The January 5 start of the 2021 Minnesota Legislature has advocacy groups hurrying to get final bill and policy details into place. The COVID-19 pandemic will mean a very different…
Category: Legislative
People with disabilities must have priority in vaccine process
First and foremost, I would like to give my sincere gratitude to Gov. Tim Walz for keeping all Minnesotans safe during the first ten months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although…
Pandemic shaped a remarkable, trying year
January 2020 2020 began with notable retirements. Minnesota Department of Human Services Director for Disability Services Alex Bartolic stepped down. She reflected on changes seen over more than four decades.…
Jim Ramstad is remembered as mental health champion
Jim Ramstad is remembered as a champion for people with chemical dependency, recovery and mental health issues, drawing on his own life experiences to shape policy and help others. Ramstad,…
Advocacy groups prepare for 2021 legislative session
It’s beginning to look a lot like … the start of the 2021 session of the Minnesota Legislature. Lawmakers gavel into action January 5, for what promises to be a…
More hours, interim pay hike approved for state's PCAs
Finally. Long-awaited help for the personal care attendant (PCA) program was a highlight of the Minnesota Legislature’s October special session. The bonding bill Gov. Tim Walz signed into law October…