Legislative Update
Dear Neighbor,
The 2020 legislative session officially adjourned sine die on Sunday at midnight. The omnibus liquor bill, which contained my provision to grant a temporary license for the Maple Lake Ice Fishing Derby, passed unanimously in the House and with overwhelming support in the Senate. Most other major bills did not get a chance to pass before adjournment.
This week, we passed bills relating to transportation, public safety, local government, and more. Bills that still need to be worked out in special session include bonding, the tax bill, which includes the sales tax exemption for building materials for the Buffalo Fire Station; my rape kit provisions, and any other proposal requiring general fund spending. As a reminder, we have a $2.5 billion deficit due to the COVID-19 crisis, which means any general fund spending will need to be paid for from reductions in other areas of the budget.
The likely date of our upcoming special session is June 12, although that is subject to change as the governor has not yet announced his intentions with respect to timing. As we get more clarity on the state's financial situation and evaluate our response to the COVID-19 crisis, I look forward to continuing work on my provisions so they are ready to go when we get called back in special session.
Due to the current peacetime state of emergency, the balance of power between the three coequal branches of government has been upended and our state government is currently out of balance. I believe we need to return to a state of coequal branches of government, so that the voice of the people can be heard through the legislative process. House Republicans want to work with the governor on all of this, and have repeatedly expressed a desire to do so, but we cannot do that without coequal branches of government.
Veterans Virtual Career Fair
If you are a veteran looking for work, there is a Veterans Virtual Career Fair next Thursday, May 28, from 1pm-3pm. The career fair will focus on jobs in the healthcare industry, and is open to Veterans, transitioning service members, currently serving Reserve and National Guard, family members of Veterans, and caregivers of Veterans. To read more about this event and register here.
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