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Good morning!
This week at the Capitol has been full of long floor sessions as we work through a heavy load of budget bills. Several have already passed with input from both parties, the result of tough negotiations between committee co-chairs. The process has been tedious. With the May 19th deadline approaching and a projected $6 billion budget deficit on the horizon, there’s no room for delay. Key bills are still in negotiation, and it’s critical that the Legislature stays focused on passing a responsible, balanced budget that addresses the serious fiscal challenges ahead.
Education Setback
Negotiations on several major bills are still in progress, but the process took a disappointing turn this week with the K-12 education finance and policy package. After weeks of work, GOP and DFL committee leaders came to a bipartisan agreement on the bill. The bill moved forward with bipartisan support, passing through the Education Finance committee and then through the Ways and Means committee. Every step of the way, it met the requirement for support from both parties.
Then, when it reached the Rules committee, everything stalled. Despite the deal being negotiated in good faith and approved by leadership from both sides, the DFL members on the Rules committee reversed course and voted to block the bill. This is not just a procedural delay. It’s a broken agreement, and it undermines the entire process. This education bill would provide real mandate relief for schools and teachers, and it includes meaningful reforms aimed at improving student outcomes across the state.
Refusing to let this bill move forward isn’t just political maneuvering—it’s hurting our schools, our educators, and ultimately our students. We came to the table, we negotiated in good faith, and we reached consensus. To see it shut down at the last minute for partisan reasons is deeply frustrating. Minnesotans deserve better.
 Pension Update
Negotiations surrounding pensions and pension options are also ongoing, but we are exploring several options as a caucus and taking feedback from key stakeholders: educators across the state. Here are the two most popular pension proposals:
House File 2318: 62/30 Unreduced Pension
This option provides teachers with an unreduced pension at age 62 with 30 years of service. It would be funded by a modest 1% increase in the employer contribution and is estimated to cost just 30% of the more expensive 60/30 proposal in House File 1582.
House File 2329: Expanded Special Early Retirement
This bill offers a more affordable path for educators who need to retire at age 60, expanding the current Special Early Retirement provision for teachers with 30 years of service. It includes a three-year cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) delay, aligning with the current normal retirement age policy to contain costs.
We want to make sure that we do pensions right, in order to give our teachers the retirement benefits they deserve. There are a handful of schools and many educators in our district, so if you have thoughts please let me know as we consider the options and make the best decision for our teachers.
Here is the link to a press conference that Rep. Bakeberg spoke at. He has been a key figure in working through pension options and weighing opinions.
MinnesotaCare
As I shared last week, the Health committee negotiations have been ongoing for several weeks and the main sticking point has been over MinnesotaCare funding. House Republicans absolutely will not allow this funding to pass in the House budget, and we are instead prioritizing essential services for legal, law-abiding citizens. Since last week, this issue has been covered in many papers, including the Star Tribune. Check out their article here:
 Parental Choice: Vaccines and Schooling
I have been getting many inquiries about a bill authored by Rep. Freiberg, HF3239. This bill would remove the exemption for conscientiously held beliefs regarding vaccines such as measles, mumps, and rubella.
I oppose this bill because it takes away a fundamental right: the ability for parents like me to make medical decisions for our own children based on our beliefs. Taking away the conscientious exemption for the MMR vaccine forces families to follow a government mandate regardless of personal, religious, or philosophical convictions. That is not sound public health policy. It is government stepping too far into private family decisions.
This creates a dangerous precedent. If the state can eliminate exemptions for one vaccine, it can do the same for others. It opens the door to more medical mandates without respect for individual choice. That kind of pressure undermines trust and pushes people away from public health institutions. I believe the right path is through education and voluntary action, not government coercion.
I have also gotten feedback regarding a recent Senate amendment, the A29 amendment to SF1740. The amendment would add restrictions to homeschooling, including who can homeschool and where. Myself and my GOP colleagues strongly support parental choice in regards to educational choice, healthcare, etc. The Senate version of the bill that passed without public input will have to be reconciled with the House version of the bill that passes in the upcoming weeks. House Republicans will fight for the freedom to make these decisions as parents for your families and children. I appreciate your concerns and I will stand up for these rights.
Osakis Elementary Visit
It was so great to see students from Osakis this week when they came on a field trip to the Capitol. I got to show them around the building and tell them a little bit about my job as a representative, and they also got to meet Senator Westrom. Thank you for visiting!
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