Legislative Update - The Complete House Budget Proposal

Hello Friends, 

As of yesterday, we have passed our complete House budget proposal for funding Minnesota for the next two years. It’s often said around here that a budget is a moral document, a statement of values, and that’s certainly the case for the investments we put forward for Minnesotans this year. 

With a historic budget surplus, many areas in our state budget are receiving the largest funding amount they’ve ever seen - including the largest tax cut in state history. I’m extremely proud of what we’re accomplishing for Shakopee, the entire state, and for Minnesotans from every walk of life. This budget is for you. 

These budgets were a collaborative effort with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. You can read about the specifics in our budget proposals in the House Public Information articles on them, which you can find here: Higher Education, Legacy, Environment and Clean Energy, Housing, Veterans, Elections, State and Local Government, K-12 Education, Agriculture, Transportation, Early Learning, Children & Families, Jobs & Labor, Human Services, Pensions, Commerce, Judiciary & Public Safety, Tax, and Health.

The Minnesota Senate is passing their proposals as well, and though we share a common goal, our proposals differ in some areas. We’ll resolve these differences in our remaining weeks (less than 4 left!) in conference committees, where House and Senate members come together to work on final versions of these budget proposals, which we’ll then pass into law together.

Three New Laws

This week, Governor Walz signed three bills into law, all of them making Minnesota a more welcoming state.

We banned conversion therapy, protected access to abortion, and did the same for gender-affirming care by making Minnesota a state for trans refuge. These vital new laws loudly proclaim that Minnesota will take you, as you are, with open arms.

You can read more about these accomplishments, and the national coverage they’re receiving, here. 

Legalizing Cannabis for Adult-Use

This week, with bipartisan support, we passed our proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis in Minnesota. 

Minnesota’s current cannabis laws are doing disproportionate harm to our communities of color. Our bill recognizes that, and makes the necessary changes to establish equitable and responsible cannabis laws. We’re addressing legitimate concerns around the issue while ensuring we create a sensible system for adult-use cannabis - one where veterans can afford and access it for medicinal purposes, where it’s kept out of the hands of children, and where offenders of nonviolent cannabis crimes can have a fresh start.

Our bill does the following:

You can read more about the bill we passed in the House here. 

Shako Corner

Mr. Thom’s CIS Democracy class picked a fantastic week to visit a bustling State Capitol. It was great having them.

And mark your calendars for these upcoming CareerForce Hiring Events. These free events are a great opportunity for job seekers to meet directly with employers to learn about their open positions. Shakopee hosts events every Thursday from 10am-noon at the Scott County Government Center. For more info, contact dpederson@co.scott.mn.us.

If you have any questions about our budget proposals, or the other bills we’re passing, please feel free to reach out!

Brad Tabke, State Representative | Rep.Brad.Tabke@house.mn.gov

Jared Margolis, Legislative Assistant | Jared.Margolis@house.mn.gov