Last week on the House Floor, we heard HF 1, an extreme bill that codifies a right to an abortion at any point in pregnancy, right up until the moment of birth. The bill includes zero guardrails to protect the women and girls who seek abortions, and provide no protection for the unborn babies who can feel extreme pain during abortions. House Republicans offered numerous amendments to bring this bill more in line with what Minnesotans actually think, however the House majority voted every one of them down, including limiting abortion in the 3rd trimester and requiring licensing and inspection of abortion clinics. 

In Ways and Means on Monday night, we heard the drivers license for all bill, a bill that would allow people who are in the country illegally to obtain a drivers license without having to prove their citizenship or legal residency in the United States. This bill raises more questions than it answers, and could have unintended implications in other areas, since people are able to use drivers licenses for things other than driving.

This week, we anticipate hearing HF 7 on the House Floor, a bill that would require Minnesota's energy to be 100% carbon-free by 2040. This bill, like HF 1, has been fast-tracked through the committee process by the DFL, and deserves far more scrutiny by legislators and the public than has been allowed so far. This bill would make energy costs skyrocket, on top of the prices that are already spiking. One estimate by the Center of the American Experiment is that this bill could cost Minnesota families nearly $3,900 more per year. The bill does nothing to address these rising costs, instead just implementing mandates that are impossible for many co-ops to comply with. I plan to vote no.

As of the third week of session, the House has had more than 636 bill introductions - more than double the total of the same point in session two years ago. There were also 40 committee reports by the third week of session, up from only 7 in 2021. House Democrats are pushing bills through at breakneck speed, making it very difficult for the public to follow the bills and committees that will affect them. I have never seen anything like this in my decade in the Legislature.