MINNEAPOLIS, Updated 4:50 p.m. CST January 09, 2007 -- The MMA’s top three priorities this session are passing the Freedom to Breathe Act, furthering health care reform, and creating a Health Care Access Fund oversight committee.

Lawmakers returned to the Capitol on January 3.

A clear emphasis for the MMA this year is passing a statewide ban on smoking in all workplaces including bars, restaurants, and private clubs.

“We are closer than ever to having a chance to get this passed,” said Dave Renner, MMA director of state and federal legislation.

The bill’s chances for passing are better this session because the DFL party won control of the House and Senate in November. Key lawmakers who opposed passage of the bill such as Rep. Tim Wilkin (R-Eagan) and Sen. Dallas Sams (DFL-Staples) were also defeated in that election. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has also strengthened his support for the measure.

Existing bans in Minnesota cities have also weakened the arguments against a statewide measure. Where bans have been passed, polls tend to show about 70 percent of residents support the measures and alcohol or food sales have not suffered.

However, Renner points out that passage is far from a foregone conclusion. The MMA will need the support of physicians throughout the state to help move this proposal forward.

Smoke-free advocates will need to push for a comprehensive ban, since it is expected that those opposing the ban will seek passage of a watered-down version that might exclude bars for instance.

Health care reform is another policy issue with momentum this year. During the past few years, the state’s health care safety net programs have been prime targets for cuts as Pawlenty and legislators looked for ways to balance the budget during budget shortfalls.

In 2007, however, pressure to slash health care programs is expected to ease, since the state projects a $2.2 billion surplus. The Health Care Access Fund is also expected to have a surplus.

The leaders of the DFL party have said that increasing access to health care is one of their top priorities. In October of this year, Pawlenty said one of his goals for the upcoming session was to enact coverage for the state’s uninsured children. That’s a much different stance than his proposal during the budget crisis to drop as many as 30,000 people from state’s public insurance programs.

Despite the interest of lawmakers, passing significant health care reform is always challenging, Renner said.

“In talking with legislative leaders, especially among the majority party, there is great interest in passing significant health care reform,” Renner said. “The challenge will be managing expectations and focusing people on reforms that can get passed.”

Renner’s hope is that lawmakers will rely on the MMA’s reform ideas and those of the Healthy Minnesota Steering Committee to craft a market-based solution that can bring the different interests together.

A new initiative for the MMA this year will be to urge the Legislature to create a Health Care Access Fund oversight committee that would ensure that the money in the fund is used for health care access and not other priorities. The MMA House of Delegates passed a resolution calling for such a committee in September.