2023 Legislative Agenda
We Belong
Be Accessible. Be Equitable. Be Inclusive. Be Empowered.
Be Accessible. Be Equitable. Be Inclusive. Be Empowered.
2023 MNCCD Legislative Agenda PDF version
2023 MNCCD Legislative Agenda Accessible version
Check out the bill tracking for 2023 Disability-related legislation on the Minnesota Council of Disability website.
2023 MNCCD Legislative Agenda Accessible version
Check out the bill tracking for 2023 Disability-related legislation on the Minnesota Council of Disability website.
Creating an Equitable, Accessible, Safe, and Just Society
Accessibility Package
A package of bills which includes special education, event licensing, grant appropriation, plain language, emergency shelter, county and state services, and legislative process.
Accessibility and Reducing Appeals
This bill would create a pre-determination review process to help make navigating accessing disability services more accessible and reduce the need for appeals.
Increase Affordable, Accessible Housing Options
Ensures that housing projects funded by the state include physical (including a roll-in shower) and sensory accessibility features.
PCA/CFSS Rate Framework
Adds cost components and inflationary adjustments to the PCA/CFSS rate framework that passed in 2021.
Accessibility Package
A package of bills which includes special education, event licensing, grant appropriation, plain language, emergency shelter, county and state services, and legislative process.
Accessibility and Reducing Appeals
This bill would create a pre-determination review process to help make navigating accessing disability services more accessible and reduce the need for appeals.
Increase Affordable, Accessible Housing Options
Ensures that housing projects funded by the state include physical (including a roll-in shower) and sensory accessibility features.
PCA/CFSS Rate Framework
Adds cost components and inflationary adjustments to the PCA/CFSS rate framework that passed in 2021.
Promoting Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity
Disability Equitable Access to College Discount Program
Currently, seniors in Minnesota can take college courses at a rate of $25-$75 per credit at any Minnesota State college. This bill provides the expansion of those credit rates to any individual who accesses disability services.
Expand Access to Inclusive Higher Education Statewide
There is very limited capacity and access across Minnesota for students with intellectual disabilities to enroll in institutions of higher education. This bill would provide technical assistance and grant funding to public colleges and universities statewide to enhance or start inclusive higher education initiatives to help advance access to postsecondary education in Minnesota.
Inclusive Playgrounds Bonding Proposal
Children with all types of disabilities deserve access to safe places to play alongside other children who do and do not have disabilities. This bill provides bonding support for inclusive playground projects and seeks to expand the definition of “accessible playgrounds” to include all children with disabilities, ensuring safe spaces to play for all.
Minnesota Employment and Retention of State Employees with Disabilities Package
This bill codifies into state statute the recommendations from the Task Force for the State Employment Retention of Employees with Disabilities. This includes improving the Connect 700 disability affirmative action program, providing better oversight over disability workplace accommodations, and extensive training on the hiring and retaining of people with disabilities for hiring managers.
Recess for All
Families report that the number of schools withholding or delaying recess as a form of punishment is on the rise. This bill seeks to prohibit the withholding or delaying of recess as form of punishment.
Disability Equitable Access to College Discount Program
Currently, seniors in Minnesota can take college courses at a rate of $25-$75 per credit at any Minnesota State college. This bill provides the expansion of those credit rates to any individual who accesses disability services.
Expand Access to Inclusive Higher Education Statewide
There is very limited capacity and access across Minnesota for students with intellectual disabilities to enroll in institutions of higher education. This bill would provide technical assistance and grant funding to public colleges and universities statewide to enhance or start inclusive higher education initiatives to help advance access to postsecondary education in Minnesota.
Inclusive Playgrounds Bonding Proposal
Children with all types of disabilities deserve access to safe places to play alongside other children who do and do not have disabilities. This bill provides bonding support for inclusive playground projects and seeks to expand the definition of “accessible playgrounds” to include all children with disabilities, ensuring safe spaces to play for all.
Minnesota Employment and Retention of State Employees with Disabilities Package
This bill codifies into state statute the recommendations from the Task Force for the State Employment Retention of Employees with Disabilities. This includes improving the Connect 700 disability affirmative action program, providing better oversight over disability workplace accommodations, and extensive training on the hiring and retaining of people with disabilities for hiring managers.
Recess for All
Families report that the number of schools withholding or delaying recess as a form of punishment is on the rise. This bill seeks to prohibit the withholding or delaying of recess as form of punishment.
Improving and Protecting Essential Supports and Services
Changes to the Drug Formulary Committee
Currently, the one consumer member of the Drug Formulary Committee (DFC) is not required to have any Medicaid lived experience and there are no requirements that provider members have any experience serving patients with disabilities, complex conditions or rare diseases. This bill would reform the committee structure to require greater process transparency and inclusion.
Change Medical Assistance (MA) Income and Asset limits for People with Disabilities
Income and asset limits for MA perpetuate poverty for people with disabilities. This bill would increase the income limit for people with disabilities from 100% to 133% of the federal poverty guideline. It would also increase the spenddown limit to 133% of federal poverty guidelines.
Homecare Workers Union Contract
Personal Care Assistants (PCA), Family Caregivers, and Homecare Clients across Minnesota will negotiate a new two-year Union contract with the state of Minnesota. The new contract, which must be passed by the legislature, will bring increases to wages, benefits, training, and standards for all PCAs in PCA Choice, CDCS, and CSG, all of which will address the crisis-level worker shortage.
Improving Medicaid for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)
This proposal aims to make changes to Minnesota’s MA-EPD program. This proposal aims to increase how much people can save, reduce how much they pay each month for coverage, and would make other changes to simplify the program.
Investing in a Sustainable Direct Support Professional Workforce
Rates for Direct Support Professional (DSP) wages and benefits have not covered the true costs of service for several years. This bill requests further refinement of the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS) by implementing regular adjustments to and fully funding the Competitive Workforce Factor (CWF).
Study on Obesity for Individuals with Disabilities
This legislation is designed to help create access to obesity care for people with intellectual disabilities. As a study, it will help guide the state to help create programs designed for everyone in Minnesota.
Unrestricted Diagnosis & Treatment of Rare Disease Access
This change would allow people with a rare disease or suspected rare disease to have more timely access to needed services for diagnosis and treatment without network access restrictions or a greater financial burden for going out of network.
Workforce Solutions Package
The workforce crisis has only gotten worse due to COVID. This bill includes four proposals: 1) Lift the 40- hour cap per household for parents of minors and spouses for the CDCS and CFSS programs. 2) Establish an overtime payment for workers and providers in the PCA/CFSS program. 3) Provide UMPI portability to speed up the hiring process for PCA/CFSS workers. 4) Remote support expansion for Qualified Professional visits for those accessing PCA/CFSS services who have compromised immune systems.
Hunger Solutions Food Insecurity Proposals
Market Bucks turns SNAP dollars into money that can be spent at farmers markets. Hunger Solutions has proposals to increase funding for Food Shelf and Market Bucks programs—programs that people with disabilities access.
Changes to the Drug Formulary Committee
Currently, the one consumer member of the Drug Formulary Committee (DFC) is not required to have any Medicaid lived experience and there are no requirements that provider members have any experience serving patients with disabilities, complex conditions or rare diseases. This bill would reform the committee structure to require greater process transparency and inclusion.
Change Medical Assistance (MA) Income and Asset limits for People with Disabilities
Income and asset limits for MA perpetuate poverty for people with disabilities. This bill would increase the income limit for people with disabilities from 100% to 133% of the federal poverty guideline. It would also increase the spenddown limit to 133% of federal poverty guidelines.
Homecare Workers Union Contract
Personal Care Assistants (PCA), Family Caregivers, and Homecare Clients across Minnesota will negotiate a new two-year Union contract with the state of Minnesota. The new contract, which must be passed by the legislature, will bring increases to wages, benefits, training, and standards for all PCAs in PCA Choice, CDCS, and CSG, all of which will address the crisis-level worker shortage.
Improving Medicaid for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)
This proposal aims to make changes to Minnesota’s MA-EPD program. This proposal aims to increase how much people can save, reduce how much they pay each month for coverage, and would make other changes to simplify the program.
Investing in a Sustainable Direct Support Professional Workforce
Rates for Direct Support Professional (DSP) wages and benefits have not covered the true costs of service for several years. This bill requests further refinement of the Disability Waiver Rate System (DWRS) by implementing regular adjustments to and fully funding the Competitive Workforce Factor (CWF).
Study on Obesity for Individuals with Disabilities
This legislation is designed to help create access to obesity care for people with intellectual disabilities. As a study, it will help guide the state to help create programs designed for everyone in Minnesota.
Unrestricted Diagnosis & Treatment of Rare Disease Access
This change would allow people with a rare disease or suspected rare disease to have more timely access to needed services for diagnosis and treatment without network access restrictions or a greater financial burden for going out of network.
Workforce Solutions Package
The workforce crisis has only gotten worse due to COVID. This bill includes four proposals: 1) Lift the 40- hour cap per household for parents of minors and spouses for the CDCS and CFSS programs. 2) Establish an overtime payment for workers and providers in the PCA/CFSS program. 3) Provide UMPI portability to speed up the hiring process for PCA/CFSS workers. 4) Remote support expansion for Qualified Professional visits for those accessing PCA/CFSS services who have compromised immune systems.
Hunger Solutions Food Insecurity Proposals
Market Bucks turns SNAP dollars into money that can be spent at farmers markets. Hunger Solutions has proposals to increase funding for Food Shelf and Market Bucks programs—programs that people with disabilities access.
Supporting Individual Empowerment and Choice
Allowing PCAs to Drive Clients
Revisiting the PCA Driving language that was passed in 2021. The original language was passed with CFSS arriving on schedule; CFSS is now postponed, so this bill will allow PCA’s to drive as a billable service within the existing DHS services for immediate implementation.
Supported Decision Making (SDM) Grants
Building off of the 2020 legislation which enshrined SDM into guardianship and conservatorship laws by ensuring courts consider SDM as an alternative to guardianship. This bill requests funding for grants to invest in organizations and projects around the state to help people establish SDM in their own lives.
Supporting People to Live in their Own Homes
This bill is a set of proposals aimed at expanding access and removing barriers for people who have disabilities to live in their own homes.
True Friends Camp Courage Pool and Gym Appropriation
True Friends is seeking legislative funding in the amount of $10M to build a new pool and gym at Camp Courage. The current pool and gym are over 50 years old and beyond repair and existing systems are outdated and inefficient.
Allowing PCAs to Drive Clients
Revisiting the PCA Driving language that was passed in 2021. The original language was passed with CFSS arriving on schedule; CFSS is now postponed, so this bill will allow PCA’s to drive as a billable service within the existing DHS services for immediate implementation.
Supported Decision Making (SDM) Grants
Building off of the 2020 legislation which enshrined SDM into guardianship and conservatorship laws by ensuring courts consider SDM as an alternative to guardianship. This bill requests funding for grants to invest in organizations and projects around the state to help people establish SDM in their own lives.
Supporting People to Live in their Own Homes
This bill is a set of proposals aimed at expanding access and removing barriers for people who have disabilities to live in their own homes.
True Friends Camp Courage Pool and Gym Appropriation
True Friends is seeking legislative funding in the amount of $10M to build a new pool and gym at Camp Courage. The current pool and gym are over 50 years old and beyond repair and existing systems are outdated and inefficient.
ABOUTThe Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MNCCD) is a broad based coalition of advocacy and provider organizations working to change public policy to improve the lives of people with disabilities through building awareness, providing education, and engaging the community.
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