Friends and Neighbors, The 2025 session is in the books. Despite a 67-67 tie in the House, we passed a responsible transportation budget, delivered local wins for our Lakeville Area District, and stopped more wasteful spending. I focused on protecting taxpayers, improving public safety, and making sure your dollars go where they’re needed most. Here’s a quick glance at some of the things we were able to accomplish this session: Transportation Wins for Lakeville and Beyond As GOP Chair of the House Transportation Committee, I led negotiations to craft a responsible, balanced transportation budget. One of the most significant wins: securing $40 million in matching state funds for the I-35/County Road 50 interchange in Lakeville. This critical investment will relieve congestion, improve safety, and support the long-term growth of our region. We also successfully blocked a proposal that would have diverted $93 million away from Metro counties like Dakota and Scott and handed it over to the Metropolitan Council for projects centered in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Thanks to strong advocacy from local officials and residents, we preserved funding for local transportation projects in our communities. Other highlights from the final transportation package include: - Improving driver and public safety with investments in the State Patrol, I-35 and I-94 upgrades, and aviation infrastructure.
- Making it easier for Minnesotans to schedule and take their driver's tests.
- Increased penalties for repeat driving while intoxicated offenses.
- Reining in some of the unchecked power of the Met Council and ensuring more transparency.
- Renamed the Burnsville Parkway Bridge in memory of Officers Paul Elmstrand, Matthew Ruge, and Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth, who lost their lives in the line of duty.
- Requiring electric vehicles to pay their share for road maintenance.
- Eliminated the “Delivery Tax” for road construction materials and propane delivery.
This package passed with strong bipartisan support, and there were important provisions left out, but the nature of a tied legislature requires compromise. The analogy I used is a pizza: you might not like all of the ingredients, but overall, the pizza is still good. I’m proud to have Chaired and passed a nearly $10 billion transportation package.  Koznick Chairing the House Transportation Committee Ending Wasteful Spending on Failed Train Projects Minnesotans can’t afford wasteful rail projects that don’t serve real needs. This year, I led the charge to redirect $77 million away from the Northern Lights Express to help cover the cost of Democrat-imposed mandates on schools. With this funding shift, NLX is now effectively dead. This was a major taxpayer victory Ending NorthStar Commuter RailOver $320 million spent, and today fewer than 300 people ride the Northstar daily. That’s $12 million in annual losses on a transit service that is simply not viable. I authored legislation to formally end the NorthStar service, and as it advanced, MnDOT and the Met Council scrambled to announce they would “begin a transition” to bus service. The truth is, they only acted because they had no choice. We pushed them to finally acknowledge what everyone already knew: NorthStar has failed, and we are finally suspending the service. Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Mental health should never be a partisan issue. That’s why I worked with Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL) to move forward a bill that funds a suicide prevention fence on the Washington Avenue Bridge at the U of M campus. Too many lives have been lost on that bridge, and it’s been a known problem for years. Hennepin County owns the bridge, and thanks to this bill, they will now be required to address it. Surprisingly, it was a big fight, but I didn’t give up and pushed it into law, with the help of Rep. Hansen. Supporting First Responders On and Off Duty Our police officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and corrections personnel face incredible challenges every day. I, along with Sen. Eric Pratt, again led efforts to renew access to equine-assisted therapy for first responders dealing with PTSD and job-related trauma. The program, offered by Abijah’s on the Backside, has already shown a 98% retention rate and has helped dozens of officers and emergency personnel find healing. With new funding secured, even more heroes can access this proven form of care. But supporting those who serve doesn’t stop there. I also co-authored legislation that allows State Troopers to keep the badge they were sworn in with, which has deep sentimental value to them. Troopers shouldn’t be forced to turn in their badges because of a costly and unnecessary redesign of the state seal. This idea came directly from a local trooper in our community, and I was proud to get it passed. Cutting Red Tape and Supporting Business A few outdated laws were making life harder for gas stations and their customers, especially stations near racetracks like Elko Speedway. My bill gives stations the flexibility to offer additional fuels without unnecessary government red tape. A small but important win for small businesses and engine enthusiasts alike. The extra fuel option is not mandatory but is permissive if a new or existing gas station wants to add more fuel options. We were also able to pass Made in Minnesota Manufacturing Grants that help support small manufacturers and expand manufacturing jobs in Minnesota. One example of these grants in action includes money to help support local solar and energy manufacturing, giving in-state producers a stronger role in meeting Minnesota’s energy demands. In Closing It’s been a year of hard-fought wins, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together. We passed a transportation bill that prioritizes our region and focuses on the modes of transportation Minnesotans use most, shut down failed programs that wasted your money, successfully passed the largest spending reduction in state history, and we made meaningful progress on mental health, public safety, and support for first responders. I hope you all have a great rest of your summer. Continue to follow my Facebook page for occasional updates. I’ll also send an occasional newsletter as newsworthy events pop up.  Koznick at the Pan-O-Prog Parade |