Families, Faith and Life
First Senate Passage, GAMC

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  6951 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: N
Author: Berglin
Acting on: SF2168  Date: 02/11/2010
Result: Bill Passed 45 - 20

The money has to come from somewhere.  When government uses its taxing and spending powers to shift costs from Group A to Group B, Group A can either go without  or work harder to make up the difference.  Group B doesn't have to do a damn thing... In this case, Group B is comprised of able bodied single adults with no dependants.  True, a handful of them are combat-wounded vets who truly deserve this assistance.  But when you give something away for free, guess what - demand goes up.  The DFL Legislature has apparently given up on the notion that persons are responsible for their own well-being. 

Families, Faith and Life
Not Quite Final Senate Vote on GAMC

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  7019 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: N
Author: Berglin
Acting on: SF2168  Date: 02/18/2010
Result: Bill Passed 47 - 16

GAMC is health care for poor single adults ages 21-64 who have no dependent children and don't qualify for federally funded health care programs.  Governor Pawlenty would eventually veto this bill (veto message), and the DFL knew that even as both chambers went through the motions.  The line item veto message from 2009 details the enormous burden this forced charity places on the taxpayers.  Democrats see this as a "safety net" issue.  Families, friends, charitable organizations, personal responsibility - none of those are adequate.   They believe a free government program is really the only hope for these people.  And according to floor debate in both the House and Senate, a vote against GAMC is a vote against homeless combat veterans living under bridges.  It's not.

Families, Faith and Life
First House Passage Vote, GAMC Fix

Body: House | Journal Page: 7865  (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: N
Author: Murphy, E.
Acting on: SF2168  Date: 02/18/2010
Result: Bill Passed 125 - 9

This GAMC fix does little to address the out-of-control costs of the program and SF 2168 would later be vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty.  The General Assistance Medical Care program would be continued later with passage of SF 460 (summary pending).

Families, Faith and Life
Final Senate Vote on Haitian Earthquake Charitable Contributions

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  7251 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? No | 
Author: Bakk
Acting on: SF2352  Date: 03/04/2010
Result: Bill Passed 59 - 0

Not the same thing as a tax cut, but its a good thing, more or less.  Not scored.

Families, Faith and Life
Hello! - It's Still Taxpayer Funded Abortions

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  8048 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: N
Author: Pappas
Acting on: SF460  Date: 03/18/2010
Result: Amendment Adopted 41 - 25

As undermined by the Pappas amendment, the Robling amendment is rendered pretty much meaningless.  Sen. Robling's amendment would have prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars for abortions for GAMC recipients:  "No public funds shall be used for coverage of abortion under general assistance medical care except where the life of the female would be endangered or serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function would result if the fetus were carried to term; or where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest."

The Pappas amendment to the Robling amendment simply mandated that if a woman enrolled in GAMC becomes pregnant she is transferred to General Assistance - another taxpayer-financed welfare program.  Regardless of what the program is called, it is still funded by taxpayers. 

According to Sen. Robling, between 1994 and 2007 more than 1,600 abortions costing a total of $380,000 have been performed under GAMC and it's predecessor.   

Families, Faith and Life
Delete 110% GAMC Hospital Payments

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  8050 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? No | 
Author: Olson, M.
Acting on: SF460  Date: 03/18/2010
Result: Amendment Defeated 29 - 38

The amendment would delete language to reimburse three metro area hospitals at a rate that is ten percent higher than other hospitals.  The three hospitals are Hennepin County Medical Center, Regions Hospital, and University of  Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview.  This change would increase the amount of reimbursements available to all affected providers.  According to Sen. Berglin, the amendment would reduce metro-area reimbursements by about $3 million.  Not scored.

Families, Faith and Life
It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Bill

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  8051 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? No | 
Author: Berglin
Acting on: SF460  Date: 03/18/2010
Result: Bill Passed 50 - 17

Sen. Prettner Solon really raked her colleagues over the coals on this one, claiming, "This is a bad, bad, bad, bad bill."  She claimed few of them had read the bill and implied that they were gutless for supporting this version of the GAMC bailout.  Well, if you believe that the only way to give health coverage to able-bodied adults with no dependents is through a service-on-demand government program that increases in cost each year by the hundreds of millions of dollars, then you'll agree with the Senate from Duluth.  Not scored. See Final Senate Vote on SF 460 for scoring. 

Families, Faith and Life
Senate DFL Votes to Block Domestic Abuse Protection

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  9011 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: Y
Author: Ortman, J.
Acting on: SF2437  Date: 03/25/2010
Result: Amendment Defeated 30 - 31

The Ortman amendment tested the limits of just how far the supposedly pro-woman DFL Senate Caucus is willing to go to stop domestic abuse.  The amendment would expand the statutory definition of domestic abuse to include "using or threatening to use any form of domination or control for the purpose of causing a family or household member to obtain an unwanted medical procedure."  Like, say, an abortion.  Or a tubal ligation.  Certainly the Senate's domestic abuse advocates can get behind this amendment, right?  Not so much.  Turns out stopping domestic abuse takes a back seat to abortion "rights," even if that "right" is being meted out by an abusive spouse. Vote Green.

Those who voted in the negative (and against the Ortman amendment) were: Anderson, Bakk, Berglin, Betzold, Carlson, Chaudhary, Clark, Cohen, Dahle, Doll, Erickson Ropes, Foley, Higgins, Kelash, Latz, Lourey, Lynch, Marty, Metzen, Moua, Murphy, Pappas, Pogemiller, Prettner Solon, Rest, Rummel, Sieben, Skoe, Tomassoni, Torres Ray, Wiger 

Families, Faith and Life
Anatomical Gift Refusal on Medical Forms

Body: Senate | Journal Page:  9286 (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: Y
Author: Limmer
Acting on: HF3128  Date: 04/06/2010
Result: Amendment Defeated 26 - 38

The Limmer amendment would make changes to the Darlene Luther Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act in MS 525A by adding space on several forms to allow persons to affirmatively refuse to allow their organs to be donated.  This change would allow persons to change their decision to donate when renewing their drivers license.  Vote Green.

Families, Faith and Life
School Child Abusers Suspension Without Pay

Body: House | Journal Page: 9793  (Click to view vote.)
Scored? Yes | Right Vote: N
Author: Emmer, T.
Acting on: HF3157  Date: 04/06/2010
Result: Point of Order Upheld 84 - 44

The Emmer amendment (LINK) provides that if investigators find enough evidence of abuse of a minor to press felony charges, and if the charges stemming from the abuse are grounds for immediate discharge, the teacher can be suspended without pay for violations of statutes relating to abuse of minors.  If the final decision in the case "does not result in a penalty on or suspension, termination or discharge of the teacher" the teacher must be reimbursed.  Speaker pro tempore Thissen ruled the amendment not germane and the body upheld his decision on a vote of 84-44.  Vote Red to overturn the ruling and allow a direct vote on the Emmer amendment.