St. Paul Reporter

Minnesota State Representative Nathan Nelson has provided an update on legislative activities at the Capitol. According to Nelson, progress continues in several committees, with the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee completing its omnibus bill on April 24. The Children and Families Committee is also set to finish its omnibus bill on the same day, while the Environment omnibus bill is projected for passage on May 6.

Nelson expressed concern over what he described as delays by the majority party in advancing legislation. He stated that Democrats did not attend the first three weeks of session and criticized their handling of a K-12 education bill, which was moved out of committee but then withdrawn from consideration due to internal disagreements.

"In the Rules Committee, several of my Republican colleagues called it exactly what it is—dysfunction. Minnesotans deserve better than this. These political games are wasting valuable time and preventing real progress," said Nelson.

He also addressed ongoing debates over Paid Family Leave proposals, noting that current plans would require funding through payroll deductions rather than state funds. "Instead of taking the concerns of Minnesota families and small businesses seriously, they’re charging forward without considering the full impact. If the current proposal is passed, the program won’t be funded by the state—it’ll come directly from your paychecks. Minnesotans simply can’t afford another hit to their budgets," Nelson stated.

Nelson reported developments from the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee regarding Attorney General Keith Ellison’s involvement in the Feeding Our Future fraud case. "Newly released audio recordings reveal that Ellison was not only aware of concerns surrounding certain organizations under investigation, but actively sympathized with them," he said. "Some of these very organizations were later indicted for stealing millions in taxpayer dollars."

He further commented: "Despite claims from his office that it 'jumpstarted' the investigation in 2022, Ellison previously testified that he had no knowledge of the scandal during a 2021 meeting with individuals connected to the scheme. But the audio tells a different story—and Minnesotans deserve answers."

"This isn’t about politics. It’s about integrity," Nelson continued. "Public officials have a duty to act with transparency and uphold the law—not bend it to serve certain interests."

On budget matters, Nelson referenced concerns raised by county commissioners regarding Governor Walz’s plan to shift $460 million in costs onto local governments through changes in Department of Human Services funding. He described this as a cost shift that could force counties to reduce services or increase property taxes.

"Counties across Minnesota are staring down multi-million-dollar budget hits under this proposal. Some are facing potential levy increases as high as 9% just to make up the difference," said Nelson.

He concluded by encouraging constituents to reach out with questions or feedback during what he described as a critical period at the end of session.

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