Legislative Update
Dear Neighbors,
This week at the Capitol has been nothing short of historic, with a fast-paced and intense start to the 2025 legislative session. I wanted to take a moment to provide you with an update on what’s been happening in the Minnesota House and share a preview of what’s ahead in the coming weeks.
A Historic Start to the Session
The Minnesota House convened this week under unusual circumstances. With a temporary 67-66 Republican majority due to a vacant seat, House Republicans showed up, ready to work for Minnesotans. Unfortunately, there were questions that 67 members would not constitute a quorum, which is the minimum number of members that must be present for any business to occur. This number is usually considered 50% plus one. Normally, 68 members would be required in a House of 134 possible members. However, because of a vacancy in District 40B, the body only has a total of 133 members.
Despite these challenges, Republicans took swift action to ensure the work of the people would continue. Secretary of State Steve Simon, acting as the ceremonial presiding officer, initially ruled that a quorum was not met, citing a threshold of 68 members. However, Republicans utilized procedural rules to proceed, electing Representative Lisa Demuth as Speaker of the House and got to work on drafting legislation to help all Minnesotans.
The situation, however, is far from resolved. Democrats have filed a lawsuit challenging the election of Speaker Demuth, and the matter is now before the Minnesota Supreme Court. Oral arguments are scheduled for January 23, and we’ll keep you updated as this situation develops.
Legislative Priorities for 2025
Even amidst procedural hurdles, House Republicans are laser-focused on delivering meaningful results for Minnesotans. Our legislative agenda centers around six key pillars:
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Stop the Fraud: Tackling waste, fraud, and abuse in government programs to restore trust and accountability.
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Make Minnesota Affordable: Reducing costs for families and businesses by addressing taxes and everyday expenses.
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Make Minnesota Safe: Supporting law enforcement and enacting policies to protect our communities.
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Raise Standards, Reduce Mandates: Prioritizing educational excellence while easing unnecessary regulations on schools.
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Minnesota Tax Dollars for Minnesotans: Ensuring taxpayer funds benefit Minnesota residents, not wasteful projects.
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Build for the Future: Investing in infrastructure and sustainable development to strengthen our state’s economy and communities.
As the situation unfolds, we will remain steadfast in the commitments we made to the people who elected us. That is to roll up our sleeves and pass meaningful and impactful legislation to help Minnesota schools, job creators, and families, and work to eliminate government waste and fraud.
Looking Ahead
As we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the session, I remain committed to ensuring that the voices of our district are heard at the Capitol. Some key issues and events on the horizon include:
- Look for some important bills coming up next week. The first 10 introduced are typically the top priorities for the session and will likely start to be introduced next week. More to come later.
- I will be introducing a constitutional amendment in the coming weeks. More details to be announced.
- The State Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on January 23rd to determine what constitutes a quorum.
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