Legislative Update from Rep. Warwas

Dear friends and neighbors on the Iron Range,  

We are officially back in session, gaveling in last Tuesday, then holding a memorial for Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their dog, Gilbert. It was a somber way to begin the year, but an important one. For many members, it was their first time in the House chamber without Melissa’s presence, which made the moment especially heavy. Taking time to recognize her service, leadership, and lasting impact on the institution set a meaningful tone as we began the work of the new session. 

The Chisholm Food Shelf is a standout resource in our local human services network. I toured the facility with Director Marci Splinter, who walked me through operations, introduced volunteers, and shared some of the challenges food shelves are facing right now. It was encouraging to see firsthand the care, organization, and positive environment they provide for those in need. 

Their weekly distribution day is Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when people can come in and select groceries based on availability. The food shelf primarily serves Chisholm, Balkan, Side Lake, Buhl, Kinney, and Hibbing, supporting around 240 households each month, including mobile deliveries for those unable to travel. 

Private donations do support a lot of their budgetary needs. If you would like to support their work, you can mail checks to ‘AEOA Attn: Food Access 702 3rd Ave S Virginia, MN 55792’ or drop off donations at ‘Chisholm Food Shelf, 208 W. Lake Street, Chisholm, MN, 55719.’ Thank you to the volunteers and staff for the important work they do every day! 

Minnesota has long been a leader in supporting seniors and people with disabilities through Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). But providers across the state are raising serious concerns about the current pre-payment fraud review process, which is delaying reimbursements 30 to 90 days. 

For many small and mid-sized providers, those delays are not sustainable. Some have been forced to close, lay off staff, or scale back services. When community-based care is disrupted, vulnerable Minnesotans face increased risk of nursing home placement, which is both more costly and more restrictive. 

Providers support strong fraud prevention and accountability measures, but the current system is placing strain on the very network delivering care. Organizations like Access North Center for Independent Living, which has partnered with the state for more than 40 years and undergoes extensive audits, illustrate why a more balanced, risk-based approach is needed to protect both program integrity and service stability. 

Thank you to Don Brunette and his team, along with providers across the region, for the important conversations we’ve recently had, and the work they do every day to support Minnesotans. 

In this first week of session, my colleague Rep. Spencer Igo introduced legislation to the Workforce Committee to provide an Unemployment Insurance extension support for the additional Hibtac miners, laid off earlier this year. The bill is co-authored by a DFL member from Duluth, Rep. Pete Johnson, which is helpful in getting us bipartisan support for the measure (I am also signing on to this bill). 

I look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move this legislation forward and deliver timely assistance to the workers and families who need it.