Dear Neighbor, The 2025 legislative session began with House Democrats refusing to come to the Capitol the first 23 days after a candidate of theirs was caught lying about his residency in a Roseville/Shoreview district and a judge barred him from taking office. After two years in full control of the Capitol, House Democrats could not come to grips with the fact their trifecta was over and refused to come to work in the minority. They broke the law, created a mess and showed up late to the game this session. Fast forward to last night: The 2025 session ended with half of the bills comprising our state’s next two-year budget unfinished. That means a special session will be necessary to finish putting a new budget in place before the current fiscal cycle ends June 30. Here is a look at which budget bills received final approval and are in the governor’s hands for enactment, and others that remain in limbo:  Higher Education The Higher Education omnibus bill (H.F. 2431) is among the outstanding items of business. I have worked closely with this subject as the House Republican Chair of that committee. We have a good bill that makes policy changes and cuts to completely close a $239 million State Grant Program projected shortfall. Our bill eliminates the gap and leaves a small surplus in the program which can be carried forward into the next biennium. After a thorough examination of the state’s system, the final bipartisan agreement tightens up unnecessary or inefficient state spending to help fill the grant program shortfall at a time the legislature is working to resolve a $6 billion shortfall the state faces. For example, the bill eliminates funding for Mayo Clinic entirely from the Office of Higher Education budget. Mayo’s gross revenue was around $18.8 billion in 2024; they do not need state funds. The bill also strikes funding that was going to Lutheran Social Services, which has 10 employees making more than the Governor and a CEO making $420k. Student Loan Counseling program elimination saves $400,000 per biennium. The savings we achieved from selective cuts are reappropriated to the State Grant Program deficit, provides base funding for MNState, the U of M, the CentraCare medical school, and fully funds the Fostering Independent Grant program, provides full-ride scholarships for peace officers injured in the line of duty, and their children – and more. Here is the challenge: In order to get anything passed in the split House, we needed support from Republican and Democrat House Chairs and the Senate Democrat Chair. On top of that, the Governor’s stamp of approval on each omnibus bill was required to be able to move the bills through the process, in my opinion, thereby violating the crucial separation of powers that the constitution requires. It's a miracle even a single omnibus bill got done with those demands.  With that said, the Higher Education omnibus bill (policy and spreadsheet) was all agreed to with only one outstanding issue that I raised during budget negotiations. The House Democrats and Senate Democrat leadership refused to fulfill a statutorial obligation and a constitutional responsibility related to electing four U of M Regents who oversee a $5 billion annual institutional budget. A joint House-Senate convention is required to elect the new Regents. I have been insisting for weeks that we agree to fulfill our responsibility to elect new Regents during this legislative session – or during a special session if one were to take place. Two of the three Higher Education Chairs signed an agreement to do this. House Democrats not only ultimately refused to sign the agreement, but I was ghosted until the final day of session when the answer was either a “Hard no,” or a “Hell no.” You can see from the screenshot that my private email was leaked to a Democrat activist and the accusations and lies followed. If the Legislature doesn’t elect Regents before session or special session is over, the governor will then have the authority to appoint four new Regents all by himself. In other words, the legislature would cede even more power to a governor who can then appoint his own left-leaning, rubber-stamping Regents. I have been given NO official reason whatsoever why House Democrats refuse to call the convention. Believe me, I've asked. I will continue working to elect Regents and not cede our power to the Governor. |