Legislative Updates

March 14, 2021

From Representatives Tony Albright, Erik Mortensen, Brian Pfarr, and State Senators Rich Draheim and Eric Pratt. 

Tony Albright, Representing House District 55B

Walz's Emergency Powers

This week, Tony gave a compelling floor speech against Governor Walz's emergency powers.  

California Car Comment Period Closing

On Monday, March 15 at 4:30 pm, the comment period on Gov. Walz’s California Car Mandate will close. The Governor is trying to enact this policy thru an administrative rule instead of working with the legislature. The California Car Mandate would raise the cost of all new vehicles by $1,000 or more, reduce consumer choice, and make Minnesota the only state in the Midwest to place burdensome mandates on auto dealerships. – From Tony’s Newsletter.

Tony is encouraging everyone to let your voices be heard on this important issue. Leave a comment here by signing in and then scrolling to the bottom of the page to submit your thoughts on the California Car Mandate.

Read this week's newsletter and to get Tony’s newsletter directly sign up here.

Erik Mortensen, Representing House District 55A

PPP Loan Forgiveness

Erik has been championing the cause for small businesses and lowering their tax burden. 

From Erik's newsletter:  "This past week I walked into my office and found a very nicely presented update on MN tourism from one of his agencies. The slides were attached to a restaurant menu, and painted a devastating picture of our tourism industry, with decreases of nearly 80%. Our business owners, specifically our restaurant owners, have struggled to keep their heads above the water this past year attempting to meet Walz's sporadic and illogical mandates. When they were hurting the most, many were forced to reach out for help and apply for federal PPP loans. This lifesaving program kept many of our favorite businesses from going completely under. 

With the passage of the new federal stimulus package, the state of Minnesota will be receiving just over 4.5 billion dollars in new aid. This money is designed to help individuals and businesses, yet somehow Governor Walz and the DFL members of the house have gotten it into their heads this is their money. This past week the DFL in the house refused to take up the urgent issue of PPP loan forgiveness. When the issue was first heard in Committee Rep Marquart worried about the $400 million loss in revenue if we didn’t tax it. They forget those who received it, did so because they couldn’t afford to keep their business open otherwise. But now Walz expects his cut. Those Federal PPP loans you received last year are going to be subject to MN income tax unless we act now. 

Rep Marquart and the DFL even voted against their own standalone bill in order to ensure they could hold it over our heads in their Omnibus bill. The goal now of the DFL is clear; jam as much legislation into these omnibus bills as possible so you make it impossible to vote against it. Remember we have only passed 4 bills this session. If everything is rolled into these omnibus bills 99% of the work will be decided in a matter of minutes. Not only does this process rob every Minnesotan of a voice, it forces a dangerous precedent upon us."