Dear Neighbors,
We’re wrapping up another busy week in St. Paul as all of the Democrats’ omnibus budget bills have been debated and passed. This brings an end to the busiest time of the year for lawmakers as most of our floor debates over the last 2 weeks-plus have gone until at least midnight as we continue to fight against the extreme spending and radical policies that are being pushed by Democrats.
Remember, Democrats and Gov. Walz are looking to increase overall government spending by 40%, spend the entire $17.5 billion budget surplus, and raise taxes by nearly $10 billion.
I try to stay as upbeat and positive as I can, but the reality is that I am extremely concerned about the direction our state is being taken. Here’s a recap of the week.
Human Services
On Tuesday, the Human Services bill was approved. This bill uniquely represented Democrats’ failure to take care of seniors and support our nursing homes.
All across Minnesota, nursing homes are closing. Since 2020, almost 2,600 nursing home beds have been taken out of service. That equals about fifty average-sized nursing homes. Additionally, there are around 20,000 staff openings across long-term care in Minnesota.
In response to this crisis, Democrats are dedicating a measly 0.03% of their $72 billion budget proposal to helping nursing homes. This Human Services bill wildly misses the mark and will make this crisis even worse as more and more Minnesotans continue to age and need long-term care.
Public Safety
Wednesday saw the passage of the Public Safety bill. This bill puts felons back on the streets by allowing criminals to serve only half of their prison sentence or probation if they complete Department of Corrections programming. This includes those convicted and serving time for violent crimes like manslaughter, rape, kidnapping, assault, and domestic assault.
Limiting prison time and reducing sentences is par for the course with Minnesota Democrats.
The bill also fails to make any investments in recruiting, training, and retaining law enforcement officers.
Additionally, two controversial gun control provisions were included. One of the provisions establishes a de-facto gun registry by establishing a complex process that will likely turn otherwise law-abiding Minnesotans into criminals if they don’t follow the convoluted process.
The other is a “red-flag” law that would violate due process and does not address the alleged safety risk—an individual in crisis. The seizure of property without a warrant and due process—especially property explicitly protected by the 2nd Amendment—is a violation of civil rights.
Health Bill
Also happening this week was the passage of the Health Omnibus Bill. Yet again, Democrats are pushing an extreme agenda that is out of step with the majority of Minnesotans. This bill expands abortion, eliminates Minnesota’s Born Alive Infants Protection Act, and spends your budget surplus on providing healthcare for undocumented immigrants and abortions.
This bill is an abomination and something that should be outright rejected by all Minnesotans.
Staying in Touch
Please be sure to reach out to me to share your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4333 or via email at rep.josh.heintzeman@house.mn.gov.
God bless,
Josh