The legislature is back at the Capitol, the 2024 session is underway, and there’s a lot on the plate. After the DFL trifecta passed one of the most partisan agendas in 2023, Democrats have proposed several bills this year that should worry Minnesotans. At the start of last year, Minnesota had a historic surplus – just one year later the surplus has been spent, and we are facing a $2.3 billion deficit in 2025. The average Minnesota family is already paying more in taxes, so we must get our state’s finances in order. 

One issue we’re hearing about is a proposal to make Minnesota a sanctuary state. As we’ve seen in New York and Chicago, an influx of undocumented immigrants can overwhelm the social safety nets we have in place, put a huge strain our communities, and will limit the efforts of law enforcement. If this law goes into effect, Minnesota law enforcement will be barred from cooperating with federal law enforcement.  

Another concerning item is assisted suicide. We’ve seen the impacts when other countries implement similar laws, and we’ve seen how it can hurt our most vulnerable citizens. The current bill limits the assisted suicide option to the terminally ill, but that’s how similar legislation began in other countries. Canada is now working to extend the coverage to those with mental illnesses and disabilities. It is concerning to me that this legislation will prey on those least able to advocate for themselves.

These priorities don’t match the values of most Minnesotans and I, along with my colleagues will continue speaking against these measures. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I also want to highlight a few priorities I’ve been focused on.

I would like to increase the criminal penalties for those convicted of sex and human trafficking. I’ve been working with our Scott County attorney to determine the best way we can align sentences with federal law and make those guilty of human trafficking exempt from new early released guidelines. This is a serious issue that we’ve seen throughout our state and country, and it’s time we tackle it.

I have also been working towards sensible Met Council reform. The Met Council has way too much authority and far too little accountability. It’s important that local communities have a direct voice on the issues that directly affect them at the Met Council. I am introducing a bill to have locally elected officials serve on the Met Council, which will make the council more accountable to the residents they serve.

There are also quite a few fixes we need to implement. Language regarding Student Resource Officers (SROs) passed last year, resulting in many cities removing officers from schools. Students deserve to be safe in their schools, and SROs are paramount to ensuring that. Sports betting has also been a topic of local interest, and I’ve been working with my colleagues to see if we can craft a bipartisan solution that will benefit the tribes and the horse tracks. I’ve also been working with small businesses to fix the Paid Family Leave program. As it was passed last year, there was no room for flexibility, leaving many small businesses struggling. 

We have a lot of work ahead of us. Minnesotans expect us to work together to get things done, but they also expect us to be fiscally responsible in doing so. The Walz-DFL budget is barreling towards a huge deficit, and we cannot allow Minnesota families to foot the bill for this misstep. I encourage everyone to stay up-to-date on Capitol happenings and to reach out to my office at anytime or sign-up for my newsletter at Sen.Eric.Pratt@mnsenate.gov.