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Wayne Johnson 2025 Header




*March 14, 2025*






Legislative Update

Friends and Neighbors,

We’re almost halfway through the legislative session, and our pace has not slowed down as we attempt to make up for the month we lost earlier this year. My focus remains on making Minnesota a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

With the results of the Roseville special election now in, the House will return to a 67-67 tie next Tuesday. While this doesn’t drastically change what gets passed—since we still need at least one Democrat vote (68 total) to pass a bill—it does have important implications for the committee process.

With the House now evenly split, all committees (except the Fraud and Oversight Committee) will have equal membership, and committee chairs will alternate between Republicans and Democrats every other day. This shift means that bipartisan support is now required for a bill to advance, making committees the key battleground for shaping legislation before it reaches the House Floor. Expect more debate and negotiation in committee rooms as we work to get good policy passed.

This week, I want to highlight three key efforts I’m working on: cutting burdensome taxes on charitable gambling, enhancing workplace safety for young workers, and supporting the upcoming 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota.

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More Money for Local Charities

I’m proud to support HF 169 [ [link removed] ], a bill that would let our local charities keep more of their hard-earned dollars instead of sending them to the government. Right now, charitable gambling revenue is taxed more heavily than what is actually spent on their missions. According to the Gambling Control Board, charities pay 28% of their revenue in taxes, while only 18% goes to mission-related expenses.

That means organizations like veterans' groups, youth sports teams, and local nonprofits are giving more to the government than they are to the people they serve. That’s backwards. We need to cut these taxes so charities can do what they do best—support our communities, help families in need, and fill the gaps where government programs fall short.



Ensuring Worker Safety: The “Brady Aune and Joseph Anderson Safety Act”

Workplace safety should never be an afterthought, yet two young men, Brady Aune and Joseph Anderson, lost their lives because of a lack of training and proper safety measures while working in commercial diving.

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Joseph Anderson (18) and Brady Aune (20) tragically drowned while working in commercial diving operations that lacked proper training, supervision, and safety equipment. Joseph was given less than 15 minutes of training before being sent into deep water alone, while Brady's weight belt was put backward and inside out, making it impossible for him to escape when he got into trouble. Neither had a CPR-certified supervisor or the necessary safety gear to prevent their deaths. Their families are now fighting for the Brady Aune and Joseph Anderson Safety Act (HF 1355) [ [link removed] ] to require scuba certification, proper equipment, and trained supervision, ensuring no other young worker faces the same preventable fate.

I am honored to co-author the bill, which requires proper training and certification for anyone performing commercial diving operations and requires that all divers have a buoyance control device (BCD). This bill will put life-saving standards in place, ensuring that workers have the equipment and training they need to do their jobs safely. No family should have to go through what these parents have endured, and I am deeply sorry for their losses. I hope that this bill can help prevent future tragedies from occurring and save lives.



Bringing the Special Olympics to Minnesota

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Minnesota is proud to host the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games from June 20-26, bringing over 4,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, and 10,000 volunteers to the Twin Cities. This event will be the largest athletic competition of its kind in our state, showcasing the dedication, talent, and perseverance of the athletes, and the wonderful qualities of our state.

I’ve introduced a bill to secure funding to ensure these games are a success. This is a chance for Minnesota to highlight our top-tier facilities and support athletes who have trained and worked hard to compete. The Special Olympics is more than just a sporting event—it’s about perseverance, achievement, and the spirit of competition.



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These issues—supporting local charities, creating meaningful workplace safety standards to save lives, and bringing world-class events to Minnesota—are just a few of the things I’ve been working on. I will continue pushing for common-sense policies that make life better for Minnesotans.

As always, I want to hear from you. If you have thoughts, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your input makes a difference.

Best,






Representative Wayne Johnson

House District 41A

 

"Serving Lakeland, Afton, Baytown, Cottage Grove, Denmark, Grant, Lake Elmo, Lakeland Shores, Lake Saint Croix Beach, Saint Mary's Point, and West Lakeland. "

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Saint Paul, MN 55155
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