Dear Neighbor,
It’s been great to start the 2023 session fully in-person at the Capitol after much of our work in the House was conducted remotely the last couple of years.
There have been a lot of other changes in the Legislature since the 2022 session adjourned, including starting my role as the House Republican Leader. I am busy working to find common ground on this session’s biggest challenges so we can do what’s best for Minnesotans in this new biennium. Here are some legislative notes for this week:
Tax conformity
I just mentioned working to find areas of bipartisan agreement in the House and we did exactly that Monday by passing, on a 132-0 vote, legislation allowing state taxpayers to take advantage of numerous tax provisions already approved at the federal level.
It has been five years since our state’s tax code has been conformed – the longest we have been out of conformity in decades. This has caused an unnecessary and avoidable burden for Minnesotans, including among sectors hardest hit by pandemic shutdowns (especially restaurant, hospitality, and entertainment industries). In some cases, Minnesota was the only state in the nation still taxing some relief grants.
There’s no reason the state of Minnesota should be profiting from money meant to help individuals and businesses in need. I’m glad we could kick off the legislative session getting this done for Minnesotans in time to update tax software for the 2023 filing season. The Senate followed by approving this bill on Wednesday, sending it to the governor who enacted it.
Connecting with constituents
The local calendar remains busy as I continue to make numerous in-district visits. This week I witnessed the installation of ROCORI school board members, including two new members and one incumbent. Congratulations to all three who were sworn in and best wishes for the new term. I also am visiting Stearns County’s law enforcement center today and may have more to share in an upcoming email.
As a side note: Visitors to my St. Paul office have seen the full list of cities and townships comprising District 13A displayed on a wall. This means more than office décor; it is symbolic of how constituent service has been top priority for me since my first day in the House and it remains so. I am in the process of updating the list to reflect redistricting changes in 13A and hope to soon have the new version in place.
Whether it is visiting my office or communication through other means, your input always is welcome. You can best reach me at my legislative office by calling (651) 296-4373 or by emailing rep.lisa.demuth@house.mn.
For now, have a good weekend and please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Lisa