The Senior Meals & Services Coalition placed a critical funding request before the legislature this year.
Programs providing meals and other services for older adults are severely underfunded across the state and therefore do not meet the needs of Minnesota’s oldest residents. The original funding request was for $11 million in nutrition funds and an additional $4 million for services such as homemaker, transportation and chores. However, considering the budget deficit, focus was quickly placed on senior nutritional needs.
The House was more receptive and appropriated $3 million while the Senate budgeted just $500,000 for the biennium.
Conference Committee results
The Legislature adjourned on May 19 — the constitutionally prescribed final day for regular session — knowing that a special session would be needed to complete their work. Since the 19th, the conference committees have formed “working groups” to find common ground among the House and Senate versions of bills.
The Human Services Conference Committee (working group) came to agreement on May 27 and posted a document with agreed upon line-item budgets. When the Legislature returns for the special session the House and Senate will need to pass the conference committee report as a new bill and then it will be sent to the Governor for his signature. While there are several steps to go before the budget is fully adopted, changes are unlikely.
Now the bad news: The budget includes just a small amount of new funding, nowhere near the level the Coalition requested nor what is needed to meet the demand.
- $250K in SFY 26
- $250K in SFY 27
- $751K in SFY28
- $752K in SFY 29
While deep budget cuts were made in many area, the established base funding for senior meals remains in effect.
We are still waiting to learn whether language that adds complexity to how the senior meals dollars are distributed was included. Bill language has not yet been posted.
What’s next?
The Governor has noted that a second special session might be needed once federal funding cuts become clear, likely in August.
At the moment, federal funding for senior meals seems to be at best flat. With the growing need and the Governor’s previously stated concerns about reductions in funding for food for seniors, we might be successful with a funding request at that time.
In the meantime, Coalition leaders are considering options for increased press coverage and new ways to engage network members in raising awareness of the critical need for funding for senior meals.
Stay tuned!
P.S.
Special Session Update
It is June 2, and the special session has not yet been called to finish work on the state budget. Reaching agreements for some parts of the state budget have been elusive. Layoff notices have already started going out to state employees in preparation for possible government shutdown if a budget is not adopted before July 1.
It appears that while there may be some rough edges to work out, that agreement has been reached on the major finance/tax bills; if that is accurate, a special session could be called as early as Wednesday.