The 2016 Minnesota Legislature gavels into session March 8. It will be a short session, so many disability advocacy groups are preparing for their bills to move along quickly. It will also be an election-year session, so many lawmakers will be winding up their capitol careers.

Two primary focuses for Minnesotans with disabilities will be the Best Life Alliance’s campaign to increase caregiver wages and the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MnCCD) efforts for Medical Assistance reform and change in income and asset restrictions. Both of those topics have been detailed in recent issues of Access Press. 

MNCCD hosts a Session Startup 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 23 at Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, 553 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul. Check-in begins at 12:45 p.m. Register for this free event by emailing [email protected] by February 16. Walk-ins are also welcome.

With a typical legislative session, there are many other issues in the hopper as well. Those include special education, mental health programs, transportation and paratransit, accessible housing, jobs creation and many more.

Access Press would like to feature the disability community advocacy groups’ legislative agendas in the March issue, which will be published just as the session begins. Newspaper staff is asking that if groups want to submit legislative agendas, those will be excerpted and published in March with web links to the full agendas.

Deadline is February 25, but articles that are submitted before that date are appreciated.

Access Press is also asking that information on any upcoming rallies be submitted so that those can be publicized in advance. Include as much information as possible, including contact information for those who wish to attend and who may had additional questions. It is also helpful to include where those who attend a rally may park, or where they may be dropped off.

Another March feature will detail capitol area access and how that will be affected by construction. The new Senate Office Building will be open this session. It will also have accessible parking available.

Anyone with questions can call the newspaper at 651-644-2133 and speak with Executive Director Tim Benjamin or Managing Editor Jane McClure. Or email [email protected]  Thank you!