John 15:18-19  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
This last session is a clear example of the cultural and Spiritual struggle the American people are in.  We see what happens when the church separates itself from the government.  Every society will follow a moral compass.  The question is where will that compass point?  That is up to those involved, engaged and active.  It is clear the majority party at St. Paul has decided that “Secular Humanism” will be the focus point for legislation.  Just as in the days of the Judges; where “everyone did as they saw fit.” (attached are a list with the 75 new laws passed this year; many of which were 800+ page omnibus bills)
We are at a turning point.  Will we run and hide? Distract ourselves with daily living and hope everything will passover? Or take a Stand and Sacrifice our time and energy to work for a better future? No one person can do everything.  But if we all do our part and let the Lord guide anything is possible!  
When I look at the state of MN from a human perspective I get overwhelmed and want to give up.  When I look at MN through a Christian perspective I see hope!  I see the Lord stirring hearts, networking His children, and working to set in place a true reform and revival.  How long this process takes and what trials we will go through to get there are unknown.   What I do know is that Jesus promises to be with His people every step of the way.  The Israelite Nation had a 40 year preparation period in the desert; life was difficult, but God’s Presence, guidance, and aide was with them.
I don’t know about you, but I am too stubborn to give up.  The adversary wants us to get overwhelmed, distracted, discouraged, and to give up.  We only lose when we stop working for a better tomorrow.  The Truth and the Godly Principles that founded this nation are too precious to stop fighting for.  It took years to free ourselves from Tyranny of outside Governance; it took years for our nation to officially stand for freedom for all humans and to call for an end to slavery;  it will take years to right the moral decay we currently find ourselves in.  
We are in this for the long haul.  Every little bit helps.  We are building a foundation and network for a better MN.  We are reaching our to the heart and soul of MN to Glorify God.  We plant seeds, water and tend.  God’s job is to make our efforts grow, blossom and bear fruit. 
Chapter of Law Bill Short Description
 1 HF31 Federal tax conformity—a non-controversial bill conforming Minnesota tax law to federal tax laws
 2 SF40 Unemployment insurance benefits were extended for miners due to the closure of mines in the Iron Range.
 3 HF37 The CROWN Act—Certain hairstyles are now considered part of someone’s race, and employers can no longer ban those hairstyles. Beards are not included.
 4 HF1 The “Pro Act” made abortion and any type of procedure related to sex or reproduction a right for any “individual” (no regard to age, gender, or Minnesota residency) This general statement lays the groundwork for undermining parental rights and for the state to pay for all procedures.
 5 SF13 Juneteenth Holiday. June 19 is now a public holiday for the state as well as federal workers.
 6 HF26 Appropriation of Federal Infrastructure money for transportation.
 7 HF7 2040 renewable energy goal “Blackout Bill.”  This “goal” will result in higher rates for utilities because there is currently no way to achieve it.  The utilities and the Public Utilities Commission are in a standoff over this, with the utilities claiming they are cutting other services and investments.
 8 SF33 More money for Attorney General Ellison to assist County Attorneys in Criminal Prosecutions.
 9 HF50 Lands bill. A technical bill allowing counties and the state to sell or swap government owned land in specific instances explained in the bill.
 10 HF35 State forecasts are required to include the rate of inflation.  Now budgets will have inflation automatically added so that Legislators will see the inflated costs of the previous year’s budget before they decide on increases and decreases.
 11 HF213 Food Shelf Funding. $5 Million from the General Fund for Food Shelves
 12 HF28 Felon Voting. Felons can now vote when they get out of jail and no longer must wait for their parole to be over.
 13 HF4 Driver’s Licenses issued without having identity documents are or whether you are in the country legally. There will be no difference between these non-compliant licenses and other licenses which has led many to question whether they will be used to fraudulently obtain benefits or vote.
 14 HF121 Technical corrections to the Court Competency process law passed last year.
 15 HF30 Catalytic Converter theft prevention and penalties. More regulations for the scrap/spare parts industry. Criminals will just change their methods to avoid getting caught.
 16 SF667 Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act changes
 17 HF112 Physical Education Standards Delayed
 18 HF5 Free Breakfast and Lunch provided to all K-12 students even if they don’t qualify due to income level. (Low-income students already received free breakfast and lunch through a federal program.)
 19 HF45 Review of military offenses for deferred prosecution. This deals with military offenses and whether they should be criminally prosecuted under civilian courts. This pertains to the Minnesota National Guard only.
 20 HF1440 Homelessness Prevention Bill.
 21 HF244 Electronic Wills
 22 SF2265 Transition from Public Health Emergency and continuation of health insurance MA for people who are no longer eligible under federal guidelines.
 23 SF1816 Additional money for the Office of Administrative Hearings
 24 HF1656 $156 M in grants to be administered to the Dept. of Commerce for assisting Minnesota businesses and nonprofits applying for federal energy grants.
 25 HF1581 Revisor Technical Corrections bill
 26 HF1278 $40 Million for the Disaster Contingency Account.
 27 HF42 Labor Trafficking and Human Trafficking penalties enhanced
 28 HF16 Conversion therapy prohibited
 29 HF146 Transgender Sanctuary bill. Prohibiting extradition in custody situations if the parent of a child is seeking gender transition treatment for them.
 30 SF10 Contractors at petroleum refineries must be trained to State Department of Labor (union) standards
 31 HF366 Sanctuary for people who break abortion laws in other states
 32 HF463 Rural Finance Authority funding
 33 SF2369 Economic Development Policy Omnibus Bill
 34 HF3 Voter registration expanded, interpreters use expanded, voter intimidation and express advocacy redefined and regulated.
 35 HF717 Prince Highway and Augie Mueller Highway in Chanhassen
 36 HF800 Labor contracts ratified. Several State Government Workers unions contracts contained in this bill. 
 37 HF2335 Housing Finance and Policy Omnibus bill. 
 38 HF1937 Veterans and Military Affairs Omnibus bill. Passed as a standalone bill this year.
 39 HF24 Lead pipe replacement grants. Grants to local governments to replace lead pipes in their drinking water systems.
 40 HF1999 Legacy Finance Bill. Grants for arts, outdoors and clean water projects funded by the state sales tax mandated by the constitutional amendment.
 41 HF2073 Higher Education Omnibus Bill.
 42 HF2204 Metropolitan Council redistricting technical bill.
 43 SF1955 Omnibus Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development Bill
 44 HF1126 PSEO changes, student financial aid and teacher licensure. PSEO changes, student financial aid and teacher licensure. This bill includes new rules that restrict religious post-secondary institutions from the program, a provision which is being fought in court.
 45 HF3100 Pension Omnibus Bill
 46 HF782 Minnesota Secure Choice retirement program bill. Another employer mandate on payroll that duplicates a service available in the private sector.
 47 HF2950 Pension Policy Bill
 48 HF1234 Disability Pension modifications for Police and Fire.
 49 HF1486 Modifications for Licensing of Drug Counselors
 50 HF1403 Aging, Disability and Recovery Support Services Policy Bill
 51 HF2988 Workers Comp Bill
 52 SF2909 Public Safety Omnibus Bill. This is the bill that contains so called “red flag laws” that allow third parties to petition the court to get someone’s gun rights removed.  It also expands background checks. 
 53 SF3035 Omnibus Jobs, Labor and Industry Bill
 54 HF2292 Early Childhood Bill. This bill greatly expands subsidies for childcare and Pre-K programs “from birth to age 5.” Increases funding for education of childcare workers and further expands the “parent aware” program which serves as a government rating system for childcare providers. Gives discretion to the Commissioner of the Department of Education to determine Kindergarten “readiness” and changes the title from Kindergarten Readiness to Kindergarten “entry.”
 55 HF2497 Education Omnibus Bill. This bill imposes a huge number of mandates onto schools, that don’t directly impact the classroom. Many school districts have told us that this and other bills will cost them more than they are receiving. It requires schools to stock menstrual products in the boys’ bathrooms. It allows part time and seasonal employees to collect unemployment rather than fill other jobs during their off months. It removes the requirement that teachers have expertise in the areas they teach.
 56 HF3288 Claims. Payment of settlements already agreed to by the Attorney General.
 57 SF2744 Omnibus Commerce Bill This bill funds the Commerce Department and puts new regulations on the industries it regulates, namely, insurance and financial institutions. It also opens the door to price controls on drugs and removes price controls on gasoline.  It is likely to increase insurance rates of all kinds. It Regulates Payday Lending by limiting interest rates; It ends state reinsurance for health insurance, which served to keep health insurance premiums lower. Democrats want to move more people to subsidized care instead, and eventually to a “public option.”  Creates a “Prescription Drug Affordability Board” that can review drug prices for “fair” pricing. Controls prices for Epi-pens and Insulin. “Anti-Gouging” laws for products during market disruptions.  Right to Repair which requires an original equipment manufacturer to generally make available to the purchaser/owner (or an independent repair provider) documentation, parts, and tools for diagnostic, maintenance, or repair purposes, and similarly, information to reset an electronic security lock or security-related function when the lock or function is disabled during repairs.  Gas markup elimination which repeals the prohibition against selling gasoline below cost and eliminates the eight cent per gallon statutorily required markup.  Increases penalties for unlawful robocalls.
 58 HF1370 Deep Fake Sexual Images prohibited. This bill puts criminal penalties on using someone’s image to create pornographic material.
 59 HF2 Paid Family Leave. A new mandate and payroll tax on businesses of any size. 
 60 HF2310 Environment, Natural Resources and Energy policy bill
 61 SF2934 Omnibus Human Services Bill
 62 HF1830 State Government Finance Bill. This bill contains raises to the Governor and other constitutional officers and designation of a race-based committee to design the new state flag.
 63 HF100 Legalization, Regulation and Taxation of Cannabis, THC and CBD products.  Unfortunately, this bill also creates problems for hemp farmers to such an extent that it will likely put some of them out of business due to the high cost of compliance.
 64 HF1938 Tax Omnibus Bill. This bill raises taxes and has a provision which restricts electronic pull tabs to make them less attractive, negatively impacting charitable gambling.  It changes the income threshold for taxing social security income, but it doesn’t eliminate the tax.
 65 HF2369 Ride Sharing Bill (Vetoed). This regulatory bill would have caused Uber and Lyft to leave Minnesota.
 66 HF402 Regulation of Health Care/Hospital mergers (Fairview University).
 67 HF1900 Environmental Trust Fund and lottery constitutional amendment proposed. This is a renewal of what the state lottery money funds which expires in 2025.
 68 HF2887 Transportation Finance and Policy Omnibus Bill
 69 SF3307 Revisor Corrections bill 2
 70 SF2995 Omnibus Health Bill.  This bill repealed 50 years of prolife legislation including the Born Alive Act, which banned partial birth abortion and the neglect of babies who survived abortion. It removes funding for abortion alternatives and replaces it with funding for “family planning grants” that include abortion.
 71 HF670 Cash Capital Investment Bill. This bill and the Borrowing Bill below, fund infrastructure projects around the state.  Unfortunately, this bill also contained tens of millions of dollars in unrestricted grants to nonprofits as well.
 72 HF699 Borrowing Capital Investment Bill. This had a mixture of good, important projects as well as some projects that should not have been a priority or could have been paid with the surplus that the Democrat leadership chose to spend on other things.
 73 HF447 Revisor Corrections Bill 3
 74 HF3342 Nursing Home Facility Payments—300 million dollars to shore up our failing nursing home industry in Minnesota. The crisis in funding and staffing shortages are putting the elderly and vulnerable populations at risk.
 75 SF1384 Nurse Staffing. This bill started out as an aggressive regulations bill, where nurse staffing would be determined by the Nurses union and staffing committees in each hospital.  With staffing shortages at crisis levels, especially in rural areas, it would have led to patients being turned away from hospitals in Greater Minnesota where distances between hospitals can be big. The final bill was limited to a study and an emphasis on Nurse and Patient safety.

 

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