|
The regular 2025 legislative session has come to a close. Since we were unable to pass all of our budget bills prior to our constitutional adjournment deadline of May 19th, a special session will take place so we can wrap up our work.
By the end of the day Monday, we had passed budget bills on Veterans and Military Affairs, Agriculture, Housing, Judiciary and Public Safety, State Government and Elections, Legacy, and a pensions bill that helps our teachers, firefighters, and police. Two of the budget areas for committees I serve on – Higher Education and Children and Families – are still in negotiations. This week, I spoke about our Higher Education budget and the irrelevant demands Republicans are making. You can watch my remarks here.
While no one wanted it to get to the point of needing a special session, the reality is that has been the case for the last six budgets passed in divided government. It's also worth noting that we did pass the 2023 budget without a special session - the first time that had happened in a decade - when we had a House DFL majority.
Republicans have been making things significantly more difficult by going back on their agreements and making demands that are irrelevant to passing a state budget. While I am cautiously optimistic this is coming to an end, my colleagues and I are prepared to fight back if they bring more of these bad-faith tactics to the table.
All session long, we’ve seen a clear contrast between who Republicans are fighting for and who DFLers are fighting for. DFLers are fighting for a future where we put more power in the hands of working Minnesotans – not powerful corporations or the obscenely rich. We want to give Minnesotans more economic security, and we’ve fought Republican efforts to weaken, dismantle, and repeal progress for working families.
Republicans and their corporate backers are trying to stick it to working people and roll back things that make life a little easier for our families, like Paid Family and Medical Leave, Earned Sick and Safe Time, and unemployment benefits.
I will keep you updated as we navigate putting together the final pieces of the state budget.
|
Five years ago, George Floyd's murder shook our nation and sparked a global movement for justice. In response, we passed parts of the Minnesota Police Accountability Act and established duty to intercede requirements—ensuring officers must act when witnessing excessive force.
George Floyd should still be alive today. We honor his memory by continuing the fight for justice and accountability.
|
|
Unfortunately, due to technological restraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach me. To stay up to date with our important work at the State Capitol, you can see the Minnesota House of Public Information Services’ nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication.
You can also stay up-to-date with the latest by following my Facebook page.
To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at [email protected] or 651-296-4218, and I will be happy to help. If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe.
Thank you, as always, for the honor of serving you.
|
|
Representative Nathan Coulter
5th Floor, Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar St.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-4218
Email: [email protected] (replies to this newsletter are not monitored)
Website: https://www.house.mn.gov/51B
Legislative Assistant: Helen Flock, 651-297-8409
|
|
|
|
