Legislative Update - One Month Left

Dear Neighbors, 

The Minnesota Legislature is required to adjourn for the year by Monday, May 18. With a month left, I know that’s enough time to deliver on the solutions Minnesotans are asking for. That won’t be the case, however, if Republicans continue using our remaining weeks to play political games. 

I serve on the House’s Rules and Legislative Administration Committee. The bulk of our work is dedicated to setting the legislative calendar, deciding what bills the full House will vote on and potentially pass along to Governor Walz. Our typical work was interrupted this week when House Republicans brought forward a resolution to impeach Governor Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Not solutions to address rising costs. Not measures to address gun violence. Not bills to fight fraud. 

This resolution wasn’t even signed by half of all the Republicans in the House, highlighting how they’re continuing to let their most radical and destructive members drive their legislative agenda this year. Republicans are wasting our time with unserious impeachment proposals when we should focus on the actual work to make life safer and more affordable for Minnesotans. 

There’s so much we can do this session with the time remaining to us. There are immediate issues that can’t be kicked down the road, like extending a lifeline to HCMC and providing support to those impacted by Operation Metro Surge.

Republicans need to decide if this session is all about posturing and empty promises for them, or actual results for Minnesota. With a month left, we can only afford to spend time on the latter. 

Housing Bill Advances

A more hopeful display of bipartisanship came in our Housing Committee this week. I was able to reach an agreement with my Republican Co-Chair Spencer Igo on a Housing Finance Bill that will make critical investments to build more homes, including $100 million in Housing Infrastructure Bonds. 

Our agreement also includes investments in our state’s Family Homelessness Prevention Program to help Minnesotans who are in a housing crisis stay in their homes. By utilizing existing resources available in our state budget, we are able to make these investments in a manner that does not require new state appropriations.

I’m hopeful this can be a model for our work ahead in a tied House – we can and should find ways to reach consensus to improve the lives of Minnesotans.

In partnership, 

Michael Howard