Walz again calls on lawmakers to get the differences worked out on insulin bill

ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) – Governor Tim Walz is again urging Minnesota Senate Republicans to hammer out a compromise on an emergency insulin assistance program, saying he’ll call a special session right away if there’s a deal “pretty much close” to the House bill:

“The pinch-point on this is the manufacturers and their unwillingness to try and help with that,” said Walz. “The pinch-point is that I need the Senate. I need the Senate to come together and get this done.”

Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (guh-ZEL-cuh) said an insulin bill will be high priority next year, but before that “the proposed ideas need to be hammered out to earn the support of legislators, patients, advocates, doctors, and pharmacists.”

Walz said the insulin bill is stuck where the opioid bill was stuck last year. He adds that it’s really a question of when, not if the state gets a bill done.

“I’m telling you right now, we’re going to see a piece of insulin legislation that will pretty much mirror the House bill,” added Walz. “The question is, is it going to be sooner rather than later.”