As we continue into Session, Senate Democrats are continuing the trend of pushing tone deaf social agenda items. Their focus has been the legalization of all abortion with no limits or safeguards, a widely overreaching paid family leave proposal, and red flag gun laws. As we head deeper into Session, these issues will be high on their docket.

Democrats have been pushing their abortion bill with an iron fist, with no regard to those who have voiced basic concerns. The bill has moved through multiple committees, and every Senator that has raised issue has been silenced. Democrats were unwilling to even discuss the details of the very issue they’re trying to legislate on. They are refusing to take any input on the bill. As it stands, abortions will be totally accessible with no limits regarding when or why the procedure can be done. The bill’s author was asked in committee, “At what point does an unborn baby become a human?”, and the author declined to answer. These lawmakers are totally unwilling to define what they want to legislate, and I find this troubling. I’d like to remind folks that this was the Democrats’ first bill of the Session: SF-1, the abortion bill. Our state is sitting on a surplus, taxpayers are hurting from inflation, and the first thing Democrats want to do is legalize total access to abortion with no limits… Their priorities are skewed and do not address concerns of Minnesotans and families across the state.

I’m also concerned about their paid family leave plan. Republicans attempted to put forward a great proposal last year, which would have given businesses the ability to customize paid family leave based on their employees and what they need. It ensured that employees have access to family leave without businesses being be beholden to yet another government agency. Democrats instead are putting forward a plan that will create a payroll tax for employees, who would likely be forced to pay into the program for an uncertain amount of time before they can even access the benefits. They want to create an entire new agency that runs the program, all at the cost of taxpayers. Their plan is going to be costly, and will harm our small businesses. The businesses will not only have to pay into this system, but they will lose employees and will not be able to afford hiring replacements for employees taking part in long-term leave. Nothing about their plan makes any sense, and all it will do is create more government that spends more taxpayer dollars.

Another issue that I expect to come up is the implementation of red flag gun laws and universal background checks. We all know how damaging these extreme laws will be to law-abiding gun owners. These laws will give government the power to arbitrarily decide who can and can’t own a firearm. Red Flag laws are used by other states to deny people access to purchasing a firearm—if the government decides you are “unfit” or are mentally unstable, they will target you and seize your property. These proposed laws are a broad overstep of the government’s authority, and I will never support any law that undermines American’s Second Amendment rights.

It’s clear that the Democrats are pushing a very specific social agenda without any regard for the needs of Minnesotans in rural communities. Democrats are pushing their agenda, with no input from greater Minnesota. It’s not right, and it’s leading our state down the wrong path. Every law the Democrats have proposed just expands government. We need to be doing the opposite and should focus on providing tax relief by shrinking government and its reach. Despite their attempts to increase the size and scope of government, I will continue to advocate for my district and the needs of my neighbors. We can find better solutions than what they’ve offered.