Capitol Letter for May 2

LWVMN Stands Up for Healthy Communities!

LWV Launches New Campaign to Defend Democracy

Following a successful lobby day at the MN State Capitol on April 28 with LWVMN leaders and partners, the League of Women Voters of the US introduced a new initiative ‘Unite and Rise 8.5’ to mobilize 8.5 million voters through advocacy, civic education, and engagement from May 1 until the 2026 midterm elections.

Using Legal & Policy Advocacy, Public Mobilization & Coalition Building, Civic Education & Engagement, and Democracy Resilience as laid out in the Unite and Rise 8.5 Toolkit, we will strategize, adapt, and sustain our NONPARTISAN work to Defend Democracy. Please learn more from our Take Action webpage and look for updates to engage with us in this campaign. Our work from civics education to defending checks and balances is more important than ever with democracy partners like Clean Elections MN to fight for democracy.

Our Lobby Day brought together over 100 League leaders from numerous local Leagues with our trusted partners to hear about the importance of Medicaid funding for Minnesotans and how we can protect access to clean air and water, healthy food, civic engagement and voting rights. Inspiring speakers included MN Dept. of Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham, Representative Danny Nadeau (R), and youth leaders who fired up the crowd to send notes to legislators and engage on issues for healthy, strong, informed, and civically active communities. Check out the recording and contact leaders during state budget deliberations using our toolkit for action!

Elections Bill Updates

LWVMN Redistricting & Elections Policy Coordinator Paul Huffman
On Monday, April 28 the House Ways and Means Committee heard the House State Government Finance Omnibus (HF 2783) and the House Elections and Government Operations Finance Bill (HF 1943). Both bills had been previously heard by the Ways and Means Committee in separate hearings and had been laid over to be combined. In the previous Ways and Means Committee hearing on Thursday, April 24, the Elections Finance bill was amended to include a number of elections policy items previously discussed.
The Ways and Means committee replaced the language approved by the Senate in their State Government Finance Omnibus (SF 3045) with the language in the House State Government Finance Omnibus (HF 2783). The committee then approved amending the Senate State Government Finance Omnibus (SF 3045) with the Elections Finance Bill. The amended Senate State Government and Elections Omnibus was placed on the General Register. On Tuesday, April 29, the House Rules committee subsequently scheduled a floor vote on Thursday, May 1. Once passed by the House the Senate must either accept the amended bill or request a Conference Committee (which is almost certain).
The State Government and Elections Omnibus (SF 3045), as amended by the House Ways and Means committee, was presented to the House on Thursday, May 1. Rep. Olson was serving as Speaker pro tem. he following amendments were proposed to the election aspects of the bill:
- A7 Amendment to allow proxy voting for a voter who is deployed on active military duty; Rep. Klevorn and Rep Kotyza-Witthuhn both spoke against approval of the amendment as it was not heard in committee and needed more discussion to work out details. Initially the amendment was declared to have passes based on a voice vote. A request was made for a head count of those in the chamber in favor and opposed to the amendment (“division”). The amendment was approved 58-52. A point of order was declared that those not physically present were not asked to vote. The speaker decided that because the division was of a voice vote, and the members on the phone could not vote in a voice vote, the division would only count the members present. The amendment was passed.
- A5 Amendment (HF 1949, included in HF 2284) would require the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board (CFPB) to create a “plain language” lobbying handbook. This language is in the Senate Government Finance and Election Omnibus. The author (Rep Coulter) stated that “out of respect for Chair Klevorn, and if I’m honest, a little fear”, he was withdrawing the amendment.
- Amendment (A18) was offered by Rep. Greenman to add language prohibiting providing money or items of value to voters during a campaign in return for signing campaign related petition or registering to vote. The language had been significantly revised since its introduction in committee to raise the limit on the maximum value that could be provided of items such as food and beverage at campaign events from $5 to $20, and to make clear that it does not prohibit candidates from expressing support for other candidates.
A number of Republicans spoke in opposition to the amendment including Rep Niska, Rep Quam, Rep Kresha, Rep Bliss and Rep Franson. Key points included:
- The bill legalizes “bribery” up to $20; Note that there is a current value limit of $5 that the amendment sought to revise; (Niska)
- Does not address activities on tribal reservations; (Bliss)
- The bill addressed money in politics from one aspect (Musk) but does not address money coming from other billionaires (Soros); (Niska)
- Musk does not give money to candidates, though Soros does; (Franson)
- Some campaigns have had concerts as part of their campaign events where the tickets would have cost hundreds of dollars or the performers would have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars; it’s not clear how this would be considered under the bill; (Quam)
- Billionaires have done a lot of good for people such as Rural Electrification, the internet, philanthropy by people such as McKenzie Scott and Melinda Gates; (Kresha)
- Zuckerberg “gave money to you” (DFL) to run elections; (These were grants to nonpartisan local election officials during COVID, and were not to political parties.) (Franson)
Several DFL representatives spoke in favor of the amendment (Rep. Finke, Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn and Rep. J. Hanson). Primary statements included:
- Billionaires can be people who have done good things for our country however can also do “bad things”. This would stop them from doing those “bad things”. (Kotyza-Witthuhn).
- Musk’s election efforts are not simply about electing Republicans; he also wants to eliminate trans people; Too much power and influence are being exercised by billionaires and there is a large wealth and power imbalance that needs to be addressed; (Finke)
The amendment was defeated 67-66. Notably, the DFL Chair of the House State Government and Finance Policy Committee (Rep Klevorn) did not vote on the amendment.
The Amended Senate State Government and Election Finance and Policy bill was approved 113-21. There will likely be a Conference Committee requested by the Senate when the bill is presented in a Senate Floor session this week.