Friends,

This week represents some major wins for accountability and oversight but with little over a week left in the legislative session, there are still some big pieces missing.

First, I’d like to highlight something I’m pleased to share. 

A Long-Overdue Step on Fraud

One of the bills we passed this week was SF 856, which creates a statewide Office of Inspector General. This is something Republicans have been pushing for throughout the biennium because the current approach has clearly failed on so many levels.

Minnesota doesn’t have a fraud problem because we lack press conferences or promises to “do better.” We have a fraud problem because too many dollars have gone out the door with too little verification, too little urgency, and too few consequences when obvious warning signs were missed. Taxpayers are tired of hearing about scandal after scandal only after the money is already long gone.

An Office of Inspector General gives the state a stronger, more independent way to investigate fraud and misuse across state government. Establishing this oversight office is very promising, but it only matters if the work continues after the bill signing. This office needs to be empowered, agencies need to cooperate, and the Legislature needs to keep demanding answers when programs fail.

Above all, this represents a real win for taxpayers, but it’s not a victory lap. I would call this a very good starting point. The next step is making sure investigations lead to accountability, stolen money is pursued, and state government stops treating fraud as the cost of doing business. I want to be clear: it’s not. It’s a completely solvable problem that’s been allowed to grow out of control.

I look forward to accountability and being part of the solution to one of, if not the biggest, crises facing Minnesota.

An Essential Responsibility Still Left Undone

School safety has been, and will continue to be, a top priority as the days wind down. In our first Education Finance meeting this year, Republicans heard bipartisan school safety bills, heard different bills as they moved through committee, and ended the process with a bill on April 14. On April 16, we brought an urgency motion on HF 5015, which failed on party-line votes. You can watch my comments from April 16 here. Just this week, I brought an amendment to an Elected Official Security Package that simply said we should be providing security for kids in school ahead of elected officials. Watch my comments below. 

Recently, the DFL Senate passed a school safety package with zero Republican support, and this legislation has no chance of passing the tied House because they knowingly included provisions we do not support. The reality is we need to work on legislation that can be agreed to by all, pass, and withstand scrutiny in court. This is something very achievable if we put aside our agendas and focus on protecting students.

I also want to be clear on an important point: I will not support a blanket ban on firearms that limits the ability of law-abiding individuals to protect themselves and their families. At the same time, I have supported, and will continue to support, laws that prevent criminals from accessing firearms. That is where our focus should be. 

In fact, I recently had a conversation with a member of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office about my stance on the gun proposals. As the conversation concluded, he emphasized that if we truly want to address gun violence, we need to enforce the existing laws that are already on the books. That perspective is worth serious consideration as we evaluate next steps. 

I have met, and continue to meet, with GOP and DFL colleagues, superintendents, teachers, students, and parents across Minnesota, including parents from Annunciation, to develop a layered school safety plan focused on practical steps that can make an immediate difference. 

It increases support for school safety across public, nonpublic, and Tribal schools so every student is protected, no matter where they learn. It expands access to student mental health resources, recognizing that early intervention can prevent crises before they happen. It gives schools more flexibility to implement anonymous threat reporting systems and strengthen safety plans in ways that fit their specific needs. It includes discipline reforms that restore order in the classroom and protect teachers, staff, and students. And I have supported gun safety proposals that keep weapons out of the hands of individuals who should not have them. 

These are not controversial ideas. Many of them have had support from both sides in the past. I think it’s very clear that we have a mandate from the public to address school safety during this legislative session, and we only have a week left to fulfill that mandate. 

I must also be honest; I’m very frustrated.  Just this week, Democrat members pulled back on good faith conversations around school safety.   A group of us have been meeting privately, behind the scenes, to find consensus, but it has become clear that some would rather focus on messaging bills in an election year. Regardless of the uphill battle before us, I will continue pushing for solutions that are effective, practical, and capable of getting across the finish line.

Minnesota’s Economy: Two Very Different Directions

Another big debate happening at the Capitol right now is about what kind of economy Minnesota wants to have.

Democrats seem convinced that the answer is always another tax, another fee, or another mandate. We have seen proposals for a wealth tax, repeated increases to car tabs, and a general attitude that if someone is building a business, earning a living, or doing well in this state, government the government is entitled to an ever-increasing portion of it.

This has been the status quo for a while now and clearly, that’s not working. it’s time to make Minnesota more affordable and more competitive. That means lowering costs where we can, reducing car tab burdens, providing real tax relief, and passing tax conformity so Minnesota businesses are not punished simply because the Legislature failed to act.

This is not numbers on a page. I heard from a constituent this week who told me that the failure to pass federal tax conformity could cost him and his business partners around $150,000. He asked a very fair question: “Why would I stay in Minnesota?”

The sad reality is that this question is coming up conversations these days. 

When business owners start asking whether it still makes sense to grow here, hire here, invest here, or even remain here, we have a serious problem. These are the people who create jobs, support local communities, sponsor youth sports teams, donate to school fundraisers, and keep our main streets alive. We cannot keep treating them like a bottomless source of revenue and then act surprised when they look elsewhere.

Before session ends, tax conformity needs to get done. But more than that, Minnesota needs a different mindset. We should be building a state where families can afford to live, workers can get ahead, and businesses have a reason to stay and grow. Right now, too many policies coming out of St. Paul are moving us in the opposite direction.

Closing Days 

As we head into the final days of session, there is limited time left and a lot of important work still on the table. I am approaching these final days with the urgency they deserve because Minnesota needs a change in direction. We need to get serious about affordability, accountability, school safety, and building a state where families and businesses want to stay and grow. Thank you to everyone who continues to reach out, share your thoughts, and ask questions about the process. Please continue to stay engaged and let me know what is on your mind.

Have a great weekend, 

Please Contact Me

Please continue to reach out if I can be of any assistance to you. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-5185 or by email at rep.ben.bakeberg@house.mn.gov. 

Have a great weekend!