This page is dedicated to the process titled “Connecting to End Poverty: Moving the Legislative Commission to End Poverty Recommendations Forward in the Legislature.”
Through this collaborative approach, we hope to drive progress toward ending poverty in Minnesota by 2020 by doing the following:
- Convene organizations and key people
- Track progress toward ending poverty
- Inform the Legislature and the general public
- Plan for implementation of the recommendations
The first convening of organizations and leaders took place on December 5, 2012. At that event the two issues which received the most support to make the greatest impact were (1)Family Economic Security Act (which includes raising the minimum wage, childcare assistance, and tax credits), and (2) the Poverty Impact Statement (or Poverty Impact Projection—PIP).
Cynthia Boyd, from MinnPost, attended the December 5 convening and wrote two articles on issues from the event:
Proposals from anti-poverty conference
Do proposed laws need a ‘poverty impact statement’?
Following the December 5 convening the next steps were the following:
- Create this dedicated webpage. This site includes background materials on the LCEP recommendations, documents presented by various speakers on Dec 5, bills introduced into the legislature, links to the organizations working on various aspects of the LCEP recommendations, information on how to jointly advocate for the identified issues, sites and dates for the regional convenings, and other pertinent information.
- Convene regional gatherings. The sites and leading organizations for the regional convenings need to be identified and the planning for those events continued. Several of these convenings are in planning stages.
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Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota (LCEP) Guiding Principles (2006) |
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| These principles originated in the document “A Common Foundation: Shared Principles for Work on Overcoming Poverty.” The “Common Foundation” was signed by 35 religious leaders in the state in 2004 and became the impetus for Senator John Hottinger’s bill to create the Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020. | |
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| Here is the letter from the Executive Committee of the LCEP—Senator John Marty, Representative Carlos Mariani, Representative Morrie Lanning, Senator Claire Robling. The Executive Summary shows the six recommendations that were the result of the LCEP process and were approved unanimously by the commission. | |
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| This memo is the invitation sent out to over 70 organizations in June 2012, inviting them to participate in a survey. The survey provided the foundation for beginning a collaborative process to reinvigorate and implement the Commission’s recommendations. | |
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The Family Economic Security Act has been introduced into both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill numbers are House File 430 and Senate File 399. A two page explanation of the bill is attached and can be downloaded, followed by the actual bills: HF 430 and SF 399In summary, here's what the FES Act does: -Raises the minimum wage ($9.50 for large employers, $8.25 for small employers, $7.50 for the training wage) -Fully funds Basic Sliding Fee Child Care and expands eligibility to 300% FPG/76% SMI -Enhances the Working Family Credit -Creates a state version of the Child Tax Credit ($100 per child refundable, phase out begins at 300% FPG and fully phases out at 400% FPG) The bill's first stop will be the Early Childhood and Youth Development Committee, which positions these policies in the context of child well-being. |
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Family Economic Security Act—Senate File 399 (Click here to see the bill)
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Regional Convenings are now being scheduled throughout the state. These convenings are open to any and all organizations and individuals who are committed to work together to end poverty and move forward the Legislative Commission to End Poverty recommendations. Here are the places and dates for the convenings that have been scheduled (We will continue to update this list as the events are confirmed): Duluth March 12 1:00-3:00 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 230 E. Skyline Pkwy, Duluth Mora March 13 1:00-3:00 p.m. Lakes and Pines CAC, 1700 Maple Avenue East, Mora, MN 55051 Rochester March 19 6:30-9:00 p.m. Bethel Lutheran Church Chapel, 810 3rd Ave SE, Rochester, 55904 Grand Rapids March 21 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon Library Wadena April 9 1:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m St. Ann’s Catholic Church Parish Hall, 514 1st St. SE, Wadena, MN 56482 Moorhead April 16 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. St. Joseph's Gathering Place, 1010 3rd Ave. S., Moorhead, MN 56560 Other sites are still in process and will be reported on this webpage when they are confirmed.
At each of the six regional convenings the participants were asked to discuss and determine a plan of action as a result of the convening. Here is a compilation of those plans. All of them were devised from notes taken at the event and are necessarily in somewhat “rough draft” format. You will see that some ideas were definite and given as assignments to people who volunteered to take the lead. Other ideas are somewhat vague and presented more as brainstorming suggestions. However all of the plans and commitments originated out of serious and intelligent conversations, with the commitment to continue to work together on a multi-year process and work to implement the recommendations of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty.
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Connecting to End Poverty Regional Convenings PowerPoint Presentation |
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Connecting to End Poverty Regional Convenings have been held in six locations in Minnesota: Duluth, Mora, Rochester, Grand Rapids, Wadena, and Moorhead. The powerpoint presentation that has been shown at each of these regional convenings can be downloaded here. Each regional convening developed a Plan of Action for their area. |
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The Poverty Impact Projection ( or Statement) bill has been introduced in the Senate (SF 1049) and the House (HF 1278) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1278&ssn=0&y=2013 A Poverty Impact Projection (PIP) assesses the effect that proposed policy would have on the number of people in poverty. A PIP could measure, for example, the degree to which a proposed child care subsidy or increased earned income tax credit could cut poverty and over what period of time. The goal is better informed decision-making.
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Housing is connected to the Legislative Commission to End Poverty recommendation 4: Revitalize communities through infrastructure and person-to-person support. Providing adequate and affordable housing is a key issue in ending poverty. Two bills are working their way through the Legislature this session. Homes for All supports proven programs that stabilize families, prevent homelessness, and create workforce housing. 1. Invest an additional $25 million in Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Programs (SF 811 and HF 1194: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1194&ssn=0&y=2013 ) · Family Homeless Prevention Assistance Program (FHPAP) — Direct assistance and services to households at risk of losing housing or transitioning out of homelessness · Challenge Fund — Financing for statewide affordable rental and ownership housing options · Housing Trust Fund — Rental Assistance for previously homeless families and individuals · Preservation (PARIF) — Preservation loans for subsidized rental housing · Rental Rehab Loans — Assistance for improvements to smaller rental properties · Rehab Loans – Single Family — Assistance for the rehabilitation of single family housing · Homebuyer Education (HECAT) — Education, counseling, and training services for homebuyers/homeowners · Capacity Building — Regional coordination to leverage federal funds · Homeownership Assistance Fund — Down payment and closing cost assistance for first-time homebuyers 2. Invest an additional $25 million in Department of Human Services Programs (SF 797 and HF 937: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0937&ssn=0&y=2013 ) · Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services — Coordinated services to maintain housing and improve self-sufficiency for Minnesotans experiencing long-term homelessness · Transitional Housing — Time-limited housing and services for families and individuals who have been homeless · Emergency Services Program — Services and emergency shelter for homeless Minnesotans · Homeless Youth Act — Housing and services for youth who are homeless or at-risk Primary contact is Dan Kitzberger: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| 15% of the children 18 and under are experiencing poverty in Minnesota.
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