Hello Friends,
The House and Senate will be in session all weekend attempting to pass the DFL's remaining omnibus bills before Sunday's midnight deadline. As it stands at the time of writing they are still trying to pass about 25 conference committee reports (large omnibus bills) as well as other large pieces of legislation like an Uber/Lyft fix, the ERA constitutional amendment, and sports betting in that 36-hour timeframe.
Thursday night we were able to break from the Capitol and I was also happy to celebrate the “LBC on the Lake” at Antlers Park soft opening with longtime friends and the owners the Seilers and Bruestles! Lakeville Brewing Company on the Lake will open to the public on May 22nd and I hope to visit with many of you there and around town in the coming months.
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Paid Family Leave Tax Increase
On Wednesday we debated the paid family medical leave "fix-it" bill on the House Floor. Unfortunately, this bill represents a substantial tax increase rather than a mere technical adjustment. The payroll tax for this program has already increased by 25% or just over $800 million before the program even starts. Remember, this program was initially funded with $1 billion from the surplus and requires over 400 new government employees. Last year, it was rushed through critical committee hearings without a fiscal note, meaning the majority passed it without fully understanding its cost.
Despite increased cost and rollout issues, the majority rejected Republican amendments that proposed extending the rollout timeline and shoring up the growing cost.
I fully agree we need to support young and working families, but we need to be fiscally responsible while doing so which is why Republicans had a private market-paid family leave plan last year that would've provided these same benefits without the massive new bureaucracy.
Junk Fee Legislation Raises Costs and Regulations
On Monday the DFL passed a "junk fee" bill off the House Floor. Consumer transparency is a laudable goal, but this misses the mark. At the end of the day, this legislation will shift the blame to our small businesses for the cost increases they face from inflation, regulation, taxes, and fees by forcing them to lump all of these costs into the final price without itemization.
Erosion of Rights Amendment - ERA
We are debating the ERA Constitutional amendment on the House Floor today. Despite the seriousness that a proposal like these demands, the bill only went through one committee before hitting the floor - a rushed last-minute Rules Committee hearing.
As the father of two teenage daughters, I have grave concerns with this proposal. This isn't the ERA of the 70's!
It threatens women's-only spaces and enshrines the most extreme abortion laws in the country. Like it or not, abortion is already well protected in Minnesota statutes and case law. Abortion was first protected under the 1995 Supreme Court decision Doe v. Gomez and further codified last year and explicitly legalized abortion up until the moment of birth with no restrictions. This proposed amendment is designed to politically gaslight and activate proponents, increase misinformed voter turnout, and is a shameful attempt to hold political power.
Education Policy and Finance Bills
On Monday, we finalized the passage of the Education Committee Report. While these bills contain some valuable provisions, they're a failed opportunity to address the over 65 new mandates imposed on schools last year. Our local districts have consistently expressed concerns that these mandates restrict how they can use extra funding and often put them in a worse spot than before.
We should be making it easier for our school districts to use new funding in the way that they find best suits families, teachers, and students. I spoke in support of an amendment last week that would have given our schools more flexibility to meet our districts' unique workforce and educational needs. I’m certain the Lakeville district would have been able to reach a contract agreement sooner and more easily.
Watch my comments -> HERE.
Thursday, I was glad to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Southern Valley Alliance's new Scott County facility and support their efforts combating domestic abuse!
Thank you for reading! Be on the lookout for an end of session recap next week.
Jon Koznick
State Representative
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