Legislative Update - February 2007

Session Update – The 2007 is in full swing.  The 35 new state Representatives, 18 new state Senators are beginning to learn the ways of the Capitol. We are going through the extensive process of meeting and speaking with all new members and staff.  Nearly all of the new members have positive things to say about MAPE and seem very upbeat about helping to accomplish our legislative priorities.

Outsourcing and privatization – The issues of outsourcing and privatization have sparked the most fireworks for the MAPE Legislative Action Team thus far. MAPE representatives were in attendance as State Chief Information Officer Gopal Khanna pledged that he was “1,000 percent” opposed to outsourcing state IT jobs. As a preventative measure, MAPE is pushing legislation that would prevent outsourcing and privation of state workers by requiring agencies to certify that no state employees on recall lists are able to perform specified job duties before contracting out. This legislation is HF 548 and SF 471. The Chief Authors are Senator Sandy Pappas and Representative Steve Simon. The bill received its first hearing in the Senate last week.

Salary supplement - MAPE is working with both House and Senate leadership in the approval of a salary supplement for state employees. The governor has proposed a 2% supplement for each year of the biennium. Remember, this is supposed to fund both a salary increase AND increases in benefit costs. We are hopeful to get additional funding for MAPE employees salaries without actually affecting the overall agency budgets that is larger than the 2% proposed by the Governor. It is important to note that the salary supplement may not take the form of a bill. Please encourage legislators to pass on the message to their respective leadership: We are requesting a supplement that is larger than 2% allocated in the Governor’s budget.

Keep the Lights on - There have been similar bills introduced (S.F. 46 and H.F. 7) in both the House and the Senate dealing with continuing appropriations that would deal with the potential of any future government shutdown and the effect it could have on the MAPE membership.  The bills keep existing appropriations in effect at the base level through the fiscal year ending June 30th of the next even-numbered year.  Both bills have significant support. The house bill in particular has gained significant momentum with more than 34 authors, of both parties, signed on.

Health Care - The Senate has introduced a bill that MAPE strongly supports.  S.F.2 introduced by Senator Berglin received its first hearing last week. It is a large extensive bill that in part requires a plan for universal health care, establishes premium rate restrictions, increases reimbursement for critical access dental providers, requires an interoperable electronic health records system, implements an intensive care management program, removes insurance barriers for children in Minnesota Care, eliminates Minnesota Care premiums for members of the military and their families and affirms that every resident of Minnesota has the right to affordable health care.  Additional bills with relating to health care and supportive of various aspects of Senator Berglin’s bill are also popping up and will be listed under Legislative Action on the front page of the web.

Compensation for Partial Government Shutdown – Representative Leon Lillie, our MAPE Legislator of the Year,  has taken the initiative to author legislation that would “make whole” members impacted by the 2005 government shutdown. His bill is H.F. 333.

Cards, Emails, Letters and Phone Calls - We urge every member to take a few minutes out of their day to visit MAPE.org and the Legislative Action.  We will continue to update the web site with legislation supported by MAPE in conjunction with MAPE’s Legislative Positions.  We will make it very easy to learn about the issues mentioned above and to help you contact your legislator.  Also, please encourage your co-workers to call and write their legislators too.  Please stand up and fight back!  I can not tell you how important it is for Legislators to hear from MAPE employees and their family members.  You can make a difference.