Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz highlights DFL "trifecta" achievements, draws contrast with other states
OWATONNA, Minn. — Gov. Tim Walz during his State of the State address on Tuesday touted his party's achievements last legislative session under total DFL control of the state capitol, and urged lawmakers to continue to build on that work as the clock winds down closer to adjournment in May.
The backdrop for his speech was Owatonna High School, which recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation after voters approved a referendum authorizing construction following years of discussion about upgrading the old building. Walz drew a parallel between the push for the new school and the recent power shift in St. Paul, where Democrats' "trifecta" ended a decade of divided government and created a pathway to pass policies he believes are transforming Minnesota for the better.
"Most of the time, politics is incremental, frustrating, sometimes gridlocked altogether," Walz said. "But every once in a while, you get an opportunity to make a whole lot of progress in a short amount of time."
In his roughly 25-minute speech, he highlighted key DFL priorities that cleared the capitol last year — free school meals for all kids, carbon-free energy benchmarks, record education funding and paid leave — and called on lawmakers to do more this session, specifically on gun control.
Last session, Democrats approved expanding background checks and a "red flag" law; this year Walz asked them to get other bills like safe storage requirements and stricter penalties for straw purchasers over the finish line. The legislature has eight weeks left to complete its work.
"This is a dangerous world. We were reminded of that this year when three of our bravest first responders lost their lives at the hands of a man with a gun he shouldn't have had," Walz said, referencing the Burnsville shooting last month. "We know that we can't legislate against every act of violence but surely we can do more."
The second-term governor also took aim at other states led by Republicans restricting access to abortion rights in wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He criticized the Alabama Supreme Court and its recent decision on in-vitro fertilization, which left the country on edge about the future of that fertility treatment.
It's an issue personal to him, calling the ruling a "direct attack" on his family. The PRO Act, which was signed into law last year codifying abortion rights, includes protections for fertility care.
"While they fight these fights, we're going to keep building—building those families. We're going to keep building communities," he said. " We're going to keep building more roads and bridges, more career pathways, and more schools. Building more opportunities for our kids, and their kids, and for generations to come."
While Walz made the case that DFL policies are benefitting Minnesotans, Republican leaders believe the state is moving in the wrong direction. They slammed Democrats for the huge state budget, tax hikes and new mandates that passed on party-line votes last session.
"Gov. Tim Walz's State of the State address tonight wasn't about sharing his vision for a stronger Minnesota. Instead, he used the opportunity not to bring Minnesotans together to move forward but rather to focus on partisan issues and continue his permanent campaign for higher office," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman David Hann said. "Walz and legislative Democrats want to risk Minnesota's future by spiraling into increased partisanship, daunting fiscal deficits, and an overly bureaucratic state government plagued by inefficiency, fraud, and reckless expenditure."
But as the end of session draws near, there is room for bipartisanship. Democrats will need Republicans to join them in passing a bonding bill funding infrastructure projects across the state, which is the primary focus of a non-budget writing year like this one.
"Part of his message tonight was the future of Minnesota," said Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks."Unfortunately last session, we took some big steps backwards."
Johnson and House Minority Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, also said they want to approve a one-time boost to shore up emergency medical services, which DFL legislative leaders and Walz earmarked in a broad supplemental spending agreement.
"There are some needs across the state that we're looking at. EMS is one of those needs and that has to happen," Johnson said.
