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Dear Neighbor,
The House continues to spend most of its time in committee meetings at this point in the session, but we have had some important bills come to the floor along the way. Here’s the latest:
Status update on my bills
 H.F. 286 (cracking down on sex trafficking by expanding criminal background checks on license applications for massage services) and H.F. 320 (allowing auto dealers to participate in shows outside of the counties where they’re licensed) both are on the General Register, available for votes of the full House.
H.F. 400 (shifting the cost of new state healthcare mandates from the insurers/enrollees to the state to take the defray the cost of insurance premiums) and H.F. 303 (allowing transit operators to get testing done with third parties to alleviate an exam logjam) both remain in the mix for passage as part of larger bill packages.
Emergency powers
The House on Thursday took up a bill that provides new guardrails to check a governor’s use of emergency powers. The way it is now, a governor can continue extending his powers so long as the legislature does not end them.
That’s a backward way to do things, so a House Republican bill (H.F. 21) flips it around and requires supermajority approval by each legislative body for a governor’s peacetime emergency powers to extend beyond 14 days. In addition the bill says emergency powers can only be extended two weeks at a time instead of a full month as current law allows.
Unfortunately, House Democrats voted against this bill, but House Republicans tabled it so it can be revisited another day.
CentraCare
 Thank you to CentraCare representatives (above) who came to the Capitol to testify on behalf of H.F. 958, which I have co-authored, adding the Collaborative Care Model for psychiatric services to medical assistance.
Light rail moratorium
The full House this week also brought to the floor a Republican bill (H.F. 14) that puts a moratorium on funding for light rail projects.
This is in response to persistent cost overruns and delays with current projects. For example, Minnesotans have already paid more than twice the original cost of the Southwest Light Rail, which has soared from $1.25 billion to $2.9 billion and is nearly a decade behind schedule. On top of that, the Blue Line Extension’s costs have tripled. Initially projected at $999 million with a 2022 finish date, it now estimated at $3.2 billion project that won’t be operational until at least 2030.
We need to hit pause on light rail spending to protect taxpayers from continuing to take these hits. Once again, House Democrats blocked the bill from passing, but it remains tabled for potential reconsideration later.
Girls sports
Legislation to promote safety and fairness by prohibiting boys from playing in girls sports in Minnesota is expected to come to the House floor on Monday. It simply says, “Only students of the female sex may participate in an elementary or secondary school athletic team or sport that an educational institution has restricted on the basis of sex to women or girls.”
I look forward to having this discussion on (H.F. 12) as a full House and probably will have more to say soon. Hope you can attend the big rally that’s taking place Monday to gather in support for this bill (see image at right).
Fraud notes
House Republicans continue advancing bills designed to curb fraud, waste and abuse in Minnesota. One bill (H.F. 3) brings greater oversight with “fraud notes” that provide insights into potential areas of fraud before new programs or policies are enacted. We need to hold agencies accountable and protect taxpayers, which is what this bill does.
Tax on workers
We recently received news that the payroll tax rate for the new Paid Family Medical Leave program will be 25 percent higher than the Democrats’ 2023 enacting legislation included. This translates to a $300-$350 million tax increase on employers and employees – a grand total of $1.55 billion next year alone.
This is a big hit for local businesses, especially on top of the sick time law that was passed under the former one-party control. The new PFML program was rushed into enactment and simply is not ready to launch Jan. 1 of 2026 as scheduled.
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Helpful House links
Here are some links you may find helpful in following the latest goings on at the Capitol:
Please Contact Me
It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. You can call me at 651-296-6316, or email me at [email protected]. I am here to serve you!
Bernie
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