Legislative Update
Buck McAlpin- Government Relations
April 27th, 2015
Dear members, this past week has been occupied with final house and senate finance committees hearing and passing finance bills. At that point the finance omnibus budget bills go to the Ways and Means Committee in the House and the full finance committee in the Senate. Once in those final committees that have final amendments offered and their budget targets adjusted to reflect the accurate cost or savings in each bill. Once that’s complete they are sent to each perspective senate and house chamber for passage. After the budget bills are passed they go to conference committee made up of 5 senators and 5 representatives to work out the differences in the omnibus bills. Once the bill is finished it goes back to each floor as conference committee report which cant be amended on the floor. The conference committee can only be voted up or down.
Of particular interest to the MAA Board and the Regions is the current status of the EMS Regional Programs move to MDH.
Currently the Senate Health Omnibus bill contains $704,000 to the base to move the programs and cover 1-FTE to manage the program. The current base general fund money for the Regional Programs is $585,000 dollars. The additional appropriation would go to the base funding.
Also the language in the bill that we amended states the seatbelt 90% money remains untouched and goes to the Regional programs.
In the House Health Omnibus bill the funding and the grant administration stays with the EMSRB at the same $585,000. As we testified to and supported from 7-8 Regions, MAA and the EMSRB we supported the move to MDH for numerous reasons. We will need to work in conference to have the house accept the Senate language. Remember the House Health committee had a nearly $1 billion dollar budget cut.
Also I currently have additional EMS Regional Program funding in two different Omnibus bills. I have $270,000 in the House HHS Omnibus Budget bill to be distributed by MDH to the 8- Regions for Narcan rollout.
Also the Senate Judiciary Omnibus budget bill contains $250,000 for the same thing with Narcan for the Regions. We will work hard with the authors as the bills move forward in conference committee.
Next week the legislature will continue to process and move bills off the floor and into conference committees. Hard to believe only 3 weeks remain in the legislative session.
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY:
· Transferring the MNSTAR Data Collection program from the EMSRB to MN Department of Health. SF#307 Senator Dziedzic /HF#188 Representative Newberger. This legislation will not move forward this year.
· Transferring the Regional Program Grant Operations from the EMSRB to the MN Department of Health. SF# 175 Senator Hayden and HF # 189 Representative Greg David’s. This legislative proposal has been included and funded in the Senate HHS Omnibus bill. In the House they only included the current funding levels.
· Repeal a 4.5% rate reduction to Ambulance and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation rates effective June 30th, 2015. SF# 177 Senator Hayden and HF# 213 Representative David’s. This legislative proposal is included in the Senate HHS Omnibus bill with a sunset date of June 30,2016. We are trying to get the date moved to June 30,2015.
· Community EMT Certification Established. SF# 176 Senator Rosen and HF # 261 Representative Mack. The House and Senate Omnibus bill both include this provision. The Senate had an amendment added around Child protection that the house version does not have.
· Variance Process repealed for Basic Life Support Ambulance Services in the rural area. SF# 379 Senator Kent Eken and HF# 423 Representative Jeff Backer. This bill allows the permanent use of an EMR driver. Signed by the Governor. COMPLETED
· Rural and Urban Commuter Adjustments (RUCA) for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation. SF # 382 Senator Vicki Jensen and HF# 382 Representative Joe Schomacker was included for certain new modes in the Senate HHS Omnibus bill. No NEMT RUCA language has been added in the House bill.
· Safe Place for Newborns; SF # 796 carried by Senator Kent Eken and HF #825 by Representative Roz Peterson; This bill would provides $150,000 in the Senate and $350,000 in the House HHS Omnibus budget bills. The appropriation would go to the Department of Human services for grants.
· Stroke transport protocols emergency medical services (EMS) programs development requirement is SF # 495 Senator Kathy Sheran and HF # 513 Representative Nick Zerwas. The bill passed off the house and senate floor and is on its way to the Governor for a signature.
· Funding for the MN Department of Health Stroke Program; is SF # 790 Senator Kathy Sheran and HF # 818 Representative Nick Zerwas would provide $350,000 a year in both 2016 and 2017. This funding was included in the Health Omnibus budget bills.
· Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Legislation (NEMT) Senator Kathy Sheran has SF # 1292 and Representative Kim Norton has HF #1350 which would fund the new NEMT modes like protected class. This proposal was partially included in the HHS Senate Omnibus bill. The Chair funded the new modes and eliminated the 4.5% rate cut to NEMT and Ambulance effective 2016.
· Community Paramedic and Community EMT’s role in Child Protection Services. Senator Rosen amended the CEMT bill in the Finance committee that would authorize a pilot and discussion around CEMTS helping with child protection.
· Poison Control Center funding. HF # 346 Representative Joe Hoppe and SF # 359 Senator Melissa Franzen. This request is for an appropriation in 2016 for $800,000 for the Poison Control Center. The house funded $800,000 in their HHS Omnibus bill and the senate funded $750,000. It will be worked out in conference committee.
· A bill for an act relating to health care; modifying provisions related to physician assistants. SF # 454 Senator Chris Eaton and HF # 1036 Representative Dave Baker would change some of the supervisory oversight by Physicians and the PA. Is on the house and senate floor awaiting final passage.
· Tele-health expanded coverage; Senator Rosen is carrying SF#981 and Representative Tara Mack is carrying HF # 1246. Health Care Systems and providers seem to have a real desire to expand the usage and applicability to the Tele-health platform and payment system. The tele-health language is included in the House and Senate Omnibus budget bill.
· Violence against health care workers in licensed hospitals preparedness and incident response guidelines establishment; violence prevention database development requirement; SF # 1071 Senator Wiger and HF # 1087 Rep Atkins. The MNA and MHA worked hard at the end to come to a common ground on the legislation. In the end the bill was watered down and then MNA pushed to mandate all violence reports be sent to the MN Department of Health. The author due to extensive opposition by the hospitals pulled that amendment.
· Patient Care Safe Zone legislation. HF # 1088 Representative Marion O’Neil and SF # 1777 Senator Wiger is The MN Hospital Association has brought forward the “Safe Zone” hospital legislation after some of the recent attacks and assaults on workers. This bill is dead for the session.
· Mandated Nurse Staffing Ratio bill. HF # 1654 Representative Joe Atkins would require hospitals to provide staffing at levels consistent with nationally accepted standards, reporting of staffing levels required, and civil penalties imposed. It has no Senate companion. This bill was heard in the house at an informational hearing. Dead for this session
· Portable Video Recording Systems. HF # 430 Representative Tony Cornish and SF # 498 Senator Ron Latz was introduced last week. This bill details storage and privacy issues around body cameras worn by law enforcement. This proposal is awaiting a hearing in the House Civil law and is on the floor for passage in the Senate.
· Medical Cannabis Expanded to allow for Chronic and Intractable Pain; Is SF # 545 Senator Branden Petersen was introduced in the Senate. This would allow the expansion of medical cannabis as a qualifying condition for Chronic and intractable pain patients. No hearings have been scheduled. Dead for Session
· Grant to the Leech Lake Ambulance to Upgrade to ALS; Senator Tom Saxhaug has SF # 672 and HF # 699 Representative John Persell to provide $250,000 for training and equipment to the ambulance service. The house included $200,000 and the senate did not include any funding in their HHS Omnibus bill.
· Interstate medical licensure compact project provided is SF # 253 Senator Kathy Sheran and HF # 321 Representative Tara Mack would allow border reciprocity and the ease of Physician licensure between states. This proposal is on the floor in both bodies and is awaiting final passage.
· Nursing Licensure Compact legislation is HF # 220 Representative Kim Norton was again introduced this year. This would allow Nurses to cross state lines and be able to practice with more ease. No hearings have been scheduled for this bill. Dead for year
· Suicide Prevention and Training funds for Providers is offered; by Senator Kathy Sheran SF # 703. This bill has no house author as of yet. This bill would allow funding for a texting program for mental health. Also it provides $100,000 dollars for training of EMS, Police and Fire to help understand and better respond to patients. The language is included at this point in the HHS Omnibus bill.
· Legend drug collection and disposal as pharmaceutical waste changes made; Representative Bob Barret carries Hf # 1503 and Senator Julie Rosen carries SF # 1425. This would allow Pharmacies to collect and dispose of legend drug waste. It has been heard in the Senate and is on the floor for final passage. It has not been heard in the house.
· No-Fault Auto legislation; Senator Vicki Jensen has SF # 782 and HF # 864 is carried by Representative Tim Sanders. This bill would allow the Commissioner to more aggressively investigate fraud. The bill is on the house floor for final passage and awaiting a hearing in Senate Finance.
· No-Fault Auto Work Group Formed; is SF # 957 Senator Vicki Jensen would establish a work group to exam all aspects of the system. We amended the MAA, MNACEP and MHA onto the work group. The bill was heard in Commerce in the Senate this past week and sent to Rules. The house has sent the bill to the house for final passage.
· Narcan grant money for training and purchasing of Narcan provided; Sf # 1410 Senator Chris Eaton and HF# 1651 Representative Dave Baker would direct $250,000 of funding to the MN Department of Health. The money would be divided e amongst the 8-Regional EMS programs to coordinate training and Narcan purchases. The bill is in the House HHS Omnibus bill. In the Senate we have a provision in the Judiciary Finance Omnibus bill for $250,000 that also goes to the Regions. Our goal will be to get one of the pots of money.
· Allowing Expanded Usage of Epinephrine; SF # 1580 Senator Carlson and HF # 1604 Rep Zerwas. This bill would allow expanded civilian usage of Epi-Pens. It also would allow some liability coverage under prudent layperson for end users of the product. This legislative proposal is included in both the house and senate HHS Omnibus budget bill.
· Funding for Ebola; the Governor signed the State deficiency bill last week, which included $2 million dollars for Ebola preparedness funding. The bill included $148,000 for ambulance services in MN and the remaining will be divided up between the 4-Ebola designated hospitals. The money will be administered through the EMSRB. Completed
· Expanded $500 volunteer Stipend; Representative Backer introduced HF # 1324 and SF # 1982 Senator Dan Sparks, which would expand the $500 stipend program from last year to the entire state for volunteer Fire and EMS. The bill was not included in the tax bill. Dead for this session.
· First Responders Allowed meal Expense Deduction; Representative Jim Newberger introduced HF # 1463 which would allow a $15 meal expense deduction per day. This language was included in the House tax bill at half the amounts as proposed.
· Medical Resource Control Centers: Both the House and Senate Public Safety Omnibus bills include the full $683,000 of funding to the MRCC’s.
· MnCare Provider Tax Issue; HF # 2143 was introduced by Representative Zerwas, which would exempt “all” licensed ambulance services from the 2% provider tax. We were able to negotiate a deal with Revenue on the issue to negotiate with each ambulance service on an equitable settlement going back only a few years. Also this summer revenue has agreed to work with us on this issue of a “provider” and a “volunteer” ambulance service.
· How Often an Employer pays a volunteer, An employer of a volunteer firefighter, as defined in section 424A.001, subdivision 10, a member of an organized first responder squad that is formally recognized by a political subdivision in the state, or a volunteer ambulance driver or attendant must pay all wages earned by the volunteer firefighter, first responder, or volunteer ambulance driver or attendant at least once every 31 days, unless the employer and the employee mutually agree upon payment at longer intervals.
A reminder that the MAA legislative calls will be held each Monday at 09:00 am. The call in number is 1-866-365-4406 access code # 2512302. All members are invited to attend and participate in the discussion.
Any questions please feel free to contact me at -763-213-2645