EDIT: Since the publishing of this post, members of the House DFL held a private swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, giving way for a potential absence to start session. In response, House Republicans have considered petitioning a recall of elected House DFL members. It remains unclear if all currently elected House members will show up for Tuesday's start of session. Additional news broke over the weekend when the Senate agreed to temporary power sharing terms, with the chamber currently tied. Each party currently holds 33 seats . The Senate District 60 seat, most recently occupied by the late Senator Kari Dziedzic, will host a special election on January 28th.
The 2025 legislative session is upon us, bringing with it the potential for significant change across our industry. This year’s session will be particularly unique. Following the initial election results, the Minnesota State House is now evenly split, with a 67-67 tie between the two major parties. The Senate, meanwhile, is held by the DFL with a slim one-seat majority. Our Governor also returns after a bid for Vice President on the Kamala Harris ticket.
In addition to election developments shaping this year’s legislative session, we were saddened by the news regarding Senator Kari Dziedzic. After a lengthy battle with cancer, we were informed of her passing over the holiday season. Her absence and the leadership she provided will be deeply felt by all her Senate colleagues.
Further election uncertainty arose when Representative-elect Curtis Johnson, who won the 40B election in November, was ruled ineligible to hold the seat after it was discovered he did not live in the district. A special election to fill the vacancy in District 40B will be held on January 28.
As a result of these developments, the final makeup of the 2025 state legislature remains unclear. What is clear is that budgetary constraints will be a major challenge throughout the session. Initial budget forecasts predicted a $1.7 billion surplus, but those estimates were off by $1.1 billion. With only $616 million now available, any bill with a fiscal note attached will face heightened scrutiny. In addition, the state has identified rising costs in disability services as a key area where cuts may be made to avoid further budget deficits.
While we know that funding for disability services represents more than just numbers on a spreadsheet, it will be crucial to convey to our elected officials that these expenditures are money well spent. The rising costs are driven by several factors: our most vulnerable populations are living longer and healthier lives, the number of people who rely on these services is increasing, and direct support professionals are receiving much-needed, though long-overdue, wage increases. These are important issues that we understand well, but ones that must be consistently communicated at the state legislature.
This is where grassroots advocacy becomes vital. Your direct engagement in the legislative process, sharing your experiences, and making your voice heard will be essential in advancing our shared legislative agenda. We recognize that everyone has different levels of comfort and experience with advocacy, which is why we've created the ARRM Grassroots Toolkit. This toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to help you succeed in advocating for our issues. It includes talking points on key bills, a glossary of legislative terms, and a step-by-step guide on how a bill becomes law in Minnesota. You can find the toolkit on the ARRM Advocacy Center page.
We hope this resource will help you feel more confident when connecting with your elected officials. And when you do engage with them, we ask that you let us know! ARRM has recently released a Legislator Contact Reporting Form, available on our Advocacy Center page alongside the toolkit. This form is a simple way for us to track ongoing conversations about our issues and bills, helping the ARRM advocacy team stay up to date.
Additionally, ARRM will continue to use Action Alerts. These alerts, which you can also find on the Advocacy Center page, offer a quick and easy way to engage with your representatives on time-sensitive issues. By responding to action alerts, you can help ensure that more voices are heard, and more stories are shared, demonstrating to our legislators how many people care about these important issues. Instructions on how to complete an action alert can also be found in the grassroots toolkit.
We invite you to join us on this journey as we fight for progress and protect the gains we've already made. The legislative session begins on January 14 and runs through May. If you have any questions or need assistance in getting involved with our grassroots efforts, please reach out to Sara Grafstrom or Johnny Tvedt.