Committee members fault process after DE2 omits MinnesotaCare base appropriation

During the DE2 walk-through, nonpartisan staff described the omnibus amendment’s omission of a base appropriation for MinnesotaCare and explained how that absence affects the budget resolution. Committee members raised procedural objections, arguing the Health Finance and Policy Committee lacked the usual opportunity to mark up the budget language.

Nonpartisan fiscal analyst Joe Harney told members the DE2 makes changes to MinnesotaCare and the Health Care Access Fund but “does not appropriate the base for MinnesotaCare,” and that the net effect is a decrease in the Ways and Means budget resolution number. Harney directed members to line 29 on the spreadsheet for the forecast balance implications.

Representative Liebling criticized the process at length, saying, “This is the very first time I recall sitting on a committee where the committee had no opportunity to mark up a budget bill,” and argued members had been denied an opportunity to offer committee amendments. Representative Gilman and others countered that timing and earlier procedural events constrained the committee and that floor amendments remained an option. Vice Chair Nadeau and other members also took part in the procedural discussion.

Chairs and staff described the hearing as informational; they said the bill was sent to Ways and Means and that the committee would welcome floor amendments. Harney and other staff reiterated that the spreadsheet is tracking change items, and the omission of MinnesotaCare’s base appropriation is a deliberate drafting choice in the DE2 language.

Ending: Members expressed strong disagreement over committee process; no formal committee action was taken on the DE2 at this hearing. The bill will proceed to Ways and Means and the floor, where members said they may pursue amendments.