On Monday, Minnesota Senate Republicans announced their agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The agenda, known as ‘Vision 2020’, is a series of principles and priorities that will guide public policy work during the 2020 legislative session, which convenes on February 11.

“In 2019, with significant bipartisan support, we passed the largest biennial budget in state history that cut the costs of health care, provided significant tax relief, and made needed changes to the way government delivers services. Our vision for 2020 is about building on that positive, bipartisan work done as the only split legislature in the nation,” said Senator Bill Weber (R-Luverne), chair of the Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Policy Committee. “My constituents expect us to reign in the bureaucracy, work on tax relief, and be voices of reason when it comes to agricultural policy. The voices of my constituents are what matters – and those are the voices to which I’ll listen in St. Paul.”

Vision 2020 is an open-ended agenda that will be used to guide the Senate Republican majority’s priorities during the 2020 session, when the legislature is expected to consider a capital investment bill, a supplemental budget, tax relief, and more. In addition, the Senate is expected to consider measures related to health care costs, public safety, roads and bridges, public infrastructure, and more. The full Vision 2020 agenda can be found on the Minnesota Senate Republicans website. 

“With a budget surplus of around $1.3 billion, we must be careful not to think we can go back to St. Paul and add a whole new round of substantial spending. The budget surplus does not belong to bureaucrats; it belongs to Minnesota taxpayers – and whether it’s in the form of full Section 179 conformity, middle-income tax cuts, or paying cash for some of the state’s many capital needs, I expect there to be a robust discussion on how we can best use the surplus for the benefit of the taxpayer. I’m looking forward to more bipartisan success for the people of Minnesota,” said Senator Weber.

The 2020 legislative session begins on February 11. 

Senator Bill Weber, of Luverne, represents communities in Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock counties in the Minnesota Senate. He serves as chair of the Senate Agriculture, Housing, and Rural Development Policy Committee.