Legislative Update: May 17, 2025
Dear Neighbors -
On Thursday, Governor Walz and leadership in the House and Senate announced a budget framework for the end of the legislative session. This agreement largely sets the framework for specific budget areas. But the deal also includes specific agreements on policy issues that Republicans have demanded as the price of passing a state budget and not shutting down the state government.
Going into this legislative session with a tied GOP-DFL House, I have been laser focused on protecting the historic progress we made the last few years from the Republican attempts to take rights and benefits away from people. I’m glad to say this bipartisan leadership agreement protects many of those wins - Universal School Meals, reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention measures, clean energy goals, MN Voting Rights Act, Earned Sick & Safe Time, wage theft protections, and Paid Family & Medical Leave, just to name a few.
However, Republicans made it clear that they would hold the state budget hostage unless their demand to strip healthcare access for our undocumented neighbors was met. They would risk a government shutdown, along with all the services Minnesotans rely on, to take health care away from people and make life more difficult and deadly for some of our neighbors. The compromise reached by state leaders would strip MinnesotaCare, a health care program for Minnesotans with low incomes, from undocumented adults, leaving children still eligible.
Protecting our Neighbors on MinnesotaCare
I want to be extremely clear: An agreement that betrays our immigrant neighbors and capitulates to the Minnesota Republicans’ immoral attempts to scapegoat immigrants while they defend corporations and billionaires is unacceptable, and I will vote against any bill that strips away MinnesotaCare coverage from any Minnesotan.
Republicans number one priority in negotiations was to strip life-saving cancer treatments, dialysis treatments, care for diabetes, and other life-threatening care that our neighbors rely on. Instead of focusing on big pharma and health insurance companies who put profits over patients, MAGA Legislators here in Minnesota are following Trump’s playbook scapegoating a small group of already struggling Minnesotans, who pay taxes, pay premiums, and pay and copays, because of their racism and xenophobia.
I encourage you all to watch yesterday’s People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus Press Conference, where DFLers and community leaders laid out the facts, and strongly stood in support of our neighbors who are being threatened.
I especially appreciated the comments of Senator Alice Mann, an emergency room physician and member of the Senate POCI Caucus, who directly refuted Republicans’ baseless claims that this policy is about fiscal responsibility. It is not low-income immigrants who are to blame for our current budget situation, it is the wealthy millionaires and corporations who refuse to pay their fair share, including the for-profit healthcare system that is already broken and will only get worse because of this policy that will lead to more emergency room visits and uncompensated care. You can watch Senator Mann’s comments here.
Minnesota Republicans fought to continue corporate tax exemptions and against any attempt to force the wealthy to pay their fair share, because they would rather punish undocumented Minnesotans than build a budget that helps working people.
As legislators meet throughout the weekend until our May 19 deadline, I will continue fighting for a budget that helps working people and doesn’t bargain over the lives of our communities.
Protecting School Workers
Last night, House Republicans insisted on stripping away unemployment insurance from hourly school workers to get an education funding budget. But this UI repeal will not become law because DFLers in the House, Senate, and the Governor won’t let it.
As long as I'm in the legislature, I will use the power I have to ensure we are giving more power and rights to workers, not taking them away. That’s why I authored a bill to fully fund the program for the upcoming budget cycle which also passed last night, and Republicans’ UI repeal will be removed in final negotiations.
I spoke last night on the House Floor about the cruelty of taking away these benefits from the bus drivers, school nurses, and paraprofessionals that take care of our students. I read real stories from Minnesotans who have received these benefits, who said that UI helped them support their families, recharge after the school year, and led to less staff turnover. You can watch my comments here.
We aren’t going to leave workers behind, and we certainly aren't rolling back economic security for these workers, or any worker in any industry, in every zip code. I will make sure of that.
What Comes Next?
Legislators will be meeting all through the weekend into Monday in order to negotiate final versions of budget bills to fund our state government. At this point, a special session will likely be necessary to finish our work and ensure we have a budget that reflects our values. Additionally, we’ll need time for our nonpartisan revisors staff to draft the final negotiated agreements into bills ready to pass the House and Senate Floor.
I will be working this weekend to ensure these budget bills truly reflect the values our district holds. As DFL Vice Chair of the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee I will be especially focused on protecting our work unrigging the economy and protecting Minnesota workers from the attacks we’re seeing every day from Trump and his MAGA allies here in Minnesota.
As these bills come up for final votes, I will stand for the people of our District and will not vote for legislation that balances a budget on the backs of our workers, our undocumented neighbors, and the most vulnerable among us.
Stay in Touch
Thank you for your time, energy, and all you do to make our community a great place to live, work, and play. Always feel free to reach out to me with your input and ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. My email is rep.emma.greenman@house.mn.gov or you are always welcome to call me at the Capitol at 651-296-4200 and follow my Facebook page for updates.
It’s an honor and a privilege to be your State Representative. I'm very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together and look forward to the work we have ahead of us. Together, we can create a stronger, brighter future for all Minnesotans!
Best,
Emma Greenman
State Representative