|
GMNP Update - May 23, 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMNP UPDATE - 5/23/2025 |
|
|
|
Dear GMNP Members,
Happy Friday! It's been a busy week: the legislature adjourned the 2025 regular session on Monday night, and conferees began meeting in "working groups" to continue negotiations towards a final budget deal. It seems like the legislature might be ready to convene a special session sometime late next week, depending on the working groups' progress. The deadline for budget bills to pass before a state government shutdown is June 30th; chairs are meeting with leadership daily to discuss their progress in an effort to overcome roadblocks and wrap up their work as quickly as possible.
Read on for a brief overview of key GMNP bills, including the Housing, Jobs, and Tax omnibus bills. We'll continue to keep you updated as the work continues.
As always, please reach out with any questions at darielle@gmnp.org or (612) 991-5744.
Sincerely,
Darielle Dannen Executive Director, Greater Minnesota Partnership |
|
|
|
KEY GMNP BILLS |
|
Housing Omnibus
The final Housing omnibus bill has passed both the House and Senate and has been sent to Governor Walz for his signature.
I want to extend another thank you to everyone who helped advocate for ongoing investments to support Greater Minnesota's housing needs. While the final bill included less money than we had hoped, there are still significant investments in key programs that will support an ongoing pipeline of projects. I encourage you to reach out to the Housing chairs (Rep. Spencer Igo, Rep. Mike Howard, and Sen. Lindsey Port) to thank them for their work to prioritize housing in Greater Minnesota. |
|
|
Jobs Omnibus
In good news, the Jobs omnibus bill has mostly been finalized. Yesterday (Thursday), the Jobs working group met to discuss the agreement they negotiated, staff walked through the spreadsheet, and the working group members adopted it. As a reminder, the committee was given a target of -$30 million for the FY26-27 biennium and -$40 million for FY28-29.
The work group also adopted the policy tracking sheet. At this point, the outstanding item for the bill is related to statutory changes to noncompete agreements. Bill language is not yet available, but will be circulated when it is posted.
While preserving base funding for key programs may feel less exciting than new funding or programs, we fought hard and ultimately succeeded in pushing back against cuts to key programs given the committee target. I want to thank everyone who advocated against these cuts. Had the proposals from the Governor and the House been adopted, it would have seriously inhibited Greater Minnesota's economic growth and investments for years to come. Preserving funding programs like BDPI and MIF will ensure there are funds to support business expansion and the addition of good jobs for Minnesotans. Please feel free to reach out to the Jobs chairs Sen. Bobby Champion, Rep. Dave Baker, and Rep. Dave Pinto, as well as members of the Jobs conference committee, to thank them for adopting a budget agreement that will support a strong state economy.
You can find a table of the key items we've been tracking and advocating for below: |
|
|
Tax Omnibus, Bonding?
The Tax working group continues to trade offers and work through disagreements. I will continue to track their work and share updates as they inch towards agreement.
We have not seen a bonding bill yet, but bonding chairs have had some discussions this week. If a bonding bill does take shape, expect that to be the last item that comes to an agreement for the special session. |
|
|
|
KEY DATES/COMMITTEE DEADLINES |
|
2026 Legislative Regular Session - Begins February 17, 2026 |
|
|
|
QUESTIONS? |
|
If you have questions or want to discuss anything further, please feel free to reach out at darielle@gmnp.org or (651) 295-1908. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Greater Minnesota Partnership advocates for public policies and investments that stimulate prosperity throughout Greater Minnesota. |
|
Copyright © 2025 Flaherty & Hood, P.A., All rights reserved. |