On Monday, the House debated for over an hour about the accomplishments of the House to-date.  House Minority Leader Marty Seifert complained that nothing was being accomplished while the DFL majority pointed to several bills that had already passed the body.  On Wednesday the Senate passed the renewable energy bill. On Thursday the Governor invited his staff to go out bowling and have pizza with legislative leaders.  We are beginning to see a few bills move and the budget and finance committees reviewing the Governor’s budget recommendations and awaiting the next budget forecast due later this month.

Budget Director Sounds Healthcare Spending Warning

On Monday, state budget director Jim Schowalter briefed the House Finance Committee on a report about the fastest growing portions of the budget based on the November 2006 Economic Forecast . It analyzes those areas of the budget that are projected to increase in the next biennium by more than 15 percent.   At the top of the list is health care. MinnesotaCare expenditures could reach $822.12 million in fiscal years 2008-09, a 49.1 percent increase over the current biennium. The projected growth is largely due to increasing per person average costs, and a shift of certain adult groups into the program.