By Rep. Paul Anderson
The opening day of session last week was anything but ordinary. With only limited numbers allowed on the House floor, most representatives were hooked up online in their offices. We took our oath of office in shifts, with eight or nine members at a time being sworn in by Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen. Even though much of the pomp and circumstance was missing from the usual swearing-in ceremony, it was still a thrill taking the oath and finally getting the new session underway!
With this being a budget year, coming up with a detailed plan on how the state will operate financially over the next two years is topic No. 1. With the economy still being affected by COVID-19, next month's budget forecast takes on added importance.
Current estimates have Minnesota looking at a $1.3 billion shortfall for the new biennium set to start in July. Unlike the federal government, we cannot operate in a negative fashion, so one of two things must happen as the new budget is finalized. Either spending will be reduced, or tax collections will increase. Of course, there could be various combinations of the two but, one way or the other, the budget adopted must be balanced. Other things that could also be utilized are the education shift, a hiring freeze, and an increase in fees charged by the state.
Ever since House sessions have gone virtual, one thing that's been cumbersome is the method of voting. With 134 members, a roll call with every member's name being called takes a great deal of time; usually around 20 minutes for every vote. Most resolutions and amendments, along with the actual bills themselves, were voted on by utilizing this method.
With the new session comes new technology. Each member has been issued a fingerprint reader and have had two of our fingers registered with this new system. Now, when a vote is taken, we use the fingerprint reader to verify who we are, and then vote online. It was used for the first time last Thursday and, for the most part, it worked well. It didn't save a lot of time as there were still members voting the old way, but when all the kinks get worked out, it should speed up the process of voting.
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Our nation was rocked to its core last Wednesday when the U.S. Capitol was over-ridden by protesters in what was an unacceptable display of criminal activity. Shocking images of vandalism and violence from inside the building itself left many thinking that this couldn't possibly be happening in our country. In a testament to America's underlying strength, however, Congress was able to reconvene later that same day and resume its work. Our country is deeply divided and, somehow, we must begin the process of healing those divisions.
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