It is the middle of February and we are back to business at the Legislature. Session began on February 12, and the Democrats have already proposed a number of bills and priorities they want to get through, despite already spending nearly the entire surplus last year. Last November, we found out that Minnesota is barreling towards a budget deficit. As a reminder, we started 2023 with a nearly-$19 billion surplus, and that was before accounting for inflation. We’re now looking at $2.3 billion deficit starting in 2025. Instead of working to correct the path, Democrats are pushing for more.

One priority we’ve heard a lot about is making Minnesota a sanctuary state. This doesn’t make any sense. If Democrats pass this extreme language, that means Minnesota and Minnesota law enforcement will be directed to ignore federal law. It will become a crime for anyone in Minnesota to enforce federal laws regarding immigration. This is a dangerous precedent.

We’ve also heard a lot about assisted suicide. The bill Democrats brought forward only talks about terminally ill, but this is a slippery slope. They implemented similar legislation in Canada in 2015, which was originally just meant for the terminally ill, yet now there’s a push to expand it to include those with mental illnesses. This culture of death preys on the vulnerable. Some Canadian psychiatrists have raised the alarm, too – they worry that they’re not always able to determine if someone is going to get better or not. There’s also a concern that folks who apply for this might lack the capacity to understand what they’re asking for. They could be taken advantage of. This is just the latest example of the Democrats’ obsession with a culture of death.

There’s also another gun bill that has been introduced in the House. This one prohibits the sale or transfer of semiautomatic guns and creates a buyback program for them. It also applies to anything with a pistol grip or folding stock. Democrats took a big bite out of gun rights last year – they told us they wouldn’t quit, and this bill proves that. They are actively working to take away your ability to protect yourself and your family.

We are once again facing another potential gas tax on the horizon. The Transportation bill that was passed last year included language that created an automatic inflationary increase to gas prices. Now the Clean Transportation Standard Working Group is pushing recommendations that will mean higher gas prices at the pump, upwards of .50 cents per gallon.

Despite talk of a gas tax and a deficit around the corner, one positive note is that the chair of the Senate Tax Committee has indicated that there will be no increased taxes this year. I sure hope this sentiment stands because Minnesotans should not pay the price of Democrats’ bad policies year after year. It’s tough being negative all the time, but this is the reality we’re facing. Minnesotans deserve to know what’s going on at the Capitol, and they deserve to know Republicans are working to counteract the dangerous spending of Democrats. As Session continues, I urge everyone to pay close attention and stay up-to-date on the bills that are passing. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to my office at Sen.Steve.Green@mnsenate.gov at any ti