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Greetings,
Happy 2018! I hope that the New Year is treating you and your family well and that you had a blessed holiday season. The upcoming legislative session is set to begin in a month and a half and I am diligently working on legislation to ensure Minnesota continues to be a great place to work, live, and raise a family.
As you may recall from my most recent legislative update, I am working on legislation that directs the Department of Education to develop research-based curriculum for use in our schools to prevent sexual exploitation. This is an initiative brought forth by young women high school students striving to support their peers and younger middle school students. I am excited about the prospects of this legislation becoming law and am grateful for the dedication and commitment that fellow lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have put into this issue.
Another piece of legislation I am preparing aims to solidify Minnesota’s reputation as a national leader in good governance. A key pillar of good governance is a government that is able to adapt to changing circumstances. To that end, I am planning to introduce legislation this year that ensures core functions of our state government would continue to operate if a future state budget were not enacted.
Minnesotans should be assured that their prisons would remain staffed by correctional officers, transportation services would continue to operate, and that any other basic government service would function as it normally would if the state government were to shut down.
In 2005 and 2011, lawmakers did not enact a complete state budget, resulting in partial government shutdowns. Many activities ceased, although a Ramsey County District Court eventually required continued funding of certain critical functions. This emergency funding allowed many government services to continue as normal until the political impasse was resolved.
The recent Minnesota Supreme Court ruling, however, has brought future courts’ ability to order emergency funding into question. As part of its ruling on Governor Dayton’s veto of legislative funding, the Supreme Court stated the judicial branch does not have authority to authorize any kind of funding, even in an emergency or shutdown. The judges cited the Minnesota Constitution, which gives the power of appropriation to the Legislature, not the courts.
This ruling sets up the possibility of a future shutdown where government services truly cease due to courts being unable to appropriate emergency funding.
That’s why a government continuing operations bill is needed. In the unlikely case that a future government shutdown were to occur, Minnesotans need to know that their government will continue to function. Minnesotans and their families should not have to suffer the consequences of a political impasse between lawmakers and the governor. I also believe Minnesota state employees (and their families) should not be subject to losing their jobs or income as a result of such an impasse.
For any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-0141 or rep.randy.jessup@house.mn.
Sincerely,
Randy