The 2024 legislative session starts on Monday, February 12. Together with disabled leaders, self-advocates, parents and family members, coalition partners, and other allies, we will work to advance policy solutions that create positive systems and social change. Through public policy work, we can:

  • Promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • Advance equity
  • Support true belonging in community

Our 2024 policy goals cover five main areas:

  • Social and Community Context
  • Education Access and Quality
  • Economic Stability
  • Neighborhood and Built Environment
  • Health Access and Quality

These are called Social Determinants of Health. Building our agenda around the Social Determinants of Health shows how different policy issues are connected as they impact the lives of people with disabilities.

Here is the 2024 legislative agenda that was created by our Public Policy Committee and passed by the Board of Directors:

  • Social & Community Context
    • Inclusive Playgrounds
      • All children should play side-by-side. Investing in bonding projects that help build safe, inclusive playgrounds across the state will result in long-term, positive benefits for all. It will help children with disabilities foster true belonging in community from an early age.
  • Education Access & Quality
    • Educator Awareness of Ableism
      • A statewide training for educators and school staff on ableism will provide a foundation for improving inclusion in Minnesota’s schools. The training must be developed and provided by people with disabilities as they are the experts in how ableism impacts students. This will help create a supportive and positive educational experience for all students.
  • Economic Stability
    • MA-EPD Reform
      • Lowering premiums for the Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) program will help people with disabilities get out of poverty. Ensuring that people with disabilities are able to work and build financial stability will improve their quality of life and our economy overall. It is critical for people to be able to work while maintaining the safety net supports that help them thrive.
    • Subminimum Wage Phase-Out
      • The state of Minnesota must phase out 14(c) subminimum wage certificates, segregated employment, and other employment-related policies that discriminate against disabled people. The state has already made wise investments to support lead agencies, case managers, and providers to transition away from subminimum wage. Now is the time to correct decades of discrimination by supporting fair wages for disabled people and ensure they have equal opportunity to work in integrated environments at competitive wages, in jobs that meet their skills and interests.
  • Neighborhood & Built Environment
    • Our Future Starts at Home Constitutional Amendment
      • Voters should have the opportunity to decide if they want to dedicate state funding to end:
        • housing instability
        • homelessness
        • disparities in home ownership
        • and expensive rental costs.
    • The Our Future Starts at Home Constitutional Amendment creates the Household and Community Stability Fund, the Home Ownership Opportunity Fund, and the Rental Opportunity fund. These funds will:
      • reduce disparities
      • support community-based solutions
      • improve the condition of homes
      • increase accessibility
      • and decrease energy costs.
    • The funds put communities and people with lived experience, including people with disabilities, at the center. Disabled Minnesotans will benefit from dedicated and consistent funding in housing.
  • Health Access & Quality
    • Self-Directed Services Reform
      • People with disabilities must have self-directed options that support consistent, high-quality staff and flexible services that meet their needs. The legislature must end unequal funding between CDCS and traditional waiver options. They must direct lead agencies to follow and implement state policy so there is consistency across the state. The Department of Human Services must monitor and enforce state policies so that disabled Minnesotans can direct their own services and have more choice and control in their lives.

You can review our full legislative agenda and learn more here.

Do you want to get involved and support our advocacy work this session? Join The Arc Minnesota Capitol Connectors Teams!

To get involved, you will want to find out who represents you in the Minnesota State House of Representatives and Minnesota Senate. Enter your home address into this District Finder to learn more about your legislators.

You can find a full list of Minnesota legislators here.

Explore the Minnesota legislature’s website here.

2023 Support Agenda

In addition to the policy goals in our legislative agenda, The Arc Minnesota has a support agenda. Support agenda items are those led by other advocacy organizations, service providers, or coalition partners who we work closely with.

Our 2024 Support Agenda is still being developed. Check out our Support Agenda from 2023 to learn more about what we worked in partnership with others to advance at the Capitol.

In collaboration with our key partners, The Arc Minnesota supports legislative proposals that will positively impact Minnesotans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This is not a complete list of proposals The Arc will monitor and support.

Download a copy of the 2023 Support Agenda (English PDF)

Workforce Shortage Solutions

A critical and years-long shortage in the workforce of disability support professionals has real impacts on the lives of Minnesotans who have disabilities. Changing demographics, low reimbursement rates, and inadequate wages create instability for disabled people and providers alike. We support legislation that aims to improve Personal Care Assistance (PCA) / Community First Services and Supports, homecare programs, and other disability waiver services through rate, wage, and benefits increases as well as other innovative solutions and improvements.

Benefits for CDCS Caregivers

Parents and spouses who provide full time support for individuals accessing the Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) option of the waiver should have access to benefits that ensure stability for them and their family. We support efforts to ensure these individuals can access retirement, disability, and unemployment benefits.

Supported Decision Making (SDM) Grants

Building on the 2020 guardianship reform bill, and efforts to promote less restrictive alternatives to guardianship, we support legislation that would fund grants to invest in organizations and projects statewide to help people establish SDM in their own lives.

Changes to Medical Assistance (MA)

Income and asset limits for MA perpetuate poverty for people with disabilities. We support changes to income limits for people with disabilities accessing MA.

Recess for All

Families report that the number of schools withholding or delaying recess as a form of punishment is on the rise. Exclusionary practices and punishment in schools leads to long-term harm for students with disabilities. We support the prohibition on withholding or delaying recess as form of punishment.

Expand Access to College Discount Program

Currently, seniors age 62+ in Minnesota can take college courses at a rate of $25 – $75 per credit at any Minnesota State college. We support the expansion of those credit rates to any individual who accesses disability services, so that postsecondary education is more accessible to people with disabilities in Minnesota.

Accessibility Improvements to Education, Public Spaces, and County and State Services

Accessibility barriers are prevalent in various aspects of life for people with disabilities. We support the accessibility package that aims to address barriers to the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) process for disabled parents of students with disabilities, sensory-friendly accommodations for public access spaces and large public events, and a workgroup to assess the accessibility of county and state services.