MN Safeguards Abortion, Gender-Affirming Care / Supporting Vulnerable People / Free College

Minnesota is now a Midwestern sanctuary for abortion services and gender-affirming care, according to new laws signed by Governor Tim Walz Thursday, April 26. The three bills, which narrowly passed the Senate days earlier, ban conversion therapy, protect out-of-state patients and providers of abortion care and codify an executive order that safeguards people seeking gender-affirming care.

The Governor and legislative leaders agreed to devote $1.3 billion of the surplus to the budget area that serves the elderly and people with disabilities. The Senate's omnibus human services proposal passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Senator John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, chair of the Senate Human Services committee, joins Capitol Report moderator Shannon Loehrke to talk about how the additional funding can support people's needs and where the funding falls short.

The Senate and the House have passed differing higher education funding packages that will invest more than $4 billion over the next biennium. The Senate's proposal offers free college tuition to low- and middle-income students and provides significant investments in emergency assistance. Senator Omar Fatah, DFL-Minneapolis, chair of the Higher Education Committee, joins Shannon to talk about the rationale for the Senate's position.

Also in the program, highlights from recent Senate debates on the omnibus housing finance bill and the omnibus E-12 education finance bill.