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Letter to Editor: The Minnesota Legislative Session is in full swing, and I’m proud to say that since day one, I have been working hard to deliver for the people of Northern Minnesota. Unlike the delays and gamesmanship we’ve seen in the Minnesota House, the Senate hit the ground running with a bipartisan and temporary power-sharing agreement.
During those early weeks, while the House struggled to organize, the Senate was fully operational. We governed responsibly and kept working for the people we represent. Now, with a recent special election in the State Senate completed, I’m excited to be back in the majority. This shift is critical because being in the majority means having the ability to lead for Northern Minnesota.
I am relieved that the Minnesota House has finally come to a co-governing agreement, but I share the frustrations of many who watched both sides play games and delay important work. Minnesotans deserve better. While they were figuring things out, the Senate was already moving forward on legislation to strengthen our communities. I’m proud of that, and I’m glad to see the House finally following suit.
In the Senate, I am leading efforts on several key initiatives to support Northern Minnesota, including: Supporting Rural EMS: Our rural communities rely on emergency medical services, but many ambulance providers are struggling to keep their doors open. That’s why I’m pushing for a permanent EMS aid bill to ensure sustainable funding for these critical services.
Expanding Childcare Options: Families across Greater Minnesota face severe childcare shortages. I am championing a rural childcare stabilization grant program to support providers, as well as cutting red tape to allow two families to jointly hire a nanny, which will help ease the burden in areas where traditional childcare options are limited.
Helium Discovery: It was recently discovered that Northern Minnesota is home to the largest concentration of Helium in the world. Once again, our region can lead the way with the critical resources we need for advanced technologies because helium is needed in everything from MRI technology to high-tech manufacturing. That is why I’m advancing a framework for Helium that will ensure our local communities and schools benefit most from the discovery.
Housing Construction: To relieve the pressures on developers and communities looking to increase their housing stock, I have a proposal that would provide a sales tax exemption on housing construction materials. This would be the first time in state history that this idea is tried for housing, and it could help jumpstart construction by making the economic viability of housing projects more attractive in our region. The proposal I have would make our region a pilot test for this idea which would make our region even more attractive for development.
Beyond these priorities, I remain committed to working across the aisle to find common ground. Recently, I voted with my Republican colleagues to exempt small family farmers from excessive regulations because government overreach shouldn’t stand in the way of family farms. I also voted with Republicans on a proposal to give rural schools more flexibility in hiring substitute teachers, ensuring our schools can meet the needs of their students.
As a proud member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of eight moderate DFL Senators, I will continue advocating for bipartisan, reasonable solutions that move Northern Minnesota forward. Our communities deserve lawmakers who put people over politics, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.
No matter what happens in our politics, my focus remains the same: working hard, delivering results, and ensuring Northern Minnesota has a strong voice at the Capitol.
Let’s get to work!
Senator Grant Hauschild
Northern Minnesota
