Minnesota Legislature Tackles Immigration Reform and Budget Priorities as Session Opens Under Enhanced Security cover art

Minnesota Legislature Tackles Immigration Reform and Budget Priorities as Session Opens Under Enhanced Security

Minnesota Legislature Tackles Immigration Reform and Budget Priorities as Session Opens Under Enhanced Security

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 Minnesotas legislative session kicked off this week amid tight security following the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband last summer. According to The Associated Press, Democrats are pushing 11 bills to restrict federal immigration officers, barring them from schools, hospitals, and childcare centers, requiring visible IDs, and banning face masks, in response to a recent enforcement surge that has wound down. Republicans, led by House Speaker Lisa Demuth, prioritize combating fraud in taxpayer programs with an independent Office of Inspector General, as noted by the Minnesota House Session Daily, alongside affordability measures like tax cuts on tips and overtime.

Governor Tim Walz proposed a $907 million infrastructure plan, emphasizing $316 million for deferred maintenance and $113 million for water projects, though funding awaits the February 27 forecast, per House updates. In business news, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce launched the Economic Imperative for Growth initiative to boost competitiveness through data-driven strategies, while Eagans City Council unanimously approved a year-long ban on data centers and crypto operations near homes or using over 20 megawatts, FOX 9 reports, amid debates over energy use and jobs.

Schools face strains from immigration impacts, with Columbia Heights Public Schools reporting enrollment drops and seeking full special education funding and inflation-adjusted local option revenue. A February 18 winter storm dumped 6 to 8 inches of snow in southwest Minnesota and the metro, causing blizzard conditions and highway closures, according to the National Weather Service.

Looking Ahead, watch for bonding bill debates, fraud hearings, the February 27 budget forecast, and election-year compromises in the divided Legislature.

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