Legislative UpdateDear friends and neighbors, I hope you and your family had a joyful and meaningful Easter. With less than four weeks left in the legislative session, we’re in crunch time. Large omnibus bills are making their way through final committee stops, and a few have already been passed off the House floor. All of these bills are negotiated and bi-partisan so there are provisions which both parties support - or perhaps equally dislike - but can live with. Despite the delay at the beginning of session, Republicans have worked hard in committee to shape responsible legislation that reins in government overreach, fights fraud, and focuses on the core services Minnesotans actually care about. Here’s a look at where the key budget bills currently stand. Bills that have been agreed to:Commerce Protects your healthcare availability, stops taxpayer giveaways to political nonprofits, and keeps government out of your insurance decisions and local grocery stores. Public Safety Backs the blue with training and equipment, and cracks down on serious crimes to keep our streets, homes, and first responders safe. Veterans Honors the service of our veterans by prioritizing mental health, better care, and fairer pensions for our National Guard members. Transportation Kills expensive, failing rail projects and puts real money into fixing local roads and highways you actually drive on. Agriculture Protects farmers and food producers from costly mandates and gives them the support they need to keep feeding Minnesota. Housing Focuses on building housing where it’s needed most, not expanding government rental programs or creating more red tape. The provisions removing local control over zoning are NOT in the bill. (I worked hard to kill those bad proposals.) Human Services Delivers support for nursing homes and vulnerable seniors while cracking down on fraud and bloated bureaucracy. Bills still being worked on:Bonding The delay is a normal part of the process. This is usually one of the last bills to be completed. I have a project in Forest Lake and one in Hugo I hope to get included in the bill. Taxes Taxes is also one of the last committees to close because many other omnibus bills have tax provisions in them, which means they must go through the Tax Committee. I serve on Taxes and can assure you, there will be no new tax increases this year. Unfortunately, there also won’t be needed tax cuts. Health This bill remains stalled due to a major point of contention: Democrats are insisting on maintaining full taxpayer-funded health care benefits for undocumented immigrants, despite a staggering enrollment surge that has already tripled initial projections. In just three months, over 17,000 individuals have enrolled, far outpacing the estimated 5,784 by 2026, raising the cost from an expected $220 million to potentially over $600 million, all of which must be paid by state taxpayers with no federal match. Meanwhile, essential services for seniors, people with disabilities, and long-term care are facing cuts. Republicans have made it clear: we cannot justify slashing care for Minnesotans in need just to fund a costly new program for individuals who are not here legally. Until this issue is resolved, no health budget deal can move forward. Education The education bill is currently on hold due to several issues including a controversial provision passed by Democrats last biennium that granted unemployment benefits to part-time school employees, like bus drivers, paraprofessionals, and cafeteria workers, during the summer months when school is not in session. The policy comes with a massive price tag: $77 million annually, every year going forward. This unfunded mandate puts enormous pressure on school budgets and risks diverting resources away from classrooms, teachers, and students. The Governor’s budget had huge cuts to private and charter schools. Republicans have been able to keep those provisions out of the bill and will stay strong as we finalize House negotiations and start meeting with the Senate. As we enter the final stretch of session, I remain focused on delivering a responsible state budget that protects your tax dollars, funds real priorities, and reins in wasteful spending. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we are committed to putting Minnesotans first, not growing government. Thank you for staying engaged. |