St Paul, MN – The 2022 Session closed without the passage of major bills providing tax relief, support for public safety and law enforcement, investments in student-first education proposals, and resources to stabilize our struggling long-term care facilities.
Throughout negotiations, Senate Republicans provided offers that met the terms of the leadership agreement released on May 16, 2022. They were within the budget agreement set, dropped controversial policy items, and were released to the public for review.
“Senate Republicans have focused this session on Minnesotans and the issues they care about,” Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) said. “We fought all year to reduce crime, support police, make life more affordable, and improve our schools. Unfortunately, despite our negotiations and efforts to help all Minnesotans, Governor Walz and the radical House Democrats clung to flawed priorities and undermined our agreements. Minnesotans deserve more, and we remain committed to solutions that allow families to succeed in this state.”
In return, Democrats frequently sent offers that were over the agreed-upon budget target or introduced new, controversial policy items. In the last 48 hours available to pass bills, the Governor interfered with the Senate-House agreement on State Government, effectively killing the bill.
Senate Republicans rolled out a strong agenda early in the session that focused on public safety, affording life, and empowering parents. The “Right Track” agenda would have put more cops on the streets and retained law enforcement officers. It included the Biggest Tax Cut Ever! by cutting the lowest income tax rate nearly in half and fully repealing the tax on Social Security benefits. Finally, the Parent’s Bill of Rights and funding for literacy would have brought more transparency and accountability in schools, while reversing the state’s declining literacy rates with proven, scientific methods of instruction. The session largely stayed focused on those three issues, but the challenges nursing homes and long-term care centers reached a crisis that could not be ignored. The Senate Republican nursing home rescue package would have provided much-needed funding for staff, recruitment, and training.
House Democrats have repeatedly blown through deadlines this session, notably passing a bill to refill and pay back a federal loan to the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund the day the tax payments were due for thousands of businesses. The delay on UI caused many businesses to overpay their taxes – an especially unfair burden when businesses are still recovering from COVID closures and facing record inflation costs.
Democrats also delayed the renewal of the highly successful reinsurance program until the day before the federal government required passage to approve a waiver for the program. Not passing reinsurance would have led to increased health care costs for people, farmers, and small businesses in the individual insurance market.
Governor Tim Walz is the only person who can call a special session and so far, has said he will not call one.
However, the session still saw several bipartisan success stories. In addition to UI and frontline worker bonus checks and the reinsurance extension, the legislature passed bills to modernize liquor and increased the growler limit. A budget bill for veterans included funding for three vets’ homes and bonuses for veterans in the War on Terror. The final day of the session included: A significant Agriculture, Broadband, and Drought relief bill to assist farmers and greater Minnesotans, significant investments in mental health, and competency restoration to help students and individuals in crisis get the help they need.