April 22, 2009: Legislative Report #56
Baby DNA Warehouse Bill Passess Senate Committee
The text below was provided by an email our campaign received from the Citizens Council on Health Care. Many intrusive, unconstitutional actions are occurring in Minnesota, pushed by an out of control Minnesota Department of Health. Spend some time visiting the CCHC website.
Email received 4/1/09
The Baby DNA Warehouse Bill (SF 1478) passed in the same Senate health care committee where it was defeated on March 16 with the help of 50+ parents and children in the room. See WHO did it, and what happened (below). No effective public notice was given for this hearing. An email was sent out 16 minutes before the Committee was scheduled to begin. No parents were in the room this time. SF 1478 eliminates the genetic privacy law for every citizen 12 and younger...and their parents. In other words, eventually all citizens will not be protected by the genetic privacy law's prohibition on government collection and use of genetic information. The bill is going to the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss eliminating parent consent from law. It's likely to happen on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., but it could likewise be slipped in on Friday's hearing at 8:30 a.m. Please be prepared to come if you can, and let me know if you'll be there. We'll have stickers to wear and signs to hold.
Twila Brase
President, CCHC
651-646-8935
The bill passed on a roll call vote 8-3.
VOTING YES TO PASS THE BILL:
Tell them what you think!
Committee Chair, Sen. John Marty (D-Roseville) - Must go to his website to contact
Sen. Linda Berglin (D-Mpls)
Sen. John Doll (D-Burnsville)
Sen. Sharon Erickson-Ropes (D-Winona)
Sen. Ann Lynch (D-Rochester)
Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon (D-Duluth)
Sen. Patricia Torres Ray (D-Mpls)
Sen. Tony Lourey (D-Kerrick)
VOTING NO (against the bill):
Thank them!
Sen. Michelle Fischbach (R-Paynesville)
Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie)
Sen. Debbie Johnson (R-Ham Lake)
________________________________
WHAT HAPPENED
There were only 16 minutes of public notice on the baby DNA warehouse bill. At 12:14 p.m. an email was sent before the Senate Health, Housing, and Family Security Committee to meet at 12:30 p.m. As was reported to me, Sen. Tony Lourey (D-Kerrick) brought the bill up for reconsideration soon after the committee began. The author of the bill was not there, and at Sen. Fischbach's (R-Payneville) insistence, the hearing was delayed to wait for the author (Scheid-D) or co-author (Rosen-R) to arrive. I arrived shortly thereafter. Then the committee adjournment was delayed past 2:45 p.m. to wait for the author. The bill was finally heard at 3:05 once Sen. Scheid arrived. Sen. Scheid said she did not know the bill was coming up. Interestingly, the health department newborn genetic testing staff were not in the room. Perhaps they had been told there was no need for them to appear. There was in fact almost no one in the audience. I sat alone in three rows of chairs. Sen. Fischbach argued against moving forward due to being past the committee's time schedule and the controversial nature of the bill. Sen. Marty gave Sen. Lourey the opportunity to withdraw his move to reconsider the bill. Sen. Ann Lynch whispered in Lourey's ear. And then Sen. Lourey said, "My motion stands." Senator Ann Lynch (D-Rochester) then moved to amend the bill to make the language just like the Baby DNA Warehouse Bill she carried last year - the one the Governor vetoed. Sen. Berglin argued in favor of the amendment saying that the original Scheid bill's requirement that DNA be destroyed after two years would make it a burden on parent to ask for the State to retain their child's DNA. No one mentioned the burden on the parents to have the State destroy their child's DNA today and into the future.
Sen. Debbie Johnson tried to adjourn the meeting, but was voted down.
Sen. Hann argued against legalizing MDH illegal activities, and retaining blood samples without parent consent.
Sen. Fischbach argued that the entire proceedings were "inappropriate."
But one DFL senator said, "Two years is too short of time" for the Department to have the newborn blood on file.
The bill passed. See above.
--CCHC--
April 22, 2009: Meeting With 50-A Representative
On Friday April 24, 2009, I had the occasion to encounter Carolyn Laine at the state capital. Carolyn invited and I accepted an offer to tour Carolyn’s office in the State Office Building across the street from the Capital.
During our travels together, Representative Phyllis Kahn (DFL) District:
59B joined us for a portion of our travel. We exchanged pleasant conversation, and enjoyed some political jostling. Carolyn Laine graciously answered my questions about her responsibilities, and protocol of holding office. She gave a thorough tour of her office including an introduction to her partisan staffer, who Carolyn shares with another DFL representative. In parting Carolyn’s staffer kindly said “Good luck” which I thankfully accepted, and Carolyn quickly said, “Do not wish Tim too much luck”.
I want to thank publicly, Carolyn for extending her offer that day. Though we are, polar opposite on purpose of government, and legislative authority, I appreciated Carolyn Laine’s invitation.