ST. PAUL — Hundreds of disability rights advocates gathered at the Minnesota Capitol on Tuesday, March 24, to highlight the importance of budgetary decisions this session that would affect providers and disabled people in their ability to get the care they need.
“It’s just really important that we protect the investments that have already been made and look to expand that into the future so that we can continue to support those roles,” said Anna Heglund, the president of the board of directors of the Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota, or ARRM.
This comes after Gov. Tim Walz proposed limiting the number of days the state will pay for residential disability service to 351 per year, leaving the other 14 days to be paid by the resident or provider. The governor says the change is needed to help balance the state’s budget.
But the change could affect services and make placements more difficult for people with complex needs, Heglund said.
Heglund said it is important for direct support professionals to earn a living wage for their work, which is one of the many reasons they gathered.
Report for Minnesota is a project of the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication to support local news across the state.
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Lorie Shaull/KAXEIn their final hours before the session ended, lawmakers passed a county hospital bailout, an infrastructure bill and small cuts to car tab fees and property taxes. -
Contributed/Ellen Schmidt / MinnPost / CatchLight Local / Report for AmericaHere’s what made it into the Legislature's infrastructure package and what lawmakers and others had to say about it May 17, 2026. -
Contributed/Mississippi Headwaters BoardThe Legislature must take action by Sunday night, May 17, 2026, to avoid the impacts on the Outdoor Heritage Fund projects set to begin or continue in coming months. -
Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerThe deal is Gov. Tim Walz’s last, as his term ends in January and he’s not seeking reelection. The deadlocked Minnesota House — jointly controlled by Republicans and Democrats — has tempered Walz’s ambitions. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEAs this week wears on, the bonding bill may become the Legislature’s main focus. When exactly that happens, largely depending on lawmakers resolving fraud and HCMC tax funding legislation, will help determine the package’s outcome.
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Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaThe bill’s proposed portal, accessible via the Internet, would provide contractors and subcontractors a place to submit payroll reports, which would be stored in a database for public or state use. -
Contributed/Michele Jokinen / Minnesota House of RepresentativesThe Permanent School Fund uses revenue from the sale of timber, minerals and land on 2.5 million acres of School Trust Lands to fund public school districts and charter schools around Minnesota. -
Heidi Holtan/KAXEWhen infectious and pathological waste is found in any unauthorized refuse center, the facility has to shut down and open an investigation. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEThe office would be able to investigate any public or private entity that receives public dollars. It would also expand information-sharing between agencies and implement best anti-fraud practices.
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Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaThe DFL-backed Senate bill is part of a broader health and human services package that passed on a party-line vote. It also includes $115 million in aid for hospitals statewide. -
Contributed/Bastian Riccardi via PexelsThe bill would mandate verifiable parental consent when a minor creates an account and require the highest data privacy settings. It would also restrict targeted, paid ads and addictive interface features. -
The bill bans the future sale of so-called assault weapons and high capacity magazines and faces an uncertain future in the MN House, where Republicans and Democrats are deadlocked.
