LWVMN Positions on Social Policy

Support:

• The principle that the state is responsible for all its citizens on an equal basis and should work to ensure equal treatment for all citizens by all levels of government  (1951)
• Antidiscrimination legislation as a necessary means of eliminating discrimination  (1957)
• The principle of fair housing and antidiscrimination laws governing transactions of all real property, regardless of whether the financing is public or private  (1961)
• Adequately financed enforcement of antidiscrimination laws dealing with employment, housing, real property, public accommodations, education and other public services  (1961)
• State legislation to ensure services for Indian citizens which are equal to those provided for other citizens. Where Indians are singled out for special attention, that attention should be directed towards solving existing jurisdictional conflicts in order to guarantee equal treatment of Indian citizens by all levels of government. Programs should have the explicit recognition that the basic decisions regarding Indian lives and property are to be made by the Indians themselves  (1963)
• A state agency of Indian affairs which meets the following criteria: acceptable to the Indians themselves; permanent; staffed by professionally qualified people, authorized to act in setting up, carrying out and coordinating programs; empowered to use the services of other existing agencies and provided with adequate funds  (1963)
• The correction of racial imbalance in the schools  (1967)
• Life-long access to public education for expanded job opportunities and personal enrichment to achieve education equity for all citizens  (Convention 1983)

Antidiscrimination and ERA:

Merging National and State Positions on Equality of Opportunity:

Minnesota American Indians:

Support an active state role in providing long-term decent and affordable housing for very low-, low-, and moderate- income households.  Specifically support programs that:

• Increase a community's capacity to provide a full range of housing opportunities
• Preserve and expand the existing affordable housing stock
• Prevent homelessness
• Promote rental housing subsidies

Support incentives to local units of government to promote a mix of housing opportunities including home ownership and rental housing for people of all ages with very low-, low- and moderate- incomes. Support disincentives to local units of government that do not promote such a mix of housing opportunities.

Support revising the tax system to:

• Narrow the tax disparity between rental and owner occupied residential property
• Reduce the tax rate on rental residential property available to very low-, low- and moderate- income households
• Encourage maintenance of rental property available to very low-, low- and moderate- income households

LWVMN lobbied in 1993 in support of a bill that would provide "comprehensive choice" in housing throughout the metropolitan area.  The vision was to distribute a full range of housing throughout the metro area enabling very low-, low-, and moderate- income people to live near the new entry level jobs opening up in the outer ring suburbs.

In 1997 the League followed with interest legislation to increase affordable rental housing through no-interest mortgages or deferred loans.  The program received $16.4 million for the biennium.

In 2000 LWVMN issued action alerts to members urging that TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) funds be used to expand affordable housing programs rather than replace existing funding.  New affordable rental housing received $30 million and $20 million went to Habitat for Humanity.

The national Health Care position arrived just in time to allow crucial lobbying by LWVMN for the establishment of Minnesota's HealthRight legislation in 1992 (now called MinnesotaCare).  The League continued monitoring its development in the 1993 legislative session and also monitored rulemaking by the Minnesota Health Care Commission and Department of Health.  A primary concern is that the consumers' point of view be included in Commission decisions.

LWVMN is also working with the Health Care Reform Project, a national coalition to promote health care reform at the federal level.  Included in any plan the Project supports are: universal coverage and mandatory employer participation; serious cost containment; comprehensive benefits for all; and reform now.

The League concentrated its health care lobbying efforts in 1995 to prevent the erosion of the 1994 MinnesotaCare bill and to seek funding for universal coverage.

The League took action on several health care issues in 1997, including a Prescription Drug Fair Competition bill to negotiate lower drug prices for independent pharmacies.  The Governor used a line item veto to eliminate the funding to allow the Department of Administration to negotiate on behalf of the pharmacies.  Also, a weakened Patient Protection Act passed and was signed.  We had hoped the bill would include an independent appeals process and a strong patient advocacy program, but it certainly is a good beginning.

In 1999 LWVMN wrote to the legislators asking that funds from the tobacco lawsuit be used to establish endowments for the health care of Minnesotans and not be used for tax rebates.

LWVMN joined a new health care coalition in 2000-Seniors and Workers for Quality Coalition.  We monitored bills related to patient protection and prescription drug programs for seniors.  Legislation passed relating to training for nursing home resident assistants and developing alternative procedures for nursing home inspections.  Participation in the coalition during the 2001 session also proved successful.  Advocacy efforts brought gains for workers' wages, limits on the use of temporary nursing pools and funding for studying staffing needs.

Long Term Health Care

In 2003 the League supported:

• Investment in long-term care targeted to ease chronic staffing problems in facilities and community service.
• Dedication of new funds to the wages and benefits of workers to improve the quality of care for the residents and their family members.
• Provision of Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) benefits to the children of all long-term care workers.
• Regulation of supplemental staffing pools and limit what they can charge.
• Expansion of training and education opportunities for potential and current long-term care workers; and a commitment to updating the Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide curriculum.
• Assurance of public accountability and solid planning for the future with these studies and reports: results of the rate increases for wages, benefits, and major expenditures, time studies of staffing needs and financial implications; report on the changes in supplemental staffing pool usage; improved reporting of Vulnerable Adult caseloads, backlogs, and issues.
• Equal rates protections ensuring equal access to care regardless of the ability to pay.

Relatively speaking, the long-term care system fared well in the 2003 session.  While the Governor's budget cut other programs funded with state aid, such as childcare and health insurance for adults without children, according to the Department of Human Services, nursing facilities received only a 1.6 percent overall reduction in aid for the 2004-06 biennium compared to 2003 payments.  Originally, the Governor had proposed cutting nursing home rates by 4 percent per year and eliminating the Worker Scholarship Program on top of the 1.6 percent reduction.  Below is a list of some of the areas where nursing facilities will see budget reductions and policy changes:

• State reduces what it pays facilities to hold beds, cuts $865,000 in state aid for '04-05.
• State reduces 90 day enhanced rate to only 30 days; cuts $5,141,000 in state aid for '04-05.
• State increases surcharge payments for nursing homes; gains revenue through intergovernmental transfer.
• The surcharge for nursing homes is increased from $990 per licensed bed to $2,815 per licensed bed paid to the state.  That $1825 per bed per year increase will largely fall on private pay patients.
• Because of reimbursement from the federal government, the state nets over $98 million.
• According to the new law, workers in nursing homes, assisted living, home care and day services that market services to people with dementia are now required to be trained in understanding the disease, helping people with activities of daily living, solving problems with behavior, and learning ways to communicate.

Support:

• Public policies that provide access to comprehensive pre-natal and child health care because of the cost effectiveness of preventive health care for pregnant women and children
• Publicly supported health insurance for pregnant women and children with family incomes up to at least 200% of the poverty level
• Publicly and privately sponsored programs that ensure adequate nutrition for pregnant and nursing mothers and young children
• Ensuring adequate care for children with disabilities and chronic illness

LWVMN took action in support of the Children's Health Plan and expanding pre-natal health care services.  In 1997, LWVMN strongly supported a bill to restrict the sale of tobacco to minors by licensing retailers and setting criteria for display of tobacco products.  The legislation was passed and signed into law.

In 1999 LWVMN supported adolescent health clinics.

In 2003 the Legislature cut about $1 billion from current levels of support in the Health and Human Services bill, in spite of efforts in opposition by the LWVMN and others.  The cuts resulted in a raise in health care insurance premiums for people covered under the MinnesotaCare Program, eliminating basic health care coverage for undocumented immigrant children and their families, and raising premiums for families receiving Minnesota Medical Assistance for disabled children.  In addition, the governor's unallotments imposed severe cuts on WIC, a nutritional program for women, infants and children.

Support:

• The Minnesota Department of Education requiring school districts to collect data on drop-outs for reasons of pregnancy or adolescent parenting
• Increased prevention efforts in the public schools in order to lower the rate of teenage pregnancy
• A prevention curriculum that includes the legal and financial responsibilities of male teenage parents
• Health care providers publicizing the necessity of pre-natal care and the locations of free and low cost health services

In 1988 Minnesota LWVs concurred with LWV Minneapolis' position in support of prevention efforts to lower the rate of teenage pregnancy.

Teenage Pregnancy: LWVMN testified in 1994 for the inclusion in the Omnibus Education Finance Bill for money to fund a program to teach male responsibility to teen fathers.

In 2003 funding for family planning clinics was protected and the effort to mandate dual-track sex education in public schools was defeated.  The latter would have mandated religious-based, abstinence-only sex-ed programs offered along with the standard program. The League submitted testimony on Emergency Contraception and did action alerts on it and the 24-hour wait bill.

Support:

• Ongoing programs, starting in the elementary school and continuing in the middle and high school
• Regular, continuing education for adult educators, coaches and school administrators
• Alternatives to suspension for alcohol and tobacco violations in the schools
• Allocation of public funds for state and community initiatives to prevent illegal alcohol and tobacco use
• Consistent city and school guidelines for adults who chaperone youth activities
• State laws, city ordinances and law enforcement efforts designed to promote chemical health and reduce illegal alcohol and tobacco use  (Convention 1999)

The 1999 LWVMN Convention adopted LWV Edina's position on Alcohol and Tobacco Use by concurrence.

Support:

• Adequate and consistent funding for services for persons with mental illness.  Public funding should be flexible, following the client's needs, yet accountable to the public
• A range of appropriate housing options for persons with mental illness
• A commitment process which ensures prompt and appropriate treatment for persons with mental illness while protecting their civil rights. The commitment process should enable the commitment of persons so gravely disabled by mental illness that they cannot meet their basic human needs
• A coordinated system of quality assurance (including standards, mechanisms to monitor and the ability to take corrective action) for programs and services for persons with mental illness with an emphasis on evaluating outcomes and consumer response
• Continuing state financial responsibility for improved intensive treatment programs and adequate living conditions for persons currently served in regional treatment centers

The LWVMN Mental Health position was adopted in early 1989.

During the 1989 Legislative Session the League monitored refinements of the 1987 Comprehensive Mental Health Act.  The Legislature approved a plan to shift care for mentally retarded Minnesotans from regional treatment centers (RTCs) to community-based group homes.  LWVMN lobbied for community-based services for mentally ill persons as well.  We supported the Legislature's direction to the Commissioner of Human Services to develop plans for downsizing RTC facilities that will not adversely affect the proper care of residents.  League lobbied for appropriations for employment counselors for the mentally ill.

During the September 1989 special session LWVMN supported the concept of state funding for the major portion of the cost of state-mandated mental health services.

During the 1993 session LWVMN supported refinements of the Comprehensive Mental Health Act.  LWVMN lobbied for community-based homes for persons with mental illness.  League has consistently supported increased funding for community services.  We also supported the Anoka Alternatives, a fund to find housing for difficult-to-place persons at Anoka Regional Treatment Center.  We supported the closing of Moose Lake Regional Treatment Center and increased funding for community services for those clients.  LWVMN also supported innovative employment programs in the community which will be an ongoing concern.

In 1995 LWVMN provided testimony in support of a bill to create delivery system pilots which would pool the resources of regional treatment centers with community dollars.  In 1996 LWVMN lobbied successfully for the continued funding for five Coordinated Employment Projects.  The projects provide job counseling for persons with mental illness.  In 1997, LWVMN lobbied for the additional employability projects.

Bridges, a temporary housing program for persons with mental illness, was expanded in the 1997 after strong lobbying from LWVMN.  Other mental health issues that arose during the 1997 session included a cost of living increase for mental health employees, and additional funding for the relocation of Regional Treatment Centers staff into community services.

Legislation to implement the recommendations of the Supreme Court Civil Commitment Task Force was successful in 1997.  Funding was made available for a civil commitment training and resource center.

In 1998 and 1999 LWVMN again lobbied for expansion of the Bridges Program and the Employability Program.

LWVMN issued action alerts to members on a number of issues in 2000: employability projects, housing, prescription drug programs and adequate wages for community health workers.  Advocacy efforts during 2001 for many bills included action alerts, letters to legislators and newspaper editors and committee testimony.  Among successes were expansion of the civil commitment criteria, increased wages for mental health workers and $1 million to save the supported employment projects.

Support:

• Adequate funding of a child care sliding fee program to ensure quality child care for low income children
• Public policies and adequate funding at the state and county level to create and sustain quality programs, including grants and loans and resource and referral services to meet the demand
• Policies in the public and private sectors that recognize the value of the child care professional and provide adequate wages and benefits to trained child care workers
• Providing an unpaid leave of absence for the parent of a newborn or newly adopted child

In a coalition LWVMN helped to found, Child Care WORKS, LWVMN has aggressively worked for expansion of the Child Care Sliding Fee Program for low-income parents and development grants to increase the supply of quality child care.  LWVMN supported legislation to guarantee an unpaid parental leave.

LWVMN supported a proposal to expand the basic sliding fee program to subsidize low- and middle-income Minnesotans who pay child care expenses.  The bill was incorporated into the Omnibus Human Services legislation.  LWVMN lobbied for the appropriation of money for crisis nurseries and home visiting programs.

In 1997 LWVMN successfully lobbied for expansion of child care in the welfare reform legislation.  One provision of the package was to exempt parents with babies under one year from the immediate work requirements.  Parents will receive a portion of the child care subsidy and be allowed to stay at home with their infant.

In 2003 cuts to the Health and Human Services bill included significant reductions in state-subsidized childcare assistance, e.g., eliminating from the program families earning more than 175% of the Federal poverty level, or $15, 000 for a family of three.  LWVMN opposed these reductions, and testified against budget cuts in health and human service and in favor of a "diversified revenue system."

Support:

• Educational programs that emphasize self-esteem, healthy sexuality, problem solving, positive expression of emotions, non-violent conflict resolution and respect for others to prevent violent behavior.  This includes support for:
  • Government sponsored parenting and early childhood classes
  • Local or state government mandating or encouraging such education programs in school curricula
  • Use of public money to train teachers and administrators to use non-violence curricula;
  • Training for child care providers
• A requirement that adult educators, including coaches, participate in prevention of sexual harassment and violence education programs, and that public money be provided for adequate training
• The use of public money for a statewide public information and communication campaign designed to prevent violent and sexually violent behavior; i.e., to promote healthy sexuality, non-violent conflict resolution, and gender and racial equality
• Efforts of state and local government to develop and coordinate programs dealing with primary prevention of violence
• Allocation of public moneys in governmental programs to combat violence through reducing substance abuse and poverty, and by identifying and responding to individuals who have been violent or are at risk for violent behavior
• The following social institutions taking an active role in preventing violent behavior: religion, business, law, medicine, media, civic and recreational organizations
• Efforts to encourage the media industry to exercise self-restraint in the promotion of violence
• Efforts to encourage the pornography industry to exercise self-restraint in the promotion of sexually-violent pornography

In coalition with the Minnesota Attorney General, the Violence Against Women Coalition, the Citizens Council, the Battered Women's Coalition and other groups, LWVMN has lobbied successfully for violence prevention programs at the Legislature.  Minnesota now has among other innovations: anti-violence curricula in its schools with funding provided to districts that offer such curricula in grades K-12; an Office for a Violence Free Minnesota, which coordinates state-wide efforts in violence prevention; foundation grants specifically targeted to violence prevention programs; and in Ramsey County, an urban, county-wide Community Action Plan using a multi-faceted approach to end family violence.  Delegates to LWVUS Convention in 1994 concurred with LWVMN violence position in its essentials following a campaign led by Minnesota delegates.

Support:

• A multi-disciplinary approach in dealing with child abuse
• More advocates to protect the interests of victims of family violence
• More shelters for battered women
• A complete and continuing system of data collection on incidents of family violence to aid in planning and evaluation of services
• A continuing program of mediation as an alternative to criminal prosecution in resolving domestic disputes
• Provision of immediate legal remedies for victims of family violence
• A coordinated training program for all legal and human services professionals to address the problems of family violence  (1980)

LWVMN lobbied for legislation incorporated in a 1996 crime prevention bill to fund visits to homes and nurseries.  The visits provide early intervention in abusive situations, given that the number one indicator of criminal behavior is child abuse.

Support:

• Efforts to make support collections and enforcement services equally available to non-public assistance families
• Efforts to adequately publicize available services
• Providing adequate staff to enforce child support in an efficient and expeditious manner  (1982)

In 1982 LWVs throughout the state concurred with the LWV Minneapolis position on stricter enforcement of court-ordered child support payments.  In subsequent years LWVMN has supported child support legislation to make services more equitable for non-Public Assistance families and to withhold income automatically for court-ordered support.

Support:

• The assignment of a high priority to state and county level Child Protection Services to ensure adequate staffing and sufficient resources to provide meaningful services to families experiencing abuse and neglect
• A Children's Trust Fund to support programs aimed at preventing the abuse and neglect of children
• Funding programs to promote good parenting and to provide support for parents, especially those in high risk groups, in order to prevent child abuse and neglect
• Modifications of juvenile and criminal court proceedings in cases of abuse and neglect, reducing the trauma to the child victim while still protecting the rights of the alleged abuser

Since achieving consensus in 1986 and 1987, LWVMN has worked to support adequate staffing and resources for Child Protection Services at the county and state levels.

Support:

• Federal immigration law that provides an efficient, expeditious system for legal entry of immigrants into the U.S
• Federal policies to improve economies, education, job opportunities and living conditions in nations with large emigrating populations
• Provisions for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status as a transitional step
• Federal payments to impacted communities to address the financial costs borne by states and local governments with large immigrant populations
• State funding of Adult Basic Education for each program site adequate to meet the needs of the eligible residents
• In-state tuition at state colleges and universities under the same conditions for all Minnesota residents
• Recognition by the Department of Public Safety of the matricula consular as an acceptable document to prove identity for obtaining a driver's license

Oppose:

• Requiring law enforcement employees of state, county, or local government agencies, to be deputized by the INS to enforce immigration laws
• Allowing residents with legal immigrant status to run for local offices (As adopted by the LWVMN Board, March, 2003)

During the 2003 session, LWVMN supported an 8% growth factor in funding for Adult Basic Education.  However, this growth factor was eliminated in the budget.

LWVMN members adopted a study of the challenges and opportunities facing Minnesota with regard to immigration in May 2001.  Members did not reach consensus on three issues:

• In the "Details" of the League Equal Opportunity (Social Policy) Position, to change the working from "citizens" to "all persons" to match the position statement
• Should the driver's licenses of non-citizens on short-term visas be marked to indicate their status?
• Should residents with legal immigrant status be allowed to vote in local elections?

Support :

• Licensing of long guns, hand guns and assault weapons
• Registration of long guns, hand guns and assault weapons
• A background check for the purchase of long guns, handguns and assault weapons
• A ban on the manufacture, sale and importation of assault weapons and assault weapon parts
• Mandatory firearm safety training before the purchase of a firearm
• The concept of gun owner liability when others are harmed due to the owner's negligence
• Stiffer and/or mandatory penalties for people who commit crimes with firearms
• The ability of local municipalities to regulate ownership and possession of firearms and ammunition more strictly than state law allows

Oppose:

• An amendment to the Constitution of the State of Minnesota granting an individual the right to bear arms.

Following the adoption of the LWVMN position in 1990, LWVMN members played a key role at the LWVUS Convention in the adoption of a gun control position through concurrence with the Illinois position.

In January 1991, LWVMN joined "Citizens for a Safer Minnesota," a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to: supporting legislation regulating availability of military assault weapons and handguns; educating Minnesotans about the causes of and solutions for gun-related violence; promoting awareness that gun-related violence is not just a crime issue, but also affects public safety, child protection, health and the educational climate as well.

The Coalition lobbied successfully in 1992 for legislation that would prohibit handgun permits being granted to persons with a history of domestic assault; and in 1993, for the Omnibus Crime Bill which enacted a statewide ban on carrying rifles in a public place, a ban on kits that would convert semi-automatics to full machine guns, and legislation that would permit municipalities to regulate gun shops through zoning laws.  The Child Accident Protection Bill passed; this requires adults to store loaded weapons away from children and enhances penalties for guns in schools and drive-by shootings.

In 1993 LWVMN successfully lobbied members of Congress for passage of the Brady Bill after several years of effort.  In 1995, the League lobbied representatives to stop the repeal of the Brady Bill.

The League, as part of Citizens for a Safer Minnesota, lobbied unsuccessfully in 1996 to raise the age from 14 to 18 as the threshold for adults to store loaded weapons away from children.

League lobbyists were active in opposition to a proposal to place a "Right to Bear Arms" amendment on the ballot.  LWVMN worked to counteract the NRA's argument that the Second Amendment gives everyone the right to own a weapon.  Leaguers pointed out that the Supreme Court has ruled 6 times that the Second Amendment only deals with state militias -- not an individual's right to own arms.

In 1996 the League actively lobbied against an amendment to the Omnibus Crime Bill which would ease the restrictions to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

During the 1997 session the League closely followed two bills proposing a weakening of the concealed weapon legislation.  Neither bill actually passed out of committee, but threatened to be attached as an amendment to other legislation.  Leaguers interested in firearms issues were ready to take action, but in the end, the amendments were unsuccessful.

In 1999 LWVMN lobbied successfully against an expanded right to carry concealed weapons and to limit local control of gun shop zoning.

In 2000, the gun violence prevention efforts by the LWVMN and Citizens for a Safer Minnesota were strengthened by the addition of the Minnesota Million Mom March, which was founded by League members.  This coalition was able to keep "carry conceal" legislation from passing until April 28, 2003, when the " Carry Conceal Weapons" bill, attached to a non-germane bill in the MN House, passed.  The MN Senate bypassed the committee process and passed the "Conceal Carry Weapons" portion of the bill.  A "Repeal Conceal" effort (petitions and lawsuits) was immediately supported by the League and it's coalition members beginning May 28, 2003---the day the bill became law.