St. Paul Reporter

After a period of negotiations, the Minnesota House held a special session on Monday to finalize work on the state budget. Representative Bidal Duran (R-Solway) reported that the legislature passed 14 bills, including 12 omnibus packages and two standalone proposals. According to Rep. Duran, these measures reflect reforms and solutions intended to benefit both his district and greater Minnesota.

A key outcome from this session was the repeal of an expansion of MinnesotaCare that would have provided taxpayer-funded healthcare for undocumented adults. "One of the most important victories this session was repealing the unsustainable expansion of MinnesotaCare to undocumented adults. The original plan would have forced state taxpayers to cover 100% of the cost. I’ve opposed this from the beginning, and I’m glad that common sense won out in the end," Duran stated. He added, "I’ll continue pushing for legislation and a government that prioritizes Minnesotans first."

The Human Services omnibus bill was another focus, containing reforms aimed at program oversight and care protection. The bill rejected a $400 million shift in human services costs to counties, introduced new anti-fraud policies, required licensing for autism service providers, mandated background checks and compliance training for Housing Stabilization providers before enrollment, secured $95 million in funding for nursing homes facing regulatory changes—with requirements that any new rules be funded up front—and reformed workforce standards for long-term care staffing. Additional investments were made in substance use disorder treatment programs and expanded housing supports. Funding of $20 million over four years was provided for a Priority Admissions program to help counties place mentally ill or dangerous individuals.

On workforce issues, Rep. Duran highlighted support measures for workers in Greater Minnesota, particularly miners. The Workforce & Labor bill included provisions such as a slight reduction in the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) tax rate and adjustments to the Earned Sick and Safe Time law. However, Duran noted ongoing concerns from small businesses: "While helpful, the bill doesn’t go far enough to address the concerns I continue to hear from small businesses. We’ll need to revisit these issues next session. I’m determined to find a workable solution that supports employees and employers alike."

Education policy also saw changes this year. The education bill maintained nonpublic pupil aid—which includes support for homeschool, religious, and charter school families—kept charter school funding intact, and established the Science of Reading as Minnesota’s literacy standard. New restrictions were put on how litigation funds can be used by the Department of Education.

Rep. Duran expressed concern about budget negotiations related to education funding: "During negotiations, Governor Walz made it clear that he and his party wouldn’t sign off on the bill unless it included an increase to the Department of Education’s budget by $17 million. All the while cutting more than $70 million from our schools. That’s a step backwards. We should be investing in classrooms, not growing bureaucracy. Our students and teachers deserve better."

With completion of this special session marking the end of legislative activity for 2025, Rep. Duran thanked constituents who provided input during discussions: "Thank you to everyone who reached out this year – your input was a huge help in ensuring final legislation reflected the needs of our district." He indicated continued commitment to working toward priorities such as responsible budgeting, local control, and practical solutions for northern Minnesota communities.