Latest news with #Hortman
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Infrastructure package is dead this year, Minnesota legislative leaders say
Photo by. A bill to fund critical public works projects — including upgrading the state's roads, protecting Minnesota's drinking water and expanding city sewers — is dead this year, legislative leaders said Thursday. The Minnesota Legislature in even years typically passes an infrastructure package — known as a 'bonding bill' around the Capitol because it's funded with borrowed money — that costs hundreds of millions and sometimes billions of dollars. But partisan tensions appear to have won out this year and killed the bill's prospects. Bonding bills require a 60% supermajority in both the House and Senate to pass, meaning it needs robust bipartisan support. Legislative leaders and Gov. Tim Walz are working to button up budget bills in hopes of convening a special session next week to pass the biennium budget, after failing to complete their work before the constitutionally mandated May 19 adjournment. If lawmakers fail to pass a budget by June 30, the government will shut down. The DFL-controlled Legislature passed a $2.6 billion infrastructure package in the 2023 session, including $1.5 billion in bonds, following three legislative sessions without an infrastructure deal. The 2023 package included more than $317 million for upgrades to college buildings in the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State systems, $9 million for security upgrades at the State Capitol and $443 million for economic development initiatives, much of which went to Twin Cities metro nonprofits that assist people of color. Last year, the Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill. Democrats at the time blamed Republicans for making their necessary votes contingent on Democrats killing the Equal Rights Amendment. House DFL caucus leader Melissa Hortman on Thursday told reporters that Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, is trying the same tactics this year. 'Johnson has a price tag that includes lots and lots of other things far outside the bonding bill, and so I think he's going to overplay his hand, exactly as he did in 2024 and there will again not be a bonding bill,' Hortman said, laying the blame on Senate Republicans. Asked what kinds of demands Johnson is seeking, Hortman said, 'He just wants to rewrite every other bill.' In a statement, Johnson said Democrats refused to compromise. 'Democrats are the only ones unwilling to work together to pass (a) bonding bill and are playing political blame games to appease their activist base,' Johnson said. A lack of bonding bill this year could also cost Minnesota more money in the long run. Republicans in Congress are considering eliminating a tax break that lowers the cost of public infrastructure projects across the country, as they try to gather savings to pay for a major tax cut that would especially benefit the wealthy. If passed, the cost of borrowing for state and local governments would increase, meaning taxpayers would foot the bill.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Minnesota legislative session ends: no bang, barely a whimper
House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, gavels the body to order on May 19, the final day of the 2025 regular session. Photo by Andrew VonBank/House Public Information Services. A narrowly divided Legislature adjourned Monday without completing a state budget for the next two years, ending the session just as it began: with rancorous finger pointing. The session started with the Minnesota Supreme Court settling a dispute between Republicans and Democrats over control of the House, and now lawmakers are leaving with the biggest budget bills still outstanding, including health and human services, education and taxes. The Legislature only passed nine budget bills out of some 20 in process, and now they will need a special session to do the rest. Lawmakers are working to pass a $66 billion to $67 billion two-year budget that will fund everything from schools to parks to health care and services for people with disabilities. The state is grappling with a structural deficit that's arisen from the rapidly increasing costs of special education and caring for an aging population. Given the Republican refusal to agree to any new tax revenue, lawmakers are looking to trim spending. Most consequentially, Gov. Tim Walz and DFL leaders agreed — at Republicans' behest — to remove undocumented adults from MinnesotaCare, the state's subsidized health insurance for the working poor. Children will still be enrolled. The bill hasn't passed yet, and DFL Caucus leader Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brookyln Park, told reporters Monday night that Democrats would fight it until the end. 'Until the last gavel drops on the last minute of passing a budget for the state of Minnesota, Democrats are going to keep fighting to try to get Republicans to relent on that demand,' Hortman said. In between now and the special legislative session — date yet to be announced, though ideally before Memorial Day, they say — lawmakers will hammer out the bills in 'working groups.' Because the lawmakers won't be in session, these will be unofficial meetings that include House and Senate members of both parties. Legislative leaders have given the working groups until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to finalize their budget bills, after which Walz will likely call a special session, which leaders and Walz say should last just a single day. Lawmakers will be back at the Capitol Tuesday morning to start the working groups. 'We have to finish this. We don't have a choice,' House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring said. 'That is what Minnesotans expect us to do. We will be able to get that work done in a bipartisan fashion.' Despite the Wednesday deadline, Hortman said the earliest a special session could occur is Friday, though next week is probable. If lawmakers can't reach a deal by Friday, they will have to work over Memorial Day weekend, Hortman said. Only Walz can call legislators back into session, but only lawmakers can adjourn once they are in special session. In the hours leading up to midnight, rank-and-file lawmakers had little work to do because legislative leaders were meeting behind closed doors and making last-minute decisions on what bills they could pass in the few remaining hours. Multiple members walked laps on the Capitol's second floor, while Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson played catch on the Capitol lawn. Rep. Joe McDonald, R-Delano, was spotted using an electric scooter to 'have a little fun,' traveling from the bowels of the Capitol to the House members' offices in the Centennial Office Building. In a series of press conferences, lawmakers laid the blame on each other for failing to finish their work. House Democrats argued that Republicans were attempting to change the parameters of an agreement Walz and legislative leaders announced last week. 'Republicans keep moving the goal posts. None of the GOP demands are necessary to pass a state budget bill. All of them will make life harder and more expensive for Minnesota families,' said House DFL floor leader Jamie Long. House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said Democrats' 23-day boycott at the outset of the session derailed lawmakers from finishing on time. 'Waiting 23 days of a stall out was not helpful,' Demuth said. Walz on Monday afternoon told reporters he's confident the larger budget bills will get done and said Minnesotans shouldn't be concerned about the lack of progress. 'Against the backdrop of the dysfunction in D.C., this is a pretty remarkable thing to see — the most closely divided Legislature in Minnesota history working together in a fiscally responsible way,' Walz said. Walz noted that June 1 acts as a perfunctory deadline: The state will be obligated to send lay off notices to state employees if there is no budget by then, and leaders want to avoid that. The session kicked off in January with House Democrats refusing to appear at the Capitol, seeking to to prevent Republicans from using a 1-seat, temporary advantage to take control of the House and potentially block a Democrat from being seated in a hotly contested election. The Minnesota Supreme Court was forced to intervene before the two sides agreed on a power-sharing agreement.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota Tribal leaders and state celebrate Sovereignty Day
Melissa OlsonMPR News On Monday, March 17, dozens of tribal leaders and state lawmakers came together at the Senate Building in St. Paul to build relationships and to talk about shared priorities. Sovereignty Day was full of opportunities for leaders of the 11 tribal nations in the state to visit with members of the Minnesota House and Senate — an opportunity to share, an opportunity to sit across the table and learn from one another. The day started off with a small gathering outside on the grounds of the Senate Building. Singers from the Red Tree drum group from the Lower Sioux Indian Community opened with a flag song and a song to honor veterans. Lakota elder Jerry Dearly gave an invocation. 'You're here for the people,' Dearly said. Organizers of the day's event say this is the first time tribal leaders and legislators have gathered at the Senate Building. Inside the Senate Building, tribal elected leaders and state lawmakers participated in a welcome panel. Behind them, the flags of tribal nations stood next to the U.S. and Minnesota flags — a symbol of the work tribal and state governments have done together over the past several years. Several of the tribal leaders around the dais had been elected this past year. Ashley Cornforth was among those recently elected. Cornforth is the secretary-treasurer for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Cornforth said tribal sovereignty cannot be a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to working with tribal nations. 'The state must recognize that each of us as tribal leaders have unique duties and responsibilities to best serve our own communities and our own members,' said Cornforth. 'Respect for tribal sovereignty means understanding or at least acknowledging those differences and working with each nation individually.' Sovereignty Day began several years ago when former DFL Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, then a DFL lawmaker, wanted to build on past efforts to grow relationships between tribal leaders and legislators. Hortman called it 'legislative consultation.' Hortman explained that the idea behind legislative consultation is that while the governor's office has exercised a government-to-government relationship with tribal nations, the state legislature also has a responsibility to consult with tribal leaders. Present at Monday's events were state leadership from both parties, and more than a dozen tribal leaders spoke on panels throughout the day. Tribal leaders addressed several issues throughout the day. The Prairie Island Indian Community's chair Grant Johnson raised concerns about the state Legislature introducing a bill that would effectively lift a moratorium on nuclear power. Johnson reminded those in attendance, the Prairie Island Indian Community is only several hundred feet away from the nuclear power facility near Red Wing. 'Due to increased demand and the need for reduced carbon emissions and energy production, there is a renewed push for nuclear energy. And we understand how important this is,' Johnson said. Johnson stressed that the community at Prairie Island is looking for information about the future of the plant. 'Our members, they're struggling. Our community members ask these questions,' Johnson said. Like other tribal leaders, Johnson emphasized the need for state lawmakers to consult with tribal leaders. The topic of consultation was raised many times during the day. Another leader said consultation goes beyond coordination or sharing information. April McCormick, a tribal leader from the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, asked her leaders in state government to 'reach out early and reach out often.' Throughout the day, tribal leaders also turned to address the effects of the Trump administration's recent cuts to federal funding and how those cuts might impact tribal nations. During the morning session, chair of Upper Sioux Indian Community Kevin Jensvold said his tribe has lived through several hundred years of federal policymaking and dozens of presidents. 'We're not going to live afraid of what's happening today or yesterday,' said Jensvold. 'Our ancestors sacrificed too much ... we'll be mindful of what goes on at the federal level, but we're not going to live in fear of what may or may not happen. You know, we're fortunate to be strong-willed and I want to keep it that way.' U.S. Sen. Tina Smith spoke during a late-morning panel about the effects federal funding cuts on tribal nations. Smith serves on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The democrat spoke specifically to the impacts of cuts to Medicaid funding and the effects on individuals covered by Medicaid in Minnesota. 'This is not a question of interpretation; it is a question of math. They are proposing $880 billion in cuts to health insurance that covers, this is Medicaid, Medical Assistance to people in Minnesota, that covers roughly 36 percent of Native people that aren't elders and therefore would be covered by Medicare,' said Smith. Tribal leaders also brought up specific issues relating to funding concerns for health care through the Indian Health Services and funding for education through Bureau of Indian Education. Red Lake Nation chair Darrell Seki Sr. held up the pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution he carries with him and said he believes funding cuts at various federal agencies is a violation of the treaties Red Lake Nation signed with the U.S. government. Seki asked lawmakers to understand that shortfalls in funding, along with years of underfunding for health care and public safety, are deeply felt at Red Lake. 'They made a promise, now keep it,' said Seki. This article was first published by MPR News
CBS News
28-01-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Minneapolis voters choose new state senator as impasse in the Minnesota House continues
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A special election for a Minneapolis state Senate seat is set to break a tie in that chamber as the state House remains paralyzed due to a partisan impasse over power. Voters in Senate District 60 showed up to the polls Tuesday to select their candidate to fill the seat left vacant by the death of former DFL Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, who served for 12 years before she passed away last month. DFL candidate Doron Clark faces off against Republican Abigail Wolters. The deep blue district typically favors Democrats, so the outcome could tip the chamber back to DFL hands and eventually end a power-sharing agreement between both parties that's had the legislative session running smoothly since its start. GOP and DFL leaders came to the deal because the vacancy left the chamber temporarily split evenly 33 to 33. Meanwhile, across the hall, the House stands in stark contrast: Leaders there are still at a stalemate in a power dispute that's lasted into session's third week. A Supreme Court decision last week nullified everything the Republicans had been doing so far without Democrats there, ruling they did not have a quorum — or the minimum number of lawmakers present that's required to conduct House business. But Democrats are still boycotting the session despite a favorable ruling because they want a deal with the GOP about how the chamber will move forward if it returns to a tie following another special election for a vacant Roseville seat expected in March. The opening right now gives Republicans a one-seat edge. In the absence of a deal, DFL leaders say they will continue to deny quorum until those terms are reached and in writing. Because they weren't at the capitol, presiding officer DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon convened the House only to promptly adjourn on Monday and Tuesday. Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, said she and Rep. Lisa Demuth, who is the GOP leader, met again Tuesday morning to resume negotiations. She was hopeful they could soon meet halfway and chart a course for how the rest of session will operate. "We talked about a number of the blockers that are preventing a deal," Hortman told reporters. "I do think we're making progress. I tend to be a glass half full type of person and I think the progress we're making on issues is substantial." Demuth didn't project the same confidence. She and her Republican colleagues have slammed DFL members for not showing up day after day. GOP lawmakers returned on Tuesday, but the chamber was still half empty. "If they're serious about wanting to do the work, they should be coming into work, providing what it would take for them to get into work," Demuth said. "So we actually have a serious offer to look at. We have not seen a serious offer at this point." Neither Hortman nor Demuth would share any details about their latest discussions. The Republican leader said there hadn't been any "meaningful change" to what's being offered or considered. "What you're seeing right now is again, Democrats do not show up to work," she said. Democrats have said they want an agreement that would guarantee both parties will return to sharing power if there is a tie again and also would protect Rep. Brad Tabke, the DFL winner in a close Shakopee race, from being ousted from the chamber. The constitution gives the Legislature the final say on the eligibility of its own members and Republicans have not said whether they would use that authority to unseat him because of concerns about missing ballots at the center of the case. Voters in November delivered a 67 to 67 split before the DFL winner of a Roseville seat said he wouldn't take the oath of office, following a judge's ruling that he did not live in the district as required by law. That vacancy sparked this power dispute that's now marked by boycotts, lawsuits and partisan mudslinging on both sides. And it's cast a cloud over the work of the session, during which the Legislature must pass the next two-year budget.
