Friends and neighbors —
I am back in St. Paul today for the official start of the 2023 legislative session. Things look a bit different this year, as the Democrats’ one-party control of the last two years is over.
I’ll provide a lot more information over the coming weeks and months, but here is what you need to know about where things stand in the Senate:
Senate will have bipartisan leadership
The Senate is tied 33-33, and the felony burglary trial of Democrat Senator Nicole Mitchell is still pending. Senate Republican and Democrat leaders reached a power-sharing agreement that will remain in place for as long as the Senate is tied.
That means power will be divided equally: committees will have co-chairs and equal membership; the Senate chamber will have co-presiding officers that will share decision-making responsibility; and Republican Leader Mark Johnson and Democrat Leader Erin Murphy will be on equal footing. No bill or confirmation will come to the floor without approval of both.
The only way for the power-sharing agreement to end is for one party to get 34 votes and bring a resolution to the floor canceling it. Will Senator Mitchell be the one to cast that deciding vote while her felony burglary trial is ongoing? Time will tell.
Nobody has forgotten the last two years. The Democrats pursued an extreme agenda at all costs and prioritized their political allies over the needs of regular Minnesotans. The nasty end of the 2024 legislative session, in which they jammed a monstrous 1,400-page bill into law at the last minute, as a fitting end to their one-party rule.
Rebuilding trust is going to take a long time. We will never forget what they did, but the power-sharing agreement is a step in the right direction toward fixing the damage Democrats inflicted.
It is also important to remember that the Senate is different from the House. House Democrats are currently pushing a constitutional crisis, with their secret illegal swearing in ceremony and their promise to stay home for two weeks to prevent Republicans from governing. House Republicans are continuing to stand strong in their battle, and I support their effort.
CONTACT ME
I love hearing your feedback. If you have any questions or comments about the issues we are working on, please contact me anytime. My email is sen.glenn.gruenhagen@senate.mn, or you can call me at 651-296-4131.
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook: https://www.fb.com/SenatorGlennGruenhagen.
It is a privilege to serve you. God Bless.