Legislative Update - The June Special Session

Dear Neighbors,

We’re wrapping up our special session on the state budget today. It’s been a busy couple of weeks of late nights, debates, and negotiations, but despite being the only divided state legislature in the nation, we were able to come together to deliver a budget that will help Minnesota recover from the struggles of the past year. 

In any compromise, things get left behind, and that’s certainly the case here. Senate Republicans blocked several important proposals, ranging from common sense police accountability measures to a comprehensive approach to combating climate change - though I am happy to say my bill creating a revolving loan fund allowing energy conservation improvements in state buildings made the cut. Nevertheless, there are a lot of important wins in this budget, and it’s ultimately a compromise that will do good for our state.

We still have our Tax bill left to pass today, but you can find nonpartisan descriptions of the budget bills we already passed below. I’ve also included a note on some of my proposals included in the final bills.

• Higher Education
• Commerce, Climate and Energy  - this is where my previously mentioned energy conservation improvements loans were passed. 
• Agriculture
• Transportation
• Housing
• Jobs and Labor
• Health and Human Services
• Legacy
• Bonding - which includes a modification for Golden Valley’s Douglas Drive and Highway 55 project.
• Environment and Natural Resources
• E-12 Education
• Public Safety and Judiciary
• State Government, Veterans, and Elections - for those of you that have been following my work on Daylight Saving Time legislation, there’s a provision in this budget that allows Minnesota to recognize Daylight Saving Time as the standard of time all year - provided federal legislation permits this change.

Other proposals of mine that have been signed into law - or will be soon, include my bill to close campaign finance loopholes in Hennepin County elections, my legislation allowing dentists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, and my provision in the upcoming Tax bill on Local Government Aid that will save the City of Crystal $232,000. 

Ending the Peacetime Emergency

Thanks to a recent deal with the US Department of Agriculture to continue emergency food assistance, and our Housing budget that creates an eviction moratorium off-ramp, we were able to vote for a safe and orderly end to the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. More Minnesotans are being vaccinated, cases are going down, and the measures we’ve taken ensure ending executive orders don’t leave Minnesotans hanging.

The pandemic and resulting economic recession impacted housing security for thousands of Minnesotans, so much so that Governor Walz instituted a moratorium on evictions last year. Now, with the moratorium ending, our Housing budget contains a provision that gives landlords and renters the time and resources they need to be made whole. If you or someone you know has been struggling with rent payments because of the pandemic, I highly encourage you to check out renthelpmn.org. 

Stay Connected

With the special session ending today, we aren’t scheduled to be back on the House floor until the 2022 Legislative Session. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments you have on the bills we passed this year, or the work we still need to do. You can contact me at rep.mike.freiberg@house.mn and at (651) 296-4176 (E-mail is preferred).

I look forward to hearing from you, and I wish you all a safe and fun Fourth of July!

Sincerely, 

Mike Freiberg