Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from the Capitol, where we wind down another week in the 2025 session and welcome warmer temperatures after a frigid stretch of days.
The subject of electronic pull tabs has been a big topic of discussion in St. Paul this week. This comes as Minnesota charities face a decline in revenue this year due to changes made to electronic pull tabs in the last biennium.
Specifically, one-party control approved a law banning the “open all” feature that made the electronic pull-tab games popular. This took effect Jan. 1, and local veterans organizations, such as American Legions and VFWs, have reported revenue losses ranging from 20- 44 percent statewide. Even at a 30-percent revenue decline, those relying on charitable proceeds in Minnesota – EMS groups, food shelves, youth sports teams and associations, Boys and Girl Scouts, and other local charities – could be looking at a $115 million annual loss due to the electronic pull tab change.
Electronic pull tabs have been an important revenue stream for people in our district, whether they are working with local organizations or benefit from the services these groups provide. It is concerning a change in state law has taken funding away from organizations that provide so many healthy outlets for many people, including children. In addition, electronic pull tabs have been a good draw for local establishments over the years, providing a source of entertainment that attracts customers – and much-needed revenue – to establishments.
We just need to bring back what we had. Local organizations play such a critical role in our communities and this change in law is hindering them from doing the good work they do. House Republicans have authored a bill (H.F. 733) to repeal the law passed in 2023, restoring electronic pull tab features and I hope it soon reaches the House floor for a vote on approval.
In other news, a bill House Republicans authored to promote safety and fairness in girls sports cleared its first committee this week. The bill (H.F. 12) simply says: “Only students of the female sex may participate in an elementary or secondary school athletic team or sport that an educational institution has restricted on the basis of sex to women or girls.”
President Trump also recently issued an executive order entitled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” to uphold fairness and safety, but The Minnesota State High School League has sent mixed signals on whether it intends to comply. House Republicans sent a letter to the MSHSL Director expressing concern over this issue and you can read the letter here.
Polls show 80 percent agree that biological sex should determine participation in sports, and that those born male at birth should be excluded from women’s sports. With such widespread support from the public, this should not be a partisan issue. We’ll see what happens when this bill comes to the floor for a vote of the full body.
Have a good weekend and pleas stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Paul