Dear Neighbor,
It has been another busy week for me in St. Paul, especially with more bills I have authored continuing to make their way through the House.
Here is a snapshot of some recent developments:
Tracking my bills
H.F. 320, allowing auto dealers to participate in shows outside of the counties where they’re licensed, overwhelmingly passed the House this week on a 125-6 vote. In short, this bipartisan bill provides a framework for auto dealers to attend out-of-market shows, while also clarifying that doing so does not violate their franchise agreements. This is beneficial to local dealers because it clears up any confusion that could arise from dealers participating in shows out of their markets, drawing a line between participating in shows and selling at shows.
H.F. 1973, allocating funding to support senior dining services in Minnesota, received a committee hearing this week and remains in the mix for passage this session. Specifically, it appropriates $420,000 for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud to operate its senior dining program. This comes after this organization suffered a $550,000 cut by the party in control the last two years. This new funding comes with some out-of-the box thinking for supporting senior meal services with a follow-up report to come.
H.F. 2229, appropriating $3 million over 2026-27 for rural residency programs at CentraCare, received a hearing this week (image below) and also remains available for approval this session. The purpose of this bill is to address the critical shortage of rural physicians and healthcare workers in Greater Minnesota. This is a one-time appropriation, which must be used for “establishing and operating new residency programs and tracks and maintaining existing residency programs.”
Also, the Senate is moving through the committee process its version of my bill (H.F. 286) which cracks down on sex trafficking at adult entertainment businesses and massage parlors. You may recall, the House passed this bill 132-0 earlier this month. Click here for a news release I issued at that time.
Capitol visitors
I continue to welcome numerous visitors to the House week after week this session. Here are just some who stopped by to discuss issues with me recently:
Farm Bureau members
Disability Service Day participants
St. Cloud Boys and Girls Club representatives
Budget notes
Work to approve a new two-year state budget soon will be front and center in the House. That is our biggest responsibility this session. A $6 billion shortfall will only add to the challenge, especially with state spending continuing to exceed tax revenue through 2029 according to the state’s latest economic forecast.
The next big step in this process is for House finance committees to receive budget “targets,” which are the spending or tax goals set by legislative leaders for different areas of the state budget. Each committee must work within its assigned target when drafting finance bills. Our turnaround time is even tighter than usual after half the House missed nearly the first full month of this session.
Bipartisanship is a requirement for any bill to pass the House, given our 67-67 split in members. More than ever, we need to leave partisanship at the door and focus on doing what’s right for Minnesotans. If we do that, we can pass a budget and adjourn on time May 19 instead of racking up costs during a special session this summer.
Helpful House links
Here are some links you may find helpful in following the latest goings on at the Capitol:
Please Contact Me
It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. You can call me at 651-296-6316, or email me at rep.bernie.perryman@house.mn.gov. I am here to serve you!
Bernie
