Hello from the State Capitol,
A recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against the State of Minnesota has once again brought the issue of fairness and safety in girls sports to the forefront.
At issue: why Minnesota continues to allow biological boys to compete in girls sporting events.
The justice department notes Minnesota is violating the federal Title IX law, which ensures fairness and safety for female student athletes. In response, the Minnesota House recently debated the Preserving Girls Sports Act which would end the illegal practice by prohibiting boys from playing in girls’ sports in Minnesota. I voted yes on the bill.
Across the nation, we are seeing biological boys winning state championships in girls divisions, and we are seeing girls facing serious injuries due to boys playing in girls’ athletic events. That is not fair, it’s not safe, and it is not right. This bill does not prevent any child from playing sports. But it does insist that, regardless of how the student wants to identify, biological born males cannot play in female only sports.
The Preserving Girls Sports Act specifically states that only students of the female sex may participate in an elementary or secondary school athletic team or sport that an educational institution has restricted on the basis of sex to women or girls.
This should not be a controversial topic. There are significant physical and physiological differences between male and female bodies. 80% of Minnesotans support only girls playing in girls’ athletics due to fairness and safety concerns, yet the bill can’t find bipartisan support in the Minnesota House.
The bill received a full vote of the Minnesota House on April 7. All 67 Republicans voted for the proposal, and all 66 Democrats voted against it. Because 68 votes are needed for legislation to be approved in the Minnesota House, the Preserving Girls Sports Act failed to pass by one vote.
PASS THROUGH ENTITY TAX STILL STALLED
With Tax Day fast approaching, there’s still no movement on the pass-through entity tax. This provision helps small and mid-sized business owners claim a federal deduction, saving them thousands of dollars, without costing the state anything.
For years, tens of thousands of business owners have relied on it, but now it’s set to expire.
Extending it should be straightforward, requiring only routine legislative approval. Instead, House Democrats have declined to act, holding it back as leverage for end-of-session negotiations.
It’s a frustrating situation and another example of political priorities getting in the way of what should be a simple, beneficial step for Minnesota businesses.
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AVOIDS KICKBACK QUESTION
This week, the new human services commissioner testified before the House human services committee about the staggering amount of fraud that’s been allowed to fester in her department. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to question her about why they chose to ignore kickback claims.
You may recall DHS ignored countless fraud cases because it claimed it couldn’t respond to kickback crimes, saying it needed legislative action to determine what a kickback is. In reality, it had both state and federal authority to handle and investigate kickback claims, as it has been a rule since 1995. The answer, as expected, was a creative tap-dance around the problem.
I have signed on to legislation that defines what a kickback is, and it’s my hope we pass it soon so we never have to deal with this nonsense again.
OFFICER GARY SCHROEDER HIGHWAY DESIGNATION MOVING TO HOUSE FLOOR
The Minnesota House Ways and Means Committee approved my bill this week that would rename a portion of Highway 58 in Zumbrota after former city police officer Gary Schroeder. The popular retired officer suffered from in-the-line-of-duty PTSD and is no longer with us. Next stop for the proposal is the House floor where all lawmakers will have a chance to support it. It’s my hope the full House will take action on this bill very soon. I will keep you posted.
KEEP IN TOUCH
As always, my door is always open. If you ever have any legislative questions, please contact me. I can be reached at rep.steven.jacob@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651.296.2273.
Have a good weekend,
Steve