Dear Neighbors,
Earlier this week, lawmakers met in a one-day special session to complete the work of balancing our state’s budget for the next two years. Here’s a recap from our work this year at the Capitol – in a challenging political environment, to say the least – and what we can expect looking forward.
Budget Balanced; Progress Protected
This year, the Minnesota House was equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, and the Minnesota Senate had a one-seat DFL majority. This meant we needed to work together and collaborate to get anything done, including the heavy lifting of passing a two-year balanced budget. Minnesotans expect us to govern responsibly and effectively, and I’m pleased we were able to finish this work in a bipartisan fashion. We delivered funding increases for schools; additional resources for mental health and child protection; new investments in pensions for teachers, public safety personnel, and state employees; new funding to address worker misclassification; increased pay for disability services and nursing home workers, and more.
What’s most remarkable though is the amount of progress we protected for Minnesotans, and that’s reflected in the items that did not pass this session. Republicans worked to roll back countless victories DFLers delivered during the last two years, and in the end, they were overwhelmingly unsuccessful in doing so. While it required some extra time in a special session, as a result of DFLers standing firm, Paid Family & Medical Leave is still set to take effect on January 1, 2026. Students can still eat free meals at school. Workers can count on Earned Sick & Safe Time. Minnesotans can still access comprehensive reproductive care. Strong protections for our LGBTQIA+ neighbors will remain on the books. We’ll stay on the path toward our 100% carbon-free energy by 2040 goal. Young people from families earning less than $80,000 per year can still have free college tuition. Criminal background checks and red flag laws will still help prevent gun violence. And there’s so much more.
As the 2025 session was set to begin in January, Republicans were set on using a temporary one-seat advantage to overturn a lawful election and kick out a duly elected DFL representative, which would have given them the ability to take full power of the Minnesota House for the entire two-year biennium. To stop this, Democrats came to the Capitol to begin the session only when Republicans were finally willing to agree to a fair power sharing agreement. Had we not done so, we wouldn’t have been in any position to protect the progress we delivered during the 2023-2024 session.
My DFL colleagues and I are deeply grateful to the Minnesotans who helped make this progress possible through your advocacy. Thanks to everyone who spoke up about the real difference these policies are making in your lives. Because of your voices, we were able to protect them!
One Big Disappointment
While compromise was necessary in such a closely divided legislature, one troubling measure that passed will take MinnesotaCare coverage away from adults without legal status. Republicans would not back down from their demand to include this measure in a special session and without it, were willing to take us to the brink of a government shutdown. As the author of the legislation expanding this coverage two years ago, it’s deeply disheartening to know people in our communities will no longer have access to affordable preventative care, treatment for chronic conditions like diabetes, or care for cancer and other serious illnesses. I voted “no” and you can watch my speech on the House Floor here.
Make no mistake: this demand from the GOP had nothing to do with fiscal responsibility. Those without coverage will still seek treatment when they are sick, but they are more likely to go to the emergency room to get it. As we all know, emergency care is exponentially more expensive than primary care, and hospitals are unlikely to receive payment when folks don’t have insurance. As a result, these costs are passed on to everyone else.
This cruelty from Minnesota Republicans is consistent with efforts from the GOP in Congress to penalize states that are even using their own state money to provide health care to undocumented residents. Everyone deserves access to affordable health care, and this heartless action will take us backward in reaching that vision.
Trump Chaos Ahead
While we’ve completed the work of balancing the budget, the path forward is uncertain due to the chaos coming from Washington. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are pushing a federal budget proposal that will gut Medicaid, slash food support, and roll back the progress we’ve made on clean energy. The Medicaid cuts would have a particularly devastating impact on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, including those with disabilities, low-income folks, and seniors. In all, over 250,000 Minnesotans could have their health coverage ripped from them. It would also be a big hit to our state budget to the tune of $500 million a year. The reason for this cruelty? Massive tax breaks for the wealthiest among us and big corporations, comprising the largest transfer of wealth in our nation’s history.
In an economy rigged in favor of the rich and powerful, Democrats will keep fighting to ensure everyone has a fair shot at a better life. We’re focused on what really matters: lowering costs for families, expanding access to housing, child care, and health care, and protecting the freedoms and opportunities every Minnesotan deserves.
Please continue to be in touch about the issues that matter to you. It’s an honor to serve you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Rep. Jamie Long
DFL Floor Leader, Minnesota House of Representatives