News You Can Use
May 2025
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
The Minnesota Legislature is currently reviewing over 500 bills, many of which are grouped together into large combined bills.
What are the key bills and issues?
Housing Support
The Housing Bill includes $30 million for the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP). Many seniors on fixed incomes face housing insecurity. This funding helps prevent homelessness for seniors and families in crisis by supporting rent assistance, emergency housing, and services that keep people stably housed.
For more information on FHPAP, click here: https://www.mnhousing.gov/rental-housing/grant-programs/active-funding/fhpap.html
Care Giving Advocacy
The All Elders Care Giving Committee prepared easy-to-use talking points to help community members contact legislators about senior care and support services. Seniors who rely on caregiving—whether from family, community workers, or home health aides—benefit when advocates speak up for funding, fair wages, and support services. The talking points help make it easy for seniors and allies to influence decisions that protect long-term care.
Medicare Supplement Concerns
The House Commerce Bill included a controversial proposal to eliminate the planned annual open enrollment period for Medicare Supplement plans. The ability to change Medicare Supplement plans during an open enrollment period helps seniors get better coverage or save money. Eliminating this window could lock seniors into higher costs or less suitable plans. The Senate version still allows plan changes but may penalize late switchers—a concern for seniors facing life changes or new health needs.
Despite strong advocacy efforts by All Elders United For Justice, the House passed the bill.
The Senate version keeps the enrollment period but would impose a 10% premium penalty for some plan changes after initial eligibility.
Human Services Budget Cuts
One of the large combined bills includes major funding cuts. These cuts threaten essential services that help seniors live safely and independently. The House passed these cuts but the senate did not and are now in the joint committee. Cuts proposed are:
$427 million from long-term care waivers
$154 million from county rate exceptions
$75 million from disability service growth
Worker Wage Wins!
Seniors depend on well-trained, committed caregivers. The House version did include the PCA/ Nursing Home and Disability Services Workers raises that SEIU fought for, and which we supported through our Care Giving Committee. Raises for caregiving professionals were included:
Nursing home workers: $1.50/hour starting January 2027
Disability service workers: $0.40/hour in January 2026 and again in 2027
A new retirement trust fund will be created for future contributions