Legislation fully funds state government for two years, prevents furloughs for 35,000 workers

Senator Andrew Mathews (R-Milaca) joined his Minnesota Senate colleagues in passing the “Keep Minnesota Open” bill to fully fund state government for the next two years in the event of a legislative stalemate. Unlike legislation previously passed this session by the House of Representatives that will only reimburse state employees for time missed time during a government shutdown, the Senate approach avoids that scenario completely by keeping government open for all Minnesotans.

“While the Senate will continue to work diligently with the House and the Governor to try to reach a balanced budget agreement, the “Keep Minnesota Open” bill is a back-up plan to ensure our state stays fully functional for all Minnesotans,” said Senator Mathews. “If we reach a budget agreement, this legislation becomes obsolete. However, in a prolonged stalemate all Minnesotans lose, so we want to make sure we have a temporary contingency plan to keep Minnesota open.”

The bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote, with all DFL members opposing the measure. Due to a recent 2017 Minnesota Supreme Court decision that ruled the court cannot allocate funds from the state treasury without a specific appropriation, all state government operations would cease during a legislative stalemate. This could lead to the furlough of public safety personal and jeopardize the safety of all Minnesotans. This legislation would prevent that scenario.

“From nursing homes, to schools, to our parks, and so much more, we want to ensure our state stays open for all Minnesotans,” added Senator Mathews. “I hope Governor Walz and the House of Representatives join us in passing this legislation into law.”