On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate passed two pieces of legislation with unanimous support. The Senate passed House File 3100, which establishes an emergency assistance program for Minnesotans unable to afford the high costs of insulin, and House File 2959, which renews the Rural Finance Authority.
“It’s great to see the Senate pass two important bills today with unanimous support. The emergency insulin assistance program will make it so no Minnesotan is forced to go without access to lifesaving medications like insulin, even if it’s unaffordable. The renewal of the Rural Finance Authority will make sure farmers and other ag producers have access to low-interest loans to maintain and expand their industry,” said Senator Andrew Lang (R-Olivia). “These are two really good, bipartisan efforts that I’m proud to support.”
House File 3100 creates an emergency assistance program to provide access to insulin on an emergency basis, along with a patient assistance program to provide ongoing insulin access for eligible Minnesotans. In 2019, the legislature passed laws allowing pharmacies to fill a 30-day supply of emergency insulin and other lifesaving drugs if a prescription runs out, requiring Pharmacy Benefit Managers to communicate available manufacturer rebates and discounts to pharmacies, and prohibiting health plans for making a profit on the sale of insulin. The legislation awaits action by a conference committee between the House and the Senate.
House File 2959 provides $50 million in bonding for the Rural Finance Authority, which is the state’s main agricultural lending arm that partners with community banks to provide farmers and other ag producers with low interest loans. Since the program’s inception in 1986, the Rural Finance Authority has issued more than $250 million in low-interest loans that aid farmers in financing expansions, recovering from disasters, and other needs.
“This is great news for the farmers and other ag producers who may rely on the Rural Finance Authority program,” said Senator Lang. “The specialized, low-interest loans that the RFA provides are a valuable resource for farmers who may need help to start, to expand their operation, or to recover after a disaster. It’s great to see unanimous support for something so important to Greater Minnesota.”
Senator Andrew Lang represents Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Renville, and Swift counties in the Minnesota Senate. He serves as vice chair of the Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee.