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Van Binsbergen




Dear Neighbor,

The Minnesota Legislature’s deadline to adjourn came at midnight yesterday, with more than half of the state’s next two-year budget still unfinished. This comes after House Democrats stayed home and collected a paycheck for 23 days of the session, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now, a special session will be necessary to complete work on the state’s next budget, adding even more cost to taxpayers.

Aside from the time crunch caused by House Democrats burning the first 23 days of the session, they further delayed progress by walking back on agreements that had been reached on key issues. One such setback involves a 2023 law enacted by Democrats, which pays hourly school workers unemployment benefits during off months. This unfunded mandate has caused major financial problems for school districts. After a bipartisan agreement was reached to sunset the program, House Democrats reversed course, bringing progress to a halt.

That education package is among the unresolved items that will need to be addressed during what we hope will be a brief special session, at a date still to be determined. In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the important bills we "did" pass in the final stages of the regular session:

*Agriculture Bill*

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Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and a pillar of our country. I was proud to support Minnesota farmers as this bill received final approval on a 130-4 vote Sunday (click the above photo to see my floor speech). Key provisions will help combat infectious diseases in livestock and support the state’s agriculture industry overall.

Agriculture supports over 430,000 jobs in Minnesota and contributes billions to our state’s GDP. I grew up in a home supported by agriculture—we grew corn and beans and raised cattle and hogs. While I’m not a farmer today and don’t own farmland, I understand the pressures farmers face: the uncertainty of crop yields, the challenge of raising livestock, and the rising input costs such as fertilizer, seed, fuel, labor, equipment, insurance, and interest rates … the list goes on. That’s why I support the 65,000 farm families across our state.

This bill also provides critical relief for Minnesota’s dairy industry, which has seen a 40-percent decline in the number of farms over the past seven years. The relief provided will benefit 600 farms across 45 counties. The First District Association in Litchfield, which processes 40 percent of Minnesota’s milk, has been a leader and innovator since 1921. Their economic impact is felt statewide and right here at home every time we purchase dairy products at our local grocery store.

*Working weekend*

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My wife, Clarissa (right), joined House Speaker Lisa Demuth and me during a visit to St. Paul as we worked through last weekend.

*Veterans Bill*

I was also pleased to support a bill that provides meaningful help to our veterans by expanding mental health services, funding veterans’ homes, and more.

The bill includes a major investment in suicide prevention, targeting the tragic loss of nearly 100 veterans per year in Minnesota. It also provides pension credits for National Guard members deployed for state active duty, recognizing service during floods and wildfires with the same respect as federal deployments. Additionally, the bill delivers full funding for all eight of Minnesota’s veterans’ homes, including the new facility in Montevideo.

*Public Safety*

The House also passed a public safety bill, which I voted for, to support law enforcement, improve public safety, and enact tough-on-crime reforms.

Key provisions include:


* Mandatory minimum sentences for sex traffickers
* Consecutive sentences for those who assault county correctional deputies
* Increased penalties for assaulting firefighters and EMS workers
* Accountability for adults when a child comes into contact with fentanyl
* A halt to the early release of offenders from Stillwater prison, as part of the phased closure plan

More updates will follow soon, especially as we head into the special session. Until then, please stay in touch and I hope to see you around.

Sincerely,

Scott









State Rep. Scott Van Binsbergen
2nd Floor, Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55155
<[email protected]>[email protected] (651) 296-4344







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