Update from Minnesota House of Representatives

July 1, 2021 — Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives finished approving a new two-year state budget and adjourned. The Minnesota House, controlled by Democrats, and the Minnesota Senate, controlled by Republicans, convened for a special session on June 14th to finalize a bipartisan budget agreement and avoid a state government shutdown on July 1st.

The House secured investments in families, workers, students, and small businesses who have been hit hardest by the pandemic, including:

Increase in Child Care Assistance Program rates
Great Start Task Force to look at making childcare more accessible, affordable, and ensure fair compensation
Funding for the Bridges to Healthcare Program to provide support and wraparound services for people with low incomes going into healthcare careers
A historic increase in funding for public schools and preservation of all day pre-K for 4,000 preschoolers
Financial support for frontline workers who sacrificed their health to keep all of us safe during the pandemic
Investments in access to affordable child care for families and increased funding for providers
A plan to prevent an eviction crisis and expand access to affordable housing
Targeted tax cuts for workers and small businesses harmed by the pandemic
Investments to improve public health and reduce racial disparities in health care
State aid for small businesses in the Lake, Midway, and West Broadway corridors damaged during last year’s civil unrest
Better access to reliable public transit and investments in roads, bridges, and rail
Substantial reforms to sexual assault laws to bring justice to victims
Measures to reform policing and increase accountability
Investments in families who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness
Delivering an overdue pay raise for our PCAs and additional support for home and community-based services to help people live independently
Substantial investments to reduce racial disparities and improve equity
Funding for the Market Bucks program to provide healthy and affordable farmers’ market produce to SNAP/EBT users

As a result of a bipartisan deal to end Governor Walz’s emergency powers on July 1, the Legislature will not convene for a July special session or continue meeting monthly as it has done since the pandemic began.