Last week Senate Republicans held a press conference to introduce the Minnesotans First agenda for the 2025 session, which aims to help Minnesotans with inflationary costs, rein in government spending, hold government accountable to fraud, keep Minnesotans safe, strengthen families, and protect children.

“We’ve been hearing from families across the state – costs are rising, and they need help combatting inflation and the increased cost of living,” said Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville). “We have been faced with massive spending over the last two years – spending our state straight into a deficit in tandem with growing government by 40%. Families in our state haven’t seen a 40% increase in their budgets, so why should the state government? We need to get things back on track by cutting spending, making life more affordable, and putting Minnesotans First in everything we do this year.”

The Minnesotans First plan has five key planks: 

• Helping Minnesotans with the high cost of living by lowering costs in areas like energy, healthcare, housing, and business ownership
• Eliminating runaway spending that has pushed the state into a $5.1 billion deficit after a decade of surpluses
• Increasing fraud prevention efforts, placing key emphasis on strengthening the Office of the Legislative Auditor & consolidating the Inspector Generals in order to mandate agencies follow through on anti-fraud measures
• Prioritizing public safety initiatives that support law enforcement combined with tougher penalties on violent and repeat offenders
• Recognizing the needs of kids in the classroom, and helping schools in a way that reduces burdensome mandates while allowing them to meet the needs of their students

Notably this week, minutes after swearing in newly elected Democrat Sen. Doran Clark (D-Minneapolis), Senate Democrats introduced a resolution to end the historic Senate power-sharing agreement that had guided the first three weeks of session. 

“The power sharing agreement was a historic step that allowed half of our state to feel represented again,” continued Howe. “After last year’s shameful end to Session, where the voice of 49% of the state was silenced, this year’s agreement felt like a step forward. Once again using Sen. Mitchell as the deciding vote, the agreement was terminated. While the agreement was in place, Republicans took the opportunity to hear numerous issues in committees that had all been ignored: things like nuclear energy initiatives, arguments for eliminating the education mandates, and how to get fraud in our state under control. We got good work done over the last few weeks, and it’s truly a shame the agreement has come to an end.”