Senator Rasmusson fosters bipartisan power-sharing agreement in the Senate, announces committee assignments

On the first day of the 2025 legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Senate passed a series of motions and unanimously passed a resolution to enact the agreement between the two caucuses to share power through a temporary organizing structure. Following the recent death of Senator Kari Dziedzic (D-Minneapolis), the Senate is currently tied with 33 Republicans and 33 Democrats.

Through his role as assistant Republican leader, Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) played a critical role in negotiating this agreement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Senate leaders to help foster this bipartisan agreement, which reflects the current moment of an evenly divided Senate,” Sen. Rasmusson said. “This power-sharing agreement represents the Senate’s commitment to working for the benefit of all Minnesotans.”

Key items in the agreement include:

  • Each caucus leader will appoint a co-presiding officer.
  • Equal representation of DFL and GOP members on committees, including joint chairs.
  • A permanent increase in GOP committee membership after the power-sharing agreement ends.
  • The creation of a new Senate Subcommittee on Veterans.
  • No changes to Senate rules through 2025.
  • The agreement is in place until there are 34 votes to end it.

Republican Caucus Leader Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) spoke to Sen. Rasmusson’s role in fostering this bipartisan deal. “I’m incredibly grateful to work with Sen. Rasmusson during the negotiations for this temporary organizing agreement for the Senate,” Sen. Johnson said. “He played a huge role in securing equal representation on committees, establishing co-chairs from each caucus, and shared Presiding Officers to manage the day-to-day operations of the Senate with bipartisanship at top of mind. There was a learning curve for all of us to work through how we could get this done, and his creative solutions and insight to negotiating proved incredibly helpful.”

As a result of the power-sharing agreement, Sen. Rasmusson will now serve as the Republican chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, and he will also serve as the Republican vice chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. In addition, Sen. Rasmusson is a new member of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and he will continue to serve on the Pension and Retirement Commission and the Senate Capital Investment Committee.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Republican chair of the Senate Human Services Committee,” Sen. Rasmusson said. “In recent sessions, I’ve worked to enhance long-term care services, support our EMS providers, and strengthen mental health and recovery systems. I look forward to building on this progress and advancing policies that benefit the well-being of all Minnesotans.”

Throughout his time in the Minnesota Senate, Sen. Rasmusson has championed policies that address critical issues related to human services. Notably, he fostered a $300 million deal for nursing homes, which provided direct grants, facility rate increases, and a workforce incentive fund. This initiative amounted to an average of $1.1 million for every nursing home in the state. Without this aid, the state could have lost up to 40 nursing homes.

In recognition of his significant impact on older adult services, Sen. Rasmusson was named Public Official of the Year by LeadingAge Minnesota, a respected advocacy group for the aging population.

At the end of the 2024 session, Sen. Rasmusson played a vital role in securing a $30 million aid package for rural emergency medical services (EMS). This legislation, authored by Sen. Rasmusson and a bipartisan group of legislators, allocated $24 million in emergency aid for EMS providers serving Greater Minnesota. As reported by the Star Tribune, he “created the mathematical formula that will determine which districts receive the money.” The remaining $6 million of this aid package is designated for an innovative sprint medic pilot program for Otter Tail, Grant, and St. Louis counties.

Sen. Rasmusson’s efforts to address the concerns of EMS providers were recognized by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities.

Throughout his tenure in the Minnesota Legislature, Sen. Rasmusson has worked to build a more responsive and compassionate mental health and recovery system in the state. This includes advancements such as the new crisis stabilization unit in Hoffman, which will serve West Central Minnesota. This facility provides essential support to individuals in need of care who may have difficulty accessing services due to distance.

Further, during the 2023 legislative session, Sen. Rasmusson secured supplemental funding for Adult and Teen Challenge facilities in Alexandria and Brainerd. These new facilities will offer vital resources for individuals struggling with addiction, bringing hope and recovery options to local families.

In addition to his committee assignments, Sen. Rasmusson will also serve as an assistant Senate Republican leader. In this role, he will guide caucus strategy and work with members to advance key legislative objectives.