Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from the House. Lots to touch on this week, so let’s get right to it:
Future Farmers of America visitors
It’s always great meeting with FFA members who visit the Capitol. This group was participating in FFA’s Agricultural Policy Experience. The students who participate in this program have bright futures and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Thanks for coming to the Capitol and I enjoyed the opportunity to connect.
Burnsville memorial service
I attended this week’s memorial service for Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and firefighter/medic Adam Finseth, all of whom recently died while on duty. I’m praying for all law enforcement, first responders and the community of Burnsville. The outpouring of support at their memorial was absolutely amazing, with some 10,000 people in attendance. God bless these three heroes, their families and fellow public safety servants: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”
State economic forecast
State officials issued a new economic forecast for Minnesota on Thursday, with a looming $1.5 billion shortfall through 2027 overshadowing a $3.715 billion surplus for the current biennium.
In other words, this forecast shows Minnesota’s budget is still on the verge of a deficit thanks to our one-party control’s irresponsible and unaffordable spending spree last year. Republicans have been warning since last session that this rampant spending will only hurt Minnesotans, and this forecast proves that.
Last session, the majority spent the entire $17.5 billion surplus and raised another $10 billion in taxes on Minnesotans to fuel a massive 40 percent growth in government. Minnesotans deserve better. We should be looking for ways to scale back wasteful spending, exercise restraint this year, and budget responsibly instead of continuing the reckless spending spree from last session.
The state is fully funded for the current two-year cycle, meaning no additional state spending is necessary this session. The new bottom line will guide legislators through supplemental fiscal considerations the rest of the 2024 session.
Bottom line: We need more balance in St. Paul.
Gun-control bills
The House on Thursday conducted committee hearings for a pair of anti-Second Amendment bills authored by Democrats.
The bills are H.F. 601 – Her, arbitrary deadline for reporting for lost and stolen firearms; and H.F. 4300 – Becker-Finn, regarding firearm storage. Both proposals seem to do more to criminalize good-faith, law-abiding gun owners than to crack down on the repeat criminals and other true bad actors our courts continue putting back on the street.
Rep. Her’s bill puts the onus on the victim of a crime to file a report to law enforcement within the government’s definition of reasonable time – 48 hours. If you are the victim of a firearm theft, and the perpetrator of that crime commits another crime with your stolen weapon, the bill stipulates that you may be held responsible.
Rep. Becker-Finn’s bill requires a person to either store a firearm not in the person’s direct control in a safe or unloaded with a locking device. On the same day the DFL introduced this bill that makes it a crime if a law-abiding firearm owner does not unload a firearm and secure it with a locking device in the person’s home, the DFL also introduced a bill (HF4277) that repeals mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes involving the possession or use of a firearm.
The increased penalties proposed in these bills come at a time when the true bad actors, perpetrators of violent crimes, are increasingly released back out onto the street under laws passed by Democrats in 2023. It is misguided to crack down on gun owners who honor our laws and act in good faith instead of going after the real criminals.
I do not support that approach and will continue opposing these bills. On the other hand, I do support solutions to help us get to the root of gun violence. For example, House Republicans are sponsoring legislation to increase penalties for so-called “straw purchases” where someone who is eligible to purchase a firearm purchases one for someone who may be prohibited from doing so. This is the type of arrangement appears to have played a role in the recent Burnsville killings.
I will keep you abreast of further developments on this subject as the session progresses. Until next time, have a good weekend and, as always, your input is welcome.
Sincerely,
Lisa