Legislative Update
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
After nearly four weeks of delays, the Minnesota House has finally reached an agreement that will allow legislative work to move forward. This agreement ensures that the House will be able to conduct official business, pass a state budget, and address key issues facing Minnesotans.
The House Agreement: What It Means for Minnesota
As many of you know, the legislative session was delayed due to the absence of a quorum, which is the minimum number of members required to conduct official business. Under the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling, at least 68 members must be present for the House to function. With Republicans holding 67 members and Democrats at 66, the absence of Democratic legislators had put the session at a standstill.
The new agreement establishes a framework that allows legislative work to resume while ensuring fair representation for both parties. Key provisions of the agreement include:
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Republican Leadership for the Biennium: Rep. Lisa Demuth will remain Speaker of the House for the entire 2025-26 legislative biennium, ensuring continuity in leadership and allowing the House to move forward with its work.
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Committee Structure and Control: For the first five weeks following the agreement, Republicans will chair all committees and hold a one-vote majority. This temporary structure allows legislative priorities to be advanced after weeks of delay.
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Bipartisan Committee Co-Chairs (If Necessary): If the upcoming special election in Roseville results in a 67-67 tie in the House, committees will transition to a co-chair system, with equal membership from both parties. In this case, committee control will rotate between parties, ensuring shared decision-making.
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Oversight and Accountability: The agreement also creates a new House Fraud and Agency Oversight Committee, which will have a permanent Republican chair and a 5-3 Republican majority for the entire biennium. This committee will be responsible for investigating fraud, waste, and abuse in state government programs, reinforcing the need for fiscal responsibility and transparency.
Why This Agreement Matters
This agreement was critical to ensuring the Minnesota House could begin its work in earnest. With a state budget that must be passed this year and many pressing issues to address, it was essential to reach a resolution that allowed for governance to resume.
The coming months will require cooperation to ensure that we effectively serve Minnesotans. While there are differences in approach and policy between the two parties, this agreement provides a pathway for legislative progress and ensures that the work of governing can continue.
I remain committed to representing our district with a focus on responsible budgeting, supporting our local communities, and ensuring that government remains accountable to the people. As always, I welcome your input on the issues that matter most to you.
Photos
 On Sunday I visited the Math and Science Academy to learn more about their robot program. There are 4 different programs actually.
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First Lego League Explore K-4
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First Lego League Challenge 4-8
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First Tech Challenge 7-12
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First Robot Challenge -12
The program was developed to get kids interested in robots at an early age and learn more about programing and competitions as they age.
Most schools have robot programs now and there are competitions at the regional, state, and national level.
You can learn more at HighTechKids.org or sponsor a competition.
 On Tuesday, I attended the Lake Elmo City Council meeting. Rich Gustafson was recognized for 34 years working in Public Works as he is retiring. That is a lot of time on the road! Enjoy your retirement Rich.
I plan on visiting all the cities and townships and attending their meetings. I did this as commissioner and believe it is the best way to stay in touch and make sure leaders know they have a voice in St Paul.
 Had the opportunity to visit with the South Washington County Telecommunications Commission (SWCTC). It is the cable television franchising authority for part of our district, covering Cottage Grove. It was fun to learn about and see what they do first hand.
 Last Friday, I attended Stillwater Area Public Schools 2025 Legislative Priorities session with other representatives and senators. I continue to hear alarm bells going off at the schools. Teachers and administration continue to be challenged with unfunded mandates. Historic funding in 2023 & 2024 came with historic unfunded mandates that left many school districts facing a deficit. You will be hearing more about this as we move into this year.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions, concerns, or feedback. If you'd like some more frequent updates on what I'm up to, consider following my Facebook at Wayne Johnson for MN.
Sincerely,
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