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RELEASE: 90th Minnesota Legislature officially sworn-in

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

ST. PAUL, MN—The 90th Minnesota Legislature officially convened Tuesday as legislators were sworn-in and celebrated the opening of the newly-restored State Capitol. Representative Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, was elected to continue serving as Speaker, a position he was first elected to in 2015. Other formalities included the election of Patrick Murphy as Chief Clerk.

"We must work together to solve the biggest problems that face Minnesota," Daudt said during brief remarks following his re-election as Speaker. "Our first priority is to address the current health insurance crisis by providing both short term relief and long term reforms. We will also balance the budget, investing in our priorities while respecting the resources taxpayers have given us."

Daudt also delivered a challenge to lawmakers to undertake an effort to modernize state government and take steps to make it more responsive, efficient, and effective.

Health care, tax relief, and beginning to craft the state's next two-year budget will be among the top priorities heading into 2017 .

"Minnesotans elected a full-Republican legislature to fix the health insurance crisis Democrats created and serve as a check on Governor Dayton's desire for higher taxes and runaway spending," said Majority Leader Joyce Peppin, R-Rogers. "Our focus this session will be putting money back into the pockets of families, providing relief from the damaging impacts of Obamacare, and crafting a responsible state budget that respects hardworking taxpayers."

House Republicans begin the 2016 session with an historic 76-57 majority, the largest following a Presidential election since the beginning of partisan elections in 1974. A special election will be held February 14, 2017 to fill the remaining House seat.

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