Legislative Update
A Quick Update on the Situation in St. Paul.
After last week’s special election in Roseville, the Minnesota House is evenly split, with 67 Republicans and 67 Democrats. It takes 68 votes to pass a bill in the Minnesota House, so all future legislation will require some level of bipartisanship. On one hand, this is a challenging situation, but on the other, it provides some unique opportunities to focus on issues that impact Minnesotans, rather than the political ideologies that have driven past legislative sessions.
A Challenging Forecast
Recently, the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget released their February Budget Forecast, revealing a worsening trend that now expects a $5.995 billion general deficit for the 2028-29 biennium. This is a massive shift from the $18.5 billion surplus we had last session, along with the $10 billion in tax increases that were imposed by the ‘trifecta.’ No one was surprised that growing government by 40% would have consequences, but the dominant short-term, campaign-style budgeting is making Minnesota less accountable, less stable, and less able to focus on the issues that are important to people.
Legislation
I’ve been incredibly busy working on a variety of legislative proposals with hearings in Taxes, Health, Human Services, and Children, Youth, and Families Committees. Below are a few highlights:
(HF 794) - Dementia/Alzheimer’s Program This bill addresses the growing impact of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia by establishing a dementia point person in the Department of Health to help the 20% of Minnesota families affected by the diagnosis. This innovative approach aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with dementia and their families while fostering a more informed, coordinated response to the disease across the state.
(HF 633) - In-Home Childcare Providers Exclusion Licensed in-home childcare providers are small businesses and face significant financial challenges as they operate out of their homes while complying with government regulations. Over the last decade, we’ve lost more than 50% of our in-home providers. This bill provides financial relief to licensed in-home childcare providers by cutting their property tax in half. This cost-saving initiative not only helps our childcare providers but also creates a small and important incentive to start rebuilding our childcare network. More providers mean shorter waitlists, more options for families, and reduced costs.
(HF 631) - Market Value Exclusion for Veterans The Veterans’ exclusion was created in 2008 to provide property tax relief for disabled veterans. The value of this exclusion has eroded over time, so I drafted a bill to ensure that a veteran with a 100% disability would be eligible for a property tax exclusion equal to 1.5 times the statewide median home value. For 2024, the statewide median home value is $311,400. So, under this bill, veterans with a 100% disability would be eligible for an exclusion amount of $467,100 (1.5 x $311,400). Veterans with partial disabilities would be eligible for 0.75 times the statewide median home value.