Friends and neighbors,

Democrats continue to force extremely controversial policies through the Minnesota Legislature, and that’s exactly what we saw with the passage of the extreme abortion bill.

In the early morning of Saturday, Jan. 28, Senate Democrats passed the nation’s most extreme abortion bill on party lines, 34-33. And since then, Governor Walz has signed this legislation into law. This radical legislation goes far beyond Roe and is the wrong step for Minnesota. It allows for up-until-birth abortions and protects “abortion” and “reproductive rights” with no safeguards or limitations.

During the 16 hours of rigorous debate, Senate Republicans stood up for the sanctity of life and offered a number of critical amendments. We looked to add some moderation and reasonableness to this extreme legislation. However, all of our amendments were ultimately struck down by Democrats. 

Key Republican amendments that we offered include a ban on third-trimester abortions; language that would have excluded sterilization from the umbrella of “reproductive rights”; a requirement of parental notification; and a prohibition of abortions due to down syndrome.

I am heartbroken by the passage of this bill and what this means for mothers and babies. The legislature should focus on building a commonsense, consensus agreement that will best protect life at all stages. However, this legislation is extremely divisive and fails to protect and respect life.  

Another bill that was pushed through committee at a rapid pace and passed out of the Senate by party-line votes is the Democrats’ carbon-free electricity legislation. 

On Thursday, Feb. 2, Senate Democrats once again forced through extreme hyper-partisan language. SF-4, fittingly known as the ‘Minnesota Blackout Bill,’ is the Democrats’ extreme energy bill. The legislation mandates all our state’s electricity production to be 100% carbon-free by 2040. And it closes off our state to coal and natural gas and mandates the shift to renewable energy sources of solar, wind, hydroelectric, hydrogen, and biomass.

This mandate will be extremely expensive for Minnesota consumers, with energy experts estimating that families will see their electric bills increase by an average of nearly $1,650 per year. Further, the zero-carbon proposal would put our electric grid at serious risk of failure. Minnesota already faces a critical energy crisis, so we should not be removing any of the reliable energy we currently have. It also fails to recognize the importance of nuclear, and therefore, cannot be considered a serious effort to be carbon-free.

The Democrats’ Blackout Bill can be contrasted with the A+ Energy Plan put forth by Senate Republicans. Our proposal is the foundation for reliable, affordable, and “always on” energy planning for the state. It takes an all-encompassing, all-options-on-the-table approach to ensure reliability for the grid and affordable costs for consumers.

Highlights of the A+ Energy Plan include:

• Allowing nuclear construction in the state  
• Authorizing hydroelectric power to count as a renewable energy  
• Affordable renewable natural gas to continue to reduce emissions  
• Always On natural gas and coal for reliability and affordability  
• All-of-the-Above strategy to mix solar, wind, hydroelectric, hydrogen, and biomass with our current energy sources

I strongly believe that a vast array of energy generation found in the A+ Energy Plan is the best approach for our state. From wind and solar to hydroelectric power and nuclear, we must have every tool in our toolbox to ensure Minnesota’s energy future.

I want to hear from you, my constituents, on issues that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any concerns or ideas you may have. As the session moves forward, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation comes before me. You can contact my office at sen.bruce.anderson@senate.mn or 651-296-5981.

Sincerely,

Bruce Anderson