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Greetings, everyone. I wanted you to know about some of the news here in St. Paul.
Omnibus Bills and State Government
In the Minnesota House of Representatives, we are voting on massive bills that will spend billions of dollars and change the laws of Minnesota. These pieces of legislation are known as omnibus bills. Omnibus bills contain hundreds and hundreds of provisions. Legislators are expected to vote on these bills even though many legislators do not even have time to read the bills in full.
One of the omnibus bills that we voted on recently was the state government finance bill, HF 1952. This legislation, crafted by Democrats, would dramatically change how Minnesota state government operates. One of the major components of this bill is how it changes election law in Minnesota.
The elections component of HF 1952 is full of ill-advised new policies. These new policies include expanding voting rights for convicted felons, automatic voter registration, and eliminating limits on how many voters an individual can assist.
I voted against HF 1952 for many reasons. We need to make sure our elections have integrity. Loosening the rules that govern our elections is not a good idea. HF 1952 would only harm Minnesota’s election process.
Additionally, we should not be spending more money on the operations of state government. The agencies of government have grown rich over the last several months. We should not ask Minnesotans to spend more of their money on unnecessary government spending.
Unfortunately, HF 1952 was passed by the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Voter ID and Provisional Ballots
In response to the radical polices offered by the Democrats, I put forward an amendment that would strengthen the integrity of our elections. My amendment would introduce voter ID and provisional balloting.
The voter ID portion of my amendment is quite simple. It would require individuals to present a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, at their polling place when they go to vote. For those who do not have a driver’s license, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety would provide individuals with a voter identification card. Many states, including our neighbors in Wisconsin and South Dakota, have voter ID laws.
The provisional balloting portion of my amendment would make sure that people are casting proper, legal votes. Provisional balloting would allow individuals whose voter registration status is in question to cast a vote, but that vote would not be counted until that voter’s information can be verified.
These are commonsense ideas that would ensure that our elections have total integrity. Unfortunately, my amendment was voted down by Democrats.
Please see the below video to see my full speech regarding my amendment.
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