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January 31, 2025
Legislative Update
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Since the start of the Legislative Session on January 14th, House Republicans introduced bold proposals to tackle fraud, waste, and Minnesota's affordability crisis. These initiatives aim to restore trust in government, ease the financial burden on families and seniors, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.
But before we could move forward on these important issues, a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling threw the legislature into gridlock. Let’s break down what’s happening and why it matters.
Key Legislation Introduced During the First Couple Weeks
House Republicans are advancing legislation to eliminate waste, protect taxpayer dollars, keep Minnesotans safe, and make life more affordable. Here’s a look at some of the key legislative packages unveiled over the past two weeks:
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Fraud Prevention Package – Cracking down on fraud by creating an independent Office of the Inspector General, introducing stronger reporting standards, and requiring “fraud notes” to assess risks in proposed legislation.
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Affordability Package – Returning budget surpluses to taxpayers, repealing the retail delivery fee, ensuring Social Security tax relief, and modifying energy policies to improve reliability and affordability.
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Public Safety Package – A comprehensive thirteen-provision plan to hold violent offenders accountable, empower law enforcement, and increase transparency in the criminal justice system.
Legislative Shutdown After Supreme Court Ruling
Unfortunately, before the legislature could act on these important issues, a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling redefined what constitutes a quorum—requiring the minority party to be present for legislative work to proceed. Instead of showing up and doing their jobs, Democrats have refused to participate, shutting down the entire House of Representatives.
That means no action on tax relief, no movement on affordability measures, and no accountability for government waste and fraud.
It is completely unacceptable that Democrats are refusing to show up for work, yet they continue to collect a taxpayer-funded paycheck. Every day on the House floor, Majority Leader Niska has offered a motion—fully allowed under the Constitution—to compel absent members to be present and enforce penalties for noncompliance. But instead of following the rules, Secretary of State Steve Simon, who is presiding over the House until a permanent speaker can be elected, has overstepped his authority and blocked these motions.
Let me be clear: Simon is obstructing the legislature and illegally preventing us from holding Democrats accountable. The Minnesota Constitution is clear—we have the right to compel attendance, but Simon refuses to even allow a vote on the matter. Because of this unconstitutional obstruction, we are taking legal action to force accountability.
Minnesotans expect their elected officials to do their jobs, not hide from their responsibilities. Democrats are blocking House business, and it needs to end.
You can find the filed Petition, Memorandum, and Declaration here.
Rampant Fraud: Another Walz Administration Disaster
As the legislature sits in gridlock, fraud continues to run rampant under Governor Walz’s watch. Just this week, two major fraud scandals have exposed how taxpayer dollars are being abused under his administration:
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NUWAY Addiction Treatment Fraud – Investigators uncovered tens of millions in fraudulent Medicaid billing, including double-billing, falsified treatment hours, and illegal kickbacks.
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Child Care Assistance Program Fraud – Lawmakers are demanding an investigation after reports exposed massive fraud and mismanagement in Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program. Once again, the Walz administration failed to provide oversight, and taxpayer dollars were wasted on fraud and abuse.
First, it was Feeding Our Future, now it’s addiction treatment fraud and child care assistance fraud—and Governor Walz still refuses to take responsibility. How many more scandals will it take before Democrats join Republicans in seeking to right the ship and protect your tax dollars?
Pro-Life Advocacy: March for Life 2025
Last Wednesday, I joined thousands at the Capitol for the annual March for Life to stand up for the sanctity of every human life. I was inspired by the dedication of so many families and community members who came together to affirm the value of life at every stage.
The past two years have seen extreme abortion laws passed under the Democrat Trifecta, including allowing abortion up to birth and removing protections for infants born alive during abortion procedures. As your representative, I will continue to champion pro-life policies and work to restore common-sense protections for mothers and the unborn that reflect our district’s values.
 Met up with the Kelash family at the March for Life.
Meetings and Visits
Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to address the Upper Mississippi Irrigation Association and the local Corn Growers Association. These conversations highlighted the critical role that agriculture plays in our district and across the state. Agriculture is not just an economic driver—it’s a way of life for many families in our community. I will continue to work on policies that support our farmers, protect their access to essential resources like clean water, and ensure Minnesota's agriculture community remains strong and vibrant for future generations.
I also had the opportunity to meet with Jay and Ean, who are small business owners in our community. Supporting small business is a big priority this session, and I look forward to working with them, and other businesses in our community, to pass meaningful reform to help our job creators thrive.
 Photo from my meeting of the Upper Mississippi Irrigators Association and local Corn Growers Association.
 Photo from the March for Life where I was able to meet up with a few Civics students from Pierz, who were visiting the Capitol.
 Photo with Jay and Ean who are small business owners in our community.
Your input is invaluable, and I encourage you to reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas.
Thank you for the privilege of serving as your voice at the Capitol. Together, we can restore integrity, fight for taxpayers, and demand real leadership for Minnesota.
Sincerely,
Isaac Schultz
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