The Latest: Elder care bill awaits governor’s signature

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Latest on the final day of the Minnesota Legislature’s 2019 regular session (all times local):

4:55 p.m.

A major package of protections for Minnesota’s elderly has cleared the Legislature and awaits Gov. Tim Walz’s signature.

The House and Senate late Sunday night passed the final version of the bill, which was over two years in the making. The most important component is a framework for licensing assisted living facilities that contains expanded enforcement powers. Minnesota is the last remaining state that doesn’t require licensing them.

The bill also has other safeguards to protect older and vulnerable adults, including the right for assisted-living residents and their families to install hidden monitoring cameras for two weeks before being required to notify the facilities.

It also includes a bill of rights for assisted-living residents and other stronger consumer protections, such as protections against retaliation for residents of care facilities.

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10:45 a.m.

Minnesota legislators are wrapping up their big budget bills as the midnight adjournment deadline approaches, with a special session planned for later this week so they can finish approving a two-year budget.

Gov. Tim Walz, Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman announced the framework of the budget deal Sunday night. It calls for a budget of around $48 billion, about a 6% increase from the current budget. They told their House-Senate conference committees to finish negotiating the details Monday.

The House and Senate on Sunday night also passed a package of elder care reforms. The bill creates a framework for licensing assisted living facilities and other safeguards to protect older and vulnerable adults, including the right of assisted-living residents to install monitoring cameras.

The Associated Press