Legislative UpdateI hope you all had a wonderful Easter, celebrating the Resurrection of Christ and spending time with friends and family. Last week, it was great to be back in our community during Holy Week. I was invited to speak at a Rochester Chamber event. Community and business leaders were present, and I spent much more time speaking individually with people from local communities, Mayo, OMC, utilities, and private businesses. Last week, I also had meetings with people from multiple local schools and concerned citizens over what was happening in your government. When we reconvened on Monday, we hit the ground running, working to advance the many committee bills, most of which were finalized before break. Even though it’s been hectic as we race to finish by May 19th, I was still able to meet with the MN School Boards Association, staff on the bicameral committee on Claims, and the Legislative Audit Commission. Update on the House Elections Omnibus BillAs the Republican Chair of the Elections Committee, I’ve been in negotiations with my Democrat counterpart over the last several weeks to iron out funding and policy decisions to be included in our committee’s bill. My intention is to fix issues with recent elections, and make it clearer, so that we don’t have local governments fail to follow election law. We came to an agreement before the Easter break, and the bill was just heard this past Wednesday in the Ways and Means Committee. It will have one more stop in the Rules Committee before heading to the House Floor with a tentative date of May 1st. Health and Human Services Bill Stalls as DFL Prioritizes Illegal Immigrants Over MinnesotansThe Health omnibus bill has hit a major roadblock at the Capitol, and it’s because of misplaced priorities. Under a new policy backed by Democrats, Minnesota is now providing free taxpayer-funded health care to undocumented immigrants, even as funding is being slashed for essential services like nursing homes, disability programs, and emergency medical services. That’s not just wrong, it’s unsustainable. In just the first three months of this policy, 17,396 undocumented individuals have already enrolled in MinnesotaCare, a staggering number compared to the Walz administration’s projection of just 5,784 by 2026. If this trend continues, the program could cost over $600 million annually within four years. The math is simple but alarming: - It adds up to at least $107 million in FY2025 alone.
- And unlike Medicaid or other programs for legal residents, where the federal government covers 90% of the cost and the state only 10%, this program is 100% state-funded. That means Minnesota could provide Billions in services for its citizens instead.
To pay for this exploding program, Democrats are proposing new taxes and fees on food, lodging, and even drinking water, all while cutting support for the millions of Minnesotans who rely on essential services such as long-term care facilities and EMS. In our district alone, long-term care facilities would see cuts of nearly $4.5 million. Let me be clear: This is a question of placing our citizens first. We should not be draining state resources to offer benefits to individuals who broke the law to come here, while denying care and stability to our seniors, people with disabilities, and hardworking families. Honoring the Late Rep. Mary MurphyEven though we are currently in battles over legislation, we still have times when we can come together in a bipartisan way. This week, we had the chance to honor the late Representative Mary Murphy, who had been a staple in the Capitol serving her Hermantown community for 46 years. It was great to talk to her about difficult subjects, and she had a true and wonderful heart. Her 46 years made her the state’s second-longest-serving representative. She passed away in December at the age of 85. State of the State, Talk is CheapWe heard Governor Walz deliver his State of the State address this week, and while there were plenty of headlines, there was little accountability. In just two years, the DFL blew through a record $18 billion surplus, raised taxes and fees by another $10 billion, and now we’re staring down a $6 billion deficit. That’s not leadership. That’s fiscal malpractice. The Governor acknowledged for the first time that we’re facing a deficit and talked about the need to rein in spending. That’s a start, but Minnesotans need more than words. We need action, and we need it now. Unfortunately, instead of owning up to the consequences of one-party control, the Governor chose to use their Trump deflection strategy, shifting the blame to Washington, even though Trump was not president during the two years of full Democrat control. That might fire up his base, but it doesn’t solve the real problems facing our state. For six years, fraud has run unchecked in state agencies under this administration. Now that Republicans have a seat at the table and have forced the creation of the Fraud Prevention and Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Robbins with a Republican majority, the Governor is finally starting to pay attention. That’s no coincidence. That’s pressure producing results. As we enter the final stretch of session, we’re focused on delivering a budget that protects seniors, supports our students, and puts Minnesotans first. That means no more games, no more excuses, and no more tax hikes. We must get this right because families and businesses across our state are already feeling the consequences of overreach and overspending. Let’s stay focused, get to work, and fix what’s broken. |