Today Senate Democrats failed to find bipartisan support to pass a bonding bill off the senate floor. The bill requires a 3/5 majority vote, which is 41 votes and required 7 Republican senators to vote for the bill. It failed to gain even one favorable Republican vote.

“There is no reason we can’t provide tax relief and an adequate bonding bill that meets the infrastructure needs of Minnesota,” said Senator Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake). “The number one request from families across the state is the repeal of the tax on social security, and for the Legislature to provide meaningful and permanent tax relief. Our state has a $17.5 billion surplus—there is simply no reason we cannot do both. We can deliver on tax relief while still investing in our state’s greatest needs, Senate Republicans simply want tax relief to come first.”

After failing to pass the bonding bill, the Senate immediately voted to reconsider the bill and lay it on the table. This procedural move allows the bill to brought up again without having to go through the committee process.  

Two weeks ago, Senate Republican Leaders made clear they needed to see movement on tax relief before they voted for a bonding bill. Last week, Republicans attempted to bring a bill to eliminate the tax on Social Security to the floor, which was defeated on a party-line vote. Senate Democrats today brought their own bill to eliminate the tax on Social Security in a procedural vote to move it one step forward. However, Democrats failed to take the bill up for an actual vote that would pass it off the Senate floor and send it to the House for consideration.