nearly everything else from the three-month session.

A few bills have passed on their own, but as has been happening more and more each year, most major bills are folded into one.

Dayton has said for years that policy items that have nothing to do with spending should not be mixed with spending bills.

"On the budget bill, we did not have one word of discussion about the budget," Dayton said.

Daudt said Republicans tried to remove the most objectionable policy items from the bill after they received Dayton's list.

Dayton, who leaves office the first of next year, long has said he wants to leave the state in good fiscal shape. But short of an unexpected last-minute deal, he will leave many loose ends.

"The next year's Legislature and new governor are going to have to deal with some leftovers, which I regret," he said.

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