Dear Neighbor,
The House’s focus is shifted to omnibus budget bills as the majority brings forward packages that will form our state’s next two-year budget. Here are some notes on two of those bills and other important subjects:
Disaster relief available
Relief already is available for people who suffered property damage last winter, and the House has made more aid available that could apply to spring flooding.
The House appropriated $40 million to the state’s disaster assistance contingency account Thursday – the same day the city of Moose Lake declared a state of emergency due to flooding in the area. The disaster account was becoming depleted and it was important to restore a healthy balance and minimize delays in local communities – such as Moose Lake – receiving disaster assistance payments.
Time will tell the extent of flood damage in our district this spring, but it is reassuring to know we made these emergency funds available so they can be delivered to areas of need – including in our district – in a timely manner. This is a developing situation, so we will keep an eye on things and get help where it’s needed as soon as possible.
The House approved the funding on a 127-0 vote and sent it to the governor for his anticipated approval.
That move follows action by the Rural Finance Authority declaring a state of emergency in all 87 Minnesota counties due to damage caused by excessive snow and wind last winter. This declaration makes zero-interest Disaster Recovery Loans available for Minnesota farmers whose operations have sustained physical property damage or loss of livestock since January 2023.
Many of our farmers already are struggling with razor-thin margins and a tough economy. Property damage suffered over the winter dealt a number of people in our area an unexpected setback and I hope they are able to find some relief from this program. I encourage anyone who had property damage occur during the winter to take a look at how they may benefit from relief that’s available.
The Disaster Recovery Loan Program offers affordable financing to clean up, repair, or replace farm structures and replace livestock that may have been destroyed due to high winds and the weight of snow, sleet, and ice this year. The funds are available to farmers for expenses not covered by insurance. Eligible farmers will work with their local lender to secure the loans from the RFA.
More information, including full eligibility requirements, can be found on the Disaster Recovery Loan Program website.
I also should note the House this week passed a bill pertaining to RFA without opposition (129-0), providing $50 million so the Authority may continue offering valuable services to farmers as the state’s main agricultural lending arm – partnering with private lenders to offer low-interest loans to those eligible.
Elections bill
Minnesota has a longstanding tradition of requiring bipartisan support for election law changes. It is unfortunate an elections bill the House majority approved this week breaks from that tradition by regulating campaign speech, limiting engagement in the political process, and threatening election integrity with automatic voter registration when you sign up for a driver’s license.
All this is happening at a time we need to be working to ensure integrity in our system to empower voters. This is achieved through consistency in a straight-forward and transparent process. It seems recent changes – including proposals in this bill – are more and more politically motivated, raising red flags for constituents who are expressing their concerns.
For example, this bill provides automatic voter registration when you sign up for a driver’s license or state ID. Additionally, when enrolling for MN Care you will be automatically registered to vote unless you opt out.
If our voter registration system is not in tip-top shape, we could see significant problems, especially since a new state law allowing drivers’ licenses for all has been enacted. In 2018, the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor found the state’s voter registration system was overtax and needed to be modernized. What proof do we have that the system has been updated enough to handle this massive change?
There also is some confusion over language in the bill which prohibits “foreign-influenced corporations” from engaging in the political process. While it sounds good on paper, in reality it sets an arbitrary standard for what is “control” of a corporation. Corporations headquartered here may have shareholders outside of the country and they will no longer be allowed to exercise their right to free speech.
Omnibus bills
The omnibus Legacy bill which received House approval this week totals $821 million, appropriating revenue raised by a three-eighths of one percent additional sales tax that was passed by Minnesota voters in the 2008 Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution “Legacy Amendment.” Tax revenue is distributed into four funds as follows: 33 percent to the Clean Water Fund; 33 percent to the Outdoor Heritage Fund; 19.75 percent to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund; and 14.25 percent to the Parks and Trails Fund.
The House also approved an omnibus bill related to higher education this week. I have a great appreciation for our state’s colleges and universities and we need to ensure we’re making the right investments in the right places to help them fulfill their important work. Unfortunately, the bill which passed does more to fund administration than students. For example, the bill provides a $650 million (18.5%) increase in the next biennium universities across the state are experiencing an average 6-7% drop in enrollment. This can only mean that we are funding systems, not students. We need to prioritize funding students’ education and keeping them safe, not paying executives.
Watch for more from the House soon and, as always, let me know how I can help.
Sincerely,
Jeff