Senate passes one-sided State and Local Government Omnibus bill despite calls for bipartisanship

Senate Democrats today passed a partisan State and Local Government Omnibus budget bill that includes a negative target for both the upcoming biennium and the 2028–2029 budget cycle. The bill also folds in controversial Elections Omnibus provisions. It expands state government without delivering real progress on election integrity, government transparency, or fraud prevention efforts. 

“This bill makes it clear Democrats are prioritizing government growth over helping Minnesota families live more affordable lives,” said Senator Andrew Lang (R-Olivia), Lead Republican on the State and Local Government Committee. “We had the chance to show some solidarity with those being asked to cut their budgets, like our schools and nursing homes, instead of handing out even more operating increases to already bloated state agencies.” 

Even with a looming $6 billion deficit, major state agencies received notable funding increases. The Secretary of State’s budget grew by 19.8%, the Department of Administration saw an 11% increase, and the Attorney General’s Office received a 9.8% increase in their operating budgets. 

Several cultural councils also saw significant increases: the Council on Minnesotans of African Heritage received a 15.9% bump, the Council on Latino Affairs saw a 22.6% increase, and funding for the LGBTQIA2S+ Council rose by 48.5%. The Asian-Pacific and Indian Affairs Councils each received a more modest 2.2% increase. 

Other key provisions of the bill include: 

  • The Minnesota Business Filing Fraud Prevention Act, which gives the Secretary of State power to take action against fraudulent business filings 
  • Secretary of State Business Filling Fee increases 
  • The establishment of a Special Reviews Division in the Office of the Legislative Auditor 
  • New education and experience requirements for Certified Public Accountants 

Republicans offered several amendments that were adopted, including: 

Republicans offered several amendments that were not adopted, including: 

Elections bill fails to deliver real progress 

The State and Local Government Omnibus bill included partisan Elections Omnibus provisions, which carried a negative fiscal target for both the upcoming biennium and 2028–2029. For years, the Legislature has followed a tradition of passing election-related legislation only with bipartisan agreement. That tradition was upended in 2023 under single party control, and Senate Democrats failed to return to a bipartisan approach to election law. 

“Securing free and fair elections so Minnesotans can trust the voting process should be our top priority,” said Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch), Lead Republican on the Elections Committee. “While there were small steps toward transparency and accountability, this bill doesn’t go far enough. It falls short of making real improvements to trust and integrity in our election system.” 

One major provision in the bill would require major political parties to cover the cost of their presidential primaries, a significant shift from the current system, where the state’s general fund pays for the election. With an estimated cost of $15.25 million, each party would be responsible for about $7.6 million, placing a heavy financial burden on state-level parties. This shift could have far-reaching effects on voter participation and may further reinforce two-party dominance. 

Other key provisions include:  

  • Pays off the legal fees ($500k) for the Minnesota of Chamber of Commerce over a lawsuit they won over a 2023 election law change passed by Democrats that violated first amendment rights 
  • Adds stock transactions and cryptocurrency to the Statement of Economic Interest that public officials are required to fill out 
  • Requires a county or municipality to publish online the location and hours of a pop-up polling place within five days of naming pop-up polling place 
  • Requires electronically submitted ballot applications to be received five days before the election, instead of the current deadline of one day before 
  • Prohibits an employer from threatening loss of employment to someone because they are running for office 

The bill significantly expands the requirement for local officials to file a Statement of Economic Interest, extending it from the metro area to the entire state. As a result, more than 14,000 individuals would be required to file disclosure statements. 

Democrats offered an amendment, supported by all Republicans, to move the absentee ballot submission deadline from 8 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Election Day, helping ease the burden on election officials managing both absentee and in-person voting. The amendment was adopted.

Republican Senator Steve Drazkowski offered an amendment to clarify the rules for legislators working as lobbyists, prohibiting current lawmakers from working for businesses that primarily make their money through government relations. The amendment was adopted.

Republicans offered several amendments that were not adopted, including: 

“Every year, our elections face new and evolving threats, but this bill does nothing to address them,” Sen. Koran said. “We had the opportunity to work together, as has long been the tradition with election laws, but Democrats chose to go it alone. Minnesotans will be disappointed by both what’s in this bill and what’s missing.” 

The bill passed off the Senate floor on a 35-29 vote and now heads to a conference committee of Senate and House members to work out the final details. Sen. Lang voted against the bill, while Sen. Koran voted in favor in good faith to increase the chances of being appointed to the conference committee.