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Minnesota Update
2023 Legislative Session
As the start of the 2023 legislative session approaches, legislators and advocates are busy working on various legislative proposals they plan to introduce this session. Because it is the beginning of a new biennium, there is no opportunity for legislators to pre-file bills prior to the start of the session on January 3, 2023. We expect this to be an eventful legislative session, with a variety of noteworthy policy and budget proposals likely to advance through the process. Gov. Walz will release his budget recommendations on January 24, 2023, which will outline his spending priorities for the 2023-24 biennium.
House and Senate Release Detailed Committee Information
Both chambers of the Minnesota legislature have released their committee rosters for the upcoming 2023 legislative session. The lists also include the date, time, and location of all committees. Committee membership in the House of Representatives can be found here.
The Senate committee rosters, along with details on the date, time and location of committees can be viewed here.
Important Dates to Remember:
- January 3, 2023: 2023 Legislative session begins
- January 24, 2023: Governor Walz releases his proposed budget
- TBD, February 2023: Updated budget forecast from MMB
- May 22, 2023: Deadline to adjourn legislative session
Federal Update
Appropriators Unveil Omnibus Spending Package
Appropriators have reached an agreement on the mammoth legislation that would fund the federal government in fiscal 2023. The package provides $1.7 trillion in discretionary funds, including about $858 billion for defense programs at the Pentagon and other departments and agencies. What’s more, the bill will pay for more arms for Ukraine and bankroll the cost of bolstering Eastern European allies and partners with U.S. troops and equipment. The president sought $37.7 billion for these and other Ukraine-related endeavors.
Timing and votes are the big questions here. Government funding runs out at midnight Friday, and Christmas is Sunday. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has publicly declared he won’t stay in town past Thursday night.
If all goes as planned, the Senate can move quickly to get on the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would then file cloture, setting up a procedural vote Wednesday or Thursday (the hope is Wednesday). Once cloture is invoked, there’s an additional 30 hours of post-cloture time. This schedule can be shortened by consent, but all 100 senators must agree on the action. There will be enormous pressure to find a deal, especially once it’s clear the measure has more than 60 votes.
After the Senate finishes, the house can take up the bill and pass it pretty quickly. Speaker Nancy Pelosi only has a two-vote margin right now, but there will be enough Republicans who will cross the aisle to vote with Democrats to ensure passage. As for the omnibus itself, Republicans have been pushing for a big boost in defense spending. However, they refused to go along with Democratic calls for “parity” in increasing non-defense spending by a similar amount.
There are a host of policy riders and related issues that appropriators had to resolve as well. Some of these were kicked up to the level of the “Big 4” party leaders. Or in this case, the Big 3, since House Republicans refuse to support this package.
New economic and military aid to Ukraine is a vitally important issue for Congress and President Joe Biden. Another big issue is reforming the Electoral College to avoid a repeat of 2020 in the next presidential election. The Senate version of that proposal – led by Senators Susan Collins, and Joe Manchin – will be included.
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