Legislative Update - May 21, 2021

Dear Neighbors, 

The 2021 Legislative Session ended on Monday, but the work of crafting our state budget continues. Before adjourning, we managed to reach a bipartisan agreement on the budget framework for the conference committees crafting budget bills, giving them direction on how much can be invested, but the exact details of these budget bills still need to be worked out.

That’s where we currently are. This year’s legislative session was a unique one, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, remote legislating, and the large influx of federal dollars we received late in the game thanks to the American Rescue Plan. Now, the next few weeks will consist of conference committees (or working groups) finalizing their budget bills in time for a special session sometime in June.

With our new bipartisan budget framework, I’m confident we’ll be able to pull together to deliver a budget that invests in a stronger and more equitable Minnesota. Stay tuned for updates on when to expect us back in special session to pass our budget. 

Summer Learning Plan

Part of our bipartisan budget agreement includes immediate funds to help Minnesota’s students. On Tuesday, Governor Walz announced a plan to help students recover from the pandemic and the unprecedented challenges many of them have faced this year, a plan based on the one we constructed in the Minnesota House. He’s investing $75 million of Minnesota’s American Rescue Plan funds in summer learning programs. Of this, $34.6 million is dedicated to providing academic and mental health support during the summer and beyond.

The rest of the funds will provide preschool for four- and five-year-olds, expand access to tutoring, strengthen Adult Basic Education programs, and support academic enrichment and college readiness initiatives. This package of investments will help students, families, educators, and communities bounce back and prepare for a bright future.

MLC Fiscal Affairs Committee

This summer, I’m honored to share that I have been selected to co-chair the Fiscal Affairs Committee at the Midwestern Legislative Conference. This is a nonpartisan, binational committee of Midwestern legislators, who will explore a wide range of issues related to state fiscal conditions and the development and management of state budgets. My fellow committee members and I will participate in a forum for the exchange of information, ideas and strategies related to current revenue trends, spending needs and the critical fiscal and budgetary challenges facing states and provinces across the Midwest.

As the Midwest bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic, I look forward to working with colleagues throughout the region to find ways to ensure our fiscal decisions are ones that can ensure an equitable recovery. This is an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to the work of leading a charge of promoting racial justice through our legislative budgeting processes.

If you have any questions about my work for this conference, the impacts of the Summer Learning Plan, or the road ahead for crafting Minnesota’s budget, please feel free to reach out at 651-296-4262 or email at rep.fue.lee@house.mn. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely, 

Fue Lee

State Representative