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Good morning!
We’ve officially reached the third and final committee deadline, and things have been moving fast at the Capitol. Budget negotiations have been ongoing for the last several weeks to get bills through committees. We have worked really hard to get to this point, and have a much needed break for Easter next week since there isn't any official legislative business going on at the Capitol.
We will return on April 21st, and then it will be a sprint to our adjournment date of May 19th. Everything that we haven't completed in terms of budget negotiations and passing bills will happen in that time after break.
Education: Pensions and the GOP Plan
Minnesota teachers show up every day for our students and communities, and they’ve done it for years. But when it comes time to retire, many are finding that their pension benefits don’t match the work they’ve put in. That’s a serious problem, and one we need to fix. Teachers across the state have been speaking up more than ever this session, pushing for real pension reform. Our education leaders in the GOP caucus recently held a press conference to highlight the different options that have been proposed in legislation.
This week, Rep. Ben Bakeberg joined that press conference to help bring attention to the need for change. We are working on delivering the pension plans that our teachers are asking for. The goal is simple: support our educators at every stage of their career and make sure they can count on the retirement they’ve earned.
Overall, our schools need help. Our students are struggling academically and our schools are making difficult budgeting decisions to make up for unfunded mandates that were passed down last session. Myself and my Republican colleagues agree that our schools need the flexibility to make the right decisions for them and their students, rather than having to comply with confusing and unnecessary mandates at the expense of students and teachers. Rep. Patty Mueller and Rep. Ben Bakeberg recently filmed this video, outlining the GOP strategy and goals.
Wins in Budget Negotiations
Some budget negotiations are ongoing, and will be wrapped up sometime after we return from break. However, the bills that been finalized contain some huge wins for our caucus and everyday Minnesotans. Since day one, Republicans have been fighting for accountability, safety, affordability, protecting our schools, and more. Here are some of our top wins so far:
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Stopping fraud by providing whistleblower protections
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Reining in government spending by encouraging state agencies to innovate and find cost savings
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Making communities safer by increasing penalties for driving without a license
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Protecting children by requiring training on identifying signs of child abuse for mandatory reporters
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Improving election integrity by banning organizations that take state funding from spending for political purposes or in elections
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Protecting women and vulnerable adults by adding requirements to domestic abuse and missing persons reporting
Negotiations are still ongoing for some bills, and I will be able to share more completely about the provisions once the bills pass the House floor. I am proud of the work that we were able to accomplish, even in a tied House. Look out for more updates as we get closer to the end of session.
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