Friends,
This Friday marks the first committee deadline at the Capitol. At this point in the session, bills need to move through committees in both the House and Senate to stay alive. It’s where we find out what’s actually going to move forward and what’s going to be stalled out.
With the House tied, just like last year, we know it takes an agreement from both parties to get anything done. That’s the reality. But it also means it takes just one vote from the other side to move good, practical legislation forward. Right now, there are a number of solid proposals just sitting there, not because they lack support or common sense, but because they are being held up for political reasons.
I think this reality is frustrating for Minnesotans all across our state.
A big focus for me this session has been on making Minnesota a place where families can afford to live well and businesses can grow and thrive. Right now, families and job creators across Minnesota are feeling the pressure from rising costs, while at the same time dealing with more mandates and more government overreach coming out of St. Paul.
We're chipping away at these mandates but there’s much more work to be done.
Here are just a few of the proposals ready to move:
- HF 3524 – No Tax on Overtime so workers can keep more of what they earn
- HF 3525 – No Tax on Tips to support service industry workers
- HF 3562 – Lower Car Tab Fees by returning them to pre-2023 levels
- HF 3814 – Section 179 Conformity allowing businesses to deduct more equipment and investment costs upfront so they can reinvest in their operations and employees
- HF 3815 – Business Interest Deduction Conformity helping businesses that rely on loans to grow and expand
- HF 3817 – Bonus Depreciation Conformity allowing immediate deduction of investments to simplify the tax code and encourage growth
- HF 4703 – Repeal of the Nuclear Moratorium to open the door to reliable, affordable energy and help bring long-term costs down
These are not complicated ideas. They are practical steps that would lower costs and support the people who are driving our local economy. Every one of these proposals has full Republican support. Every one of them needs just one Democrat to join us to move forward.
That same approach applies to small business policy. Over the past few years, we’ve seen more mandates and regulations coming out of St. Paul, and those costs don’t stay in St. Paul. They land on small businesses and local communities.
I’ve been working on making reasonable changes to policies like Paid Family and Medical Leave. As it’s currently structured, it puts real strain on small employers with just a few employees. We cannot treat a small, family-run business the same as a large corporation. If we want to keep our small businesses strong, we need policies that reflect that reality.
I’m also continuing work to roll back unfunded mandates. When the state requires something but doesn’t provide the funding to support it, that cost gets pushed down to local governments, schools, and ultimately taxpayers. That’s not a sustainable way to operate.
Fraud is another area where Minnesotans have every right to be frustrated. We are talking about billions of taxpayer dollars lost or put at risk, and for too long, the response has been slow, incomplete, or nonexistent. We all know that’s unacceptable.
We have seen repeated failures to catch fraud early, failures to act when warning signs were there, and a lack of real consequences when things went wrong. That erodes trust, and it should.
There are proposals ready right now to strengthen oversight, extend the statute of limitations so cases don’t go unprosecuted, and give law enforcement the tools they need to actually go after fraud in real time.
And once again, they need just one Democrat to join us to move forward.
I’ve also spent time meeting with folks across our district and their frustration with the rampant fraud and wasteful spending by bureaucrats in St. Paul has been more than clear. They tell me they are fed up with the extreme costs for things like energy and ridiculous car tab fees.
I believe these are the most important issues at the Capitol and the most important issues facing our state. That is where my focus remains.
There are good, workable solutions on the table right now. The question is whether we can convince just one democrat to join us in passing them. Minnesotans are looking for relief and results. In many cases, it only takes one vote to get there.
I want to thank you all for staying engaged. I know it’s a frustrating process, but progress is being made and we need to continue to apply pressure.
Sincerely,
Josh