The Minnesota Association of Area Agencies on Aging (m4a) and our coalition members were active at the Capitol this legislative session, advocating for the health and well-being of older adults. It was a challenging session, with both the House and Senate almost equally divided between the political parties and large deficits looming on the horizon. Many of the initiatives backed by m4a and those championed by others for older adults did not come to fruition, though there were a few bright spots.
M4a’s Legislative priorities for 2025
M4a had four legislative priorities for 2025:
- Senior meals
- Transportation and support services
- Pilot program for enhanced adult protection services
- Comprehensive plans on aging
Our key strategy was to strengthen the Senior Meals & Services Coalition, a group of 50+ organizations from across the state. Coalition members raised awareness and garnered support from their local legislators. Members shared information one-on-one with legislators about how these programs affect their communities, and several testified at committee hearings. While the Coalition did not get everything it hoped for, it has established a foundation to build upon next session.
Outcomes for older adults
Senior meals and services
The Health and Human Services bill signed into law includes a small amount of new funding for senior meals, nowhere near the $11 million per biennium that the Coalition requested and believes is needed to keep seniors from facing hunger. The legislation allocates:
- $250K in SFY 26
- $250K in SFY 27
- $751K in SFY28
- $752K in SFY 29
No additional funding was appropriated for transportation, support services or enhanced protective services.
Age-Friendly Minnesota
The legislature did not fund continued support for Age-Friendly Minnesota efforts, endangering the good work the initiative has been doing, including creating a Multisector Blueprint for Aging, organizing action teams across the state, and staffing the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council.
Of note, the House included a provision to establish a Healthy Aging Subcabinet to be housed in Minnesota Management and Budget in its version of the Omnibus State Government Policy and Finance bill. The measure proposed to ensure that “all people in Minnesota age with dignity and have equitable opportunities for the best possible health and well-being throughout the lifespan.” It would have included a Citizen’s Engagement Council and required the creation of a Minnesota Healthy Aging Plan by June 30, 2027. Unfortunately, the final conference committee bill did not include the Healthy Aging Subcabinet. However, MMB Commissioner Erin Campbell told conferees that the agency will develop the healthy aging plan.
Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund
The new Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund will make it easier for Minnesotans who have been victims of scams or fraud to receive financial recovery. Under the new law, up to $5 million of civil penalties collected by the Attorney General from consumer fraud cases will go towards restitution to fraud victims. Learn more about this legislation from AARP.
Homeless Elders Program funding
In 2023, Catholic Charities Twin Cities received a $1.5 million appropriation to support older adults experiencing homelessness. The program has successfully housed more than 300 vulnerable seniors. This year, they secured $1 million in additional funding for their Homeless Elders Program to continue addressing the alarming increase in homelessness for older adults.
Wilder Foundation Homelessness Study
The Wilder Foundation will continue its crucial data collection in its annual Homeless Study through a $1.2 million appropriation.
Dementia Services Program
The Legislature funded a new point of leadership in the Department of Health to coordinate dementia-related work across state agencies, reduce redundancies and point resources to the most effective uses for supporting families dealing with dementia. Learn more about the Dementia Services Program.
Added consumer protections for Minnesotans in assisted living facilities
New legislation has protections for people living in assisted living facilities. According to AARP, changes include:
- A facility can no longer terminate a resident’s contract because they change from private to public funds if the facility has represented that it accepts public funds.
- Facilities can no longer require residents to have guardianship or conservatorship.
- Facilities sold to a new owner must honor the terms of residents’ existing contracts.
- Facilities can no longer force residents into mandatory arbitration.
Cuts to nursing homes and waiver programs
Although several initiatives benefiting older adults and their families received support in the 2025 session, a few areas experienced substantial cuts, primarily nursing homes and waiver programs. The final budget agreement for the human services $16.8 billion human services budget required $270 million in cuts. Some of the most significant cuts came in areas that support people with disabilities and live in nursing homes. The legislation capped the Disability Waiver Rate System at an annual rate of 4% of the Consumer Price Index and cut the nursing facility surcharge and other nursing-home related programs. Advocates warn that the cuts will accelerate nursing home closures, especially in rural areas. Learn more from the Long-Term Care Imperative.
Special session
The work of the 2025 session ended with a special one-day session. Leaders expect a second special session to respond to federal changes in October or November.
On a sad note
Tragically, days after the one-day special session, Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were murdered in their home, and Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were seriously injured.
M4a condemns this act of violence. The work that our elected officials undertake requires them to be accessible to the public. We must ensure that they are not put in harm’s way simply for doing their jobs. There are many opportunities to raise one’s voice, ask for issues to be addressed, or try to right what one may consider to be a wrong. Violence is never acceptable and cannot be tolerated.
M4a sends its sincere condolences to the Hortman family and its well wishes to the Hoffmans for their recovery. Both Representative Hortman and Senator Hoffman have championed legislation that supports older adults and family caregivers. On behalf of our community, we are grateful for their support and grieve these horrendous acts.
Thank you to legislators, staff and community partners
M4a thanks policymakers, their staff members and our community partners for their support and advocacy on behalf of older adults who are endeavoring to thrive at home. We look forward to continuing to work together on behalf of older adults and their families.