Legislative Update - Rep. Tom Murphy

Legislative Update

February Budget Forecast

Last week the February Forecast was released by MMB projecting the economic outlook for state government. While the short term shows a surplus caused by the 10 billion dollars in runaway tax increases last year, the next biennium's budget is going to start with more than $1.5 billion in deficit. This report is a clear indication that we need to restore fiscal responsibility to Saint Paul, reduce wasteful spending, and more responsibly manage Minnesotan’s tax dollars.

Of course, Democrats will just want to want to increase taxes and fees to cover their budget shortfall. In a report from the Clean Transportation Standards working group, one recommendation is to add up to a $1.00 fee per gallon of gas. I’m sure all that would do is give Democrats more money to waste while doing nothing to conserve the environment.

Democrats Want Minnesota to Become a Sanctuary State

Sanctuary state legislation poses significant challenges to a state's economy and public safety. By restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, these policies undermine efforts to maintain public safety. When local authorities are prohibited from working closely with federal agencies to identify and detain undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes, it can lead to a rise in criminal activity within communities. Without proper enforcement mechanisms in place, criminals may take advantage of sanctuary policies, knowing that they are less likely to face deportation or legal consequences for their actions. This erosion of public safety can deter businesses from investing in the state, as concerns about crime rates and security issues may deter potential investors and entrepreneurs.

Furthermore, sanctuary state legislation can have adverse effects on the economy by creating uncertainty and instability. Businesses rely on a stable regulatory environment to make long-term investment decisions, but sanctuary policies introduce ambiguity and potential legal risks. Employers may face challenges in verifying the legal status of their workforce, leading to compliance issues and potential fines. Additionally, the strain on public resources caused by undocumented immigrants who lack access to federal support programs can further burden state budgets. This combination of factors can hinder economic growth and discourage job creation, ultimately harming the state's overall prosperity and competitiveness in the global marketplace.

Update on Religious Liberty Amendment

Last week I included a clip of the House Judiciary Committee where Representative Niska pointed out a glaring inequity in the Democrats updates to the MN Human Rights Act (MHRA). His amendment would fix this difference in the definitions of “sexuality” and “sexual identity” and restore the religious exemption to the part of the act where it is missing. The House majority voted down the amendment along party lines in committee. The video is here in case you missed it last week:

Now across the building in the Senate, their committee was supposed to hear the Senate file version of this bill and Senate Republicans were ready to offer the same amendment to protect Religious Liberty. After the uproar caused by the amendment last week the Senate democrats pulled their MHRA changes bill from the committee agenda. Countless Minnesotans from across the state were contacting their legislators and have forced the Democrat trifecta to pause any motion on this bill until they can garner support. They should do the right thing and accept our amendment, but we shall see. Maybe they’ve learned from all the mistakes they made last year that we’re now fixing.

Keep making your voice heard on the issues you care about, it can work!

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313 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
651.296.6756