Last week Senate Democrats failed to find bipartisan support to pass a bonding bill off the senate floor. The bill requires a 3/5 majority vote, which is 41 votes and required 7 Republican senators to vote for the bill. It failed to gain even one favorable Republican vote.

“Minnesotans have been loud and clear, they want meaningful tax relief including the full elimination of tax on social security income,” said Senator Michael Kreun (R-Blaine). “Minnesota is sitting on a historic $17.5 billion surplus, yet Senate Democrats attempted to push through a bonding bill that puts $2 Billion on Minnesota’s credit card. While I want to pass a bonding bill later this session, we must work together in a bipartisan manner to make sure we provide meaningful tax relief as well.”

After failing to pass the bonding bill, the Senate immediately voted to reconsider the bill and lay it on the table. This procedural move allows the bill to be brought up again without having to go through the committee process.  

Two weeks ago, Senate Republican Leaders made clear they needed to see movement on tax relief before they voted for a bonding bill. Last week, Republicans attempted to bring a bill to eliminate the tax on Social Security to the floor, which was defeated on a party-line vote. Senate Democrats today brought their own bill to eliminate the tax on Social Security in a procedural vote to move it one step forward. However, Democrats failed to take the bill up for an actual vote that would pass it off the Senate floor and send it to the House for consideration.