News – Page 99 – Minnesota Senate Republicans

March 22, 2022

Housley bill calls for financial sanctions against Russia and Belarus—passes through Committee, heads to Senate Floor

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February, Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater) today presented legislation in the State Government committee that divests Minnesota’s state pension fund from Russia and Belarus, and…

March 22, 2022

Limmer responds to last-minute public safety proposal by Senate DFL

ST. PAUL, MN – Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) released the following statement in response to the Senate DFL’s last-minute proposal on public safety. The Senate has been in session since January 31, and the first…

March 22, 2022

Senator Osmek Co-Authors Legislation to Increase Judicial Transparency and Hold Minnesota Judges Accountable

On Monday, legislation to increase judicial transparency and hold Minnesota judges accountable started to move through the Senate. The bill, co-authored by Senator David Osmek (R-Mound), would require the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission to develop…

March 22, 2022

Senator Julia Coleman Introduces Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill to Expand Access and Support Minnesota Families

Watch the Press Conference (ST. PAUL, MN) – Senator Julia Coleman (R-Waconia) recently introduced a paid family and medical leave proposal to expand access and provide tax incentives to businesses that offer the benefit to their employees. Representative…

March 21, 2022

Senator Rarick & Colleagues Submit Letter to the University of Minnesota Leadership Regarding Cut Sports Programs

Following a recent hearing on the cuts made to specific sports programs at the University of Minnesota in the Senate Higher Education Committee, I joined 29 of my colleagues to send a letter to the…

March 21, 2022

Senator Koran Presents Legislation to Increase Judicial Transparency and Hold Minnesota Judges Accountable

On Monday, Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch) presented legislation to increase judicial transparency and hold Minnesota judges accountable. The bill, SF 3356, would require the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission to develop and maintain a publicly…

March 21, 2022

Senator Julia Coleman and Representative Jordan Rasmusson Introduce Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill To Expand Access And Support Minnesota Families

Watch the Press Conference (ST. PAUL, MN) – Today, Senator Julia Coleman (R-Waconia) and Representative Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) introduced a paid family and medical leave proposal. The proposal expands access and provides tax incentives to…

March 20, 2022

Jasinski: Keeping health insurance costs in check

It wasn’t all that long ago that Minnesota’s health insurance market was on the brink of collapse thanks to MNsure. Remember those days? Every year there were double-digit premium prices, and a lot of families…

March 18, 2022

Senator Bruce Anderson’s News from the Capitol – March 18, 2022

Friends and neighbors, This week at the Capitol, my colleagues and I in the Senate passed legislation to extend our state’s successful reinsurance program for another five years. This extension will allow insurance rates in the individual market…

March 18, 2022

Senator Dahms Video Statement on Rural Broadband Investments

Senator Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls) released the following video statement on new investments in Rural Broadband. The Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee last week passed a bill that would invest $110 million in broadband development. Watch…

March 18, 2022

Legislative Update from Senator Ruud

Here are a few happenings in St. Paul… Protecting Families from Higher-Health Care CostsIn 2016 insurance premiums for the individual market increased by double digits, as high as 49%, due to changes from the Affordable…

March 16, 2022

Duckworth, Senate Pass Extension of Successful Reinsurance Program—Protecting Families from Rising Health Care Costs

This week, Senator Zack Duckworth (R-Lakeville) joined in the Senate’s bipartisan passage of legislation that extends Minnesota’s successful reinsurance program for another five years, securing stable insurance rates in the individual market for Minnesota families. In 2016 insurance premiums…

March 16, 2022

Pratt bill seeks to alleviate supply chain issues and reduce wait times for Commercial Driver’s License tests

Senator Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake) presented legislation that allows third-party road testing for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) consistent with federal regulations and using the same criteria adopted by 20 other states. The bill states that…

March 16, 2022

Kiffmeyer: Legislative update on discontinuing the Northstar, consumer choice of fuel, and county attorney Trial Court training

Friends and neighbors, Discontinuing Northstar operations: This week inthe Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, we heard an important bill I authored this session to support our local community. S.F. 3494 would discontinue Northstar passenger rail operations, which…

March 16, 2022

Senator Gazelka Authors Legislation Combatting Walz’s California Car Mandate

(ST. PAUL, MN)– Today, the Minnesota Consumer Choice of Fuel Act continued its movement through the Minnesota Senate. The legislation co-authored by Senator Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake) would ensure that Minnesota citizens maintain the…

March 16, 2022

Rosen, MN Senate Pass Extension of Successful Reinsurance Program to Protect Minnesota Families from Rising Health Care Costs

On Monday, Senate Finance Chair Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont) and the Minnesota Senate passed legislation to extend Minnesota’s successful reinsurance program for another five years. Extending the program ensures insurance rates in the individual market will…

March 16, 2022

Howe bill would exempt public safety pensions from income taxes

Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) yesterday presented legislation in the Senate Tax Committee that would provide a tax subtraction for pension income received by public safety officers and firefighters, given that the individual serves until the…

March 15, 2022

Rosen, Senate unanimously approve audit of troubled Southwest Light Rail project

Senate Finance Chairwoman Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont) and the Minnesota Senate today unanimously voted to audit the beleaguered Southwest Light Rail project, which is years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget with…

March 14, 2022

Goggin, Senate unanimously approve audit of troubled Southwest Light Rail project

Senator Mike Goggin (R-Red Wing) and the Minnesota Senate today unanimously voted to audit the beleaguered Southwest Light Rail project, which is years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget with no…

March 14, 2022

Senator Nelson votes to extend successful reinsurance program to protect families from skyrocketing health insurance costs

Minnesota State Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) and her Senate colleagues today voted to extend Minnesota’s successful reinsurance program. Extending the program guarantees that insurance rates in the individual market will remain stable for Minnesota families. …