Legislative UpdateFriends, These last few weeks in St. Paul have certainly been a roller-coaster ride, and I’d like to offer my thoughts on the highlights. Much has already been said about our initial expectation of a pure 67-67 power-sharing arrangement between Republicans and Democrats. However, that changed when the court revealed that the DFL candidate in House District 40B could not take the oath of office, as he did not reside in the district he had claimed. Today, Lisa Damuth is, and will continue to be, Speaker of the House. Republicans, including myself, are chairing all committees and advancing fiscally responsible legislation that has long been ignored. We are focused on restoring fiscally responsible budgets to pre-COVID levels, exposing and eliminating fraud and waste, and proposing legislation to reduce the size and scope of the bloated government, which has grown by 40% in just the last two years. As Chair of the Environment Policy and Finance Committee, I have introduced HF8, one of our caucus’s top 10 priorities. This bill addresses project permitting across a range of categories, from road and bridge infrastructure to job creation and municipalities. Unfortunately, Minnesota is lagging far behind our Midwest competitors, and even blue states like Colorado are issuing permits at a rate hundreds of days faster than our own Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. In case you’re wondering about the standards, rest assured that my legislation fully upholds the most stringent rules protecting water, air, and land, while providing the tools and processes necessary to restore a timely permitting process. I appreciate your input as we move through the 2025 – 2026 Legislative Session, so please do not hesitate to share your thoughts, questions, and concerns with me. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-6206 or via email at rep.josh.heintzeman@house.mn.gov. Have a great weekend, Josh |