The Minnesota Senate today passed a comprehensive budget that immediately ends Gov. Walz’s emergency powers, funds the Preston veterans home, funds state agencies, and provides valuable reforms to increase transparency and hold government accountable for results.
Sixteen states have removed their emergency powers, including New York. Fifteen to 20 more states have announced their plan for the end of emergency powers in the next month.
“Minnesotans came together in an amazing way to make it through the pandemic,” said Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona). “But it’s now clear that the emergency is over. States throughout the country are already moving to end their emergency powers, including states that were far worse off than Minnesota. The legislature will work with Gov. Walz to handle any urgent issues that may arise related to the pandemic, but there is no longer a need for emergency powers.”
The bill provides financial resources to fully develop veterans’ homes in Preston, Montevideo, Bemidji. In March, the federal government announced that it would fund the federal share of these homes. This will help prepare our care options for senior veterans, especially as increasing numbers of the baby boomer generation require heightened levels of care.
“Securing the state’s share of funding for three new veterans‘ homes in Minnesota, including the proposed home in Preston, is fantastic news,” added Sen. Miller. “These are urgent projects, and getting them done right now will allow us to maximize the number of veterans we are able to support. I am grateful for the engagement from local officials from the city of Preston, Fillmore County, veterans groups, and countless volunteers. This bipartisan effort is a wonderful way to honor our veterans and their families.”
This bill provides significant resources to support veterans across generations. Many veterans return home from service with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or injuries that lead to substance abuse and in need of intervention, empathy, and kindness. This bill provides significant resources for suicide prevention and crisis support. It also includes a compromise for the Veterans Restorative Justice Act, which provides alternative sentencing options for veterans who have committed certain criminal offenses. Veterans who are in the program would be diverted to receive therapy, substance abuse support, or treatment for needs that are so often tied to service.
The state government budget adds a Legislative Audit of COVID-19 Funds, requiring the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) to conduct an audit of the state’s response to COVID-19. This audit would conduct a comprehensive analysis of programs to provide testing, vaccinations, and public outreach, along with contracting and other state purchasing to facilitate the response, and methodology used in modeling and forecasting the course of the outbreak. The OLA will then make recommendations based on what improvements and inefficiencies it finds in the audit.
Other provisions in the State Government budget include:
- Establishment of the Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity to make sure the Legislature has the needed resources to keep government technology secure. With so many hacks and data breaches worldwide, this is a needed change for the security of the Legislature.
- Election security provisions, including physical security of elections equipment and electronic recording of absentee ballot drop boxes to increase election
- Daylight Savings Time elimination if/when the federal government permits change
- Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reverse Auction of Drug Benefits, which will save taxpayers money on the state employee pharmaceutical benefits
- Addition of State Historic Preservation Office for state archaeologist report