Government Affairs Director
Ewald Consulting
MASA Lobbyist
Since the end of the session, many hoped Governor Walz would call the Minnesota legislature back to a special session. While some discussions were held between the governor and legislative leaders, they failed to find agreement on the terms of a special session, and it is unlikely a special session will be called as we head into fall and the height of the election season.
Election outlook and the importance of connecting with candidates
This election year, all the constitutional officers are on the ballot, as well as the entire state legislature.
It’s always difficult to predict the outcome of the election, but it is safe to say that elections up and down the ballot will be competitive this year. Many hope the majority will shift in their favor. In the Minnesota Senate, republicans have a 36-31 majority over their democratic counterparts. In the Minnesota House, democrats have a 70-64 majority over their republican counterparts.
One thing we know is that due to many retirements in both the House and Senate, the legislature will look quite different in 2023. This year 58 lawmakers have either announced their retirement or are running for other offices. In addition, five legislators lost their primary election bids. This changing makeup of the legislature marks the most significant shift since 1972!
This shifting landscape underscores the need locally to develop and strengthen your legislative relationships. Elected officials running for re-election and candidates running for the first time appreciate opportunities to connect with their community to get to know the needs in their district. Now is a great time to begin developing those relationships. Here is an updated list of state legislative candidates to help with your outreach.
State budget update
Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) announced in mid-July that Minnesota’s net general fund receipts for FY22 are now estimated to total $30.329 billion, $2.927 billion (10.7 percent) more than projected in the February 2022 forecast. However, MMB noted that most of the higher-than-expected revenue reflects the timing of payments from Pass-Through-Entities which MMB expects will be offset by related tax credits and refunds. As a result, MMB estimates that at the close of FY22, state revenues associated with tax year 2021 could be at least $1 billion over forecast.
