Yesterday I was glad to spend some time talking with third graders from Kaposia Education Center while they were on their Capitol tour! We talked about the important work that goes on at the Legislature and the students were able to take a photo up on the Speaker’s rostrum!
This year’s election resulted in a 67-67 tie in the State House, an outcome that hasn’t happened in our state since 1979. DFL Leader Melissa Hortman and Republican Leader Lisa Demuth have been meeting to negotiate how the House will be run in the 2025 session, and this week agreed to an overall committee structure.
The membership of committees will be equally divided and chaired by DFL and Republican co-chairs. Committee membership will be determined at a later date. As we continue to learn more details about next session, I’ll share updates with you here.
This morning, I co-chaired the Legislative Audit Commission as we heard a performance audit of the Minnesota Lottery. Established in 1989, lottery proceeds fund our state through the General Fund and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF).
You can find the full audit here and watch a stream of the Legislative Audit Commission’s meeting here.
This November, 77% of voters supported reauthorizing the ENRTF and continuing to dedicate funds from the lottery to protecting our environment and natural resources.
 As co-chair of the commission that oversees those funds (the LCCMR) and co-chair of the Legislative Audit Commission, I am committed to using the results of this audit to ensure the lottery program continues to be run effectively.
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-296-6828. You can contact my Legislative Assistant Sam O'Neill at 651-296-3305 or via email at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative
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