MN Senate Capitol Report
Delivering Results For Our District.
July 2025
Friends,
I hope you and your family are well. This is my ninth annual Capitol Report. Let me start by saying “thanks” for the privilege of serving our area in the MN Senate. I work for everyone in District 18, whether they voted for me or not.
This legislature was closely divided. Voters gave Minnesota a tied House of Representatives (67-67) and a one seat DFL majority in the Senate at 34-33. These historically close margins meant longer negotiations, but they also increased bipartisanship.
We passed a budget featuring the largest cut in state history, as general fund spending will be reduced from approximately $71 billion in the last biennium to $67 billion for 2026-2027. Sometimes state government has to tighten it’s belt in the same way MN families often do. We also passed a $700 million bonding bill to build infrastructure and create good paying jobs. Several good policy changes became law as well.
As I write this, our state is recovering from the tragic shooting events of two legislative colleagues and their spouses on June 14. We will carry on, but we should also ask “what can we do to bring Minnesotans closer together?”
Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Meanwhile take care.
Annual Capitol Reports
2025 Session Highlights
Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Lab (SF2389)
Public safety remains a high priority. This legislation provided $67 million in the bonding bill to build a new state-of-the-art BCA lab facility in Mankato. When completed, Southern MN law enforcement and prosecutors will be able to process evidence more efficiently, modernize technology, and reduce travel time and expense.
Data Centers (SSHF16)
Data centers are large computer processing facilities. This bill included nation-leading environmental and tax provisions. New data centers will provide significant construction jobs, funds for low-income home weatherization, and pay substantial local property taxes.
Taylor Center Roof (SSHF17)
The “asset preservation” funding in the bonding bill will allow needed roof repairs at MSU Mankato to be completed.
World Junior Hockey Championships (SF1061)
$5 million to help MN host the World Junior Hockey Championships in December in St. Paul. This two-week event is expected to attract 250,000 international visitors and generate over $75 million for the Minnesota economy.
2024 Session Highlights
Energy Permitting Reform (SF4784)
As chief author of the MN Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act, I wanted the bill to reflect the broad consensus among stakeholders. It will cut down permitting time up to 20% for new generation and transmission. This will be a big help to get more clean energy deployed faster.
Pensions Omnibus (HF5040)
The Pensions commission received a supplemental budget this year of $31 million. These resources were invested in teachers’ retirement accounts and helped make improvements for volunteer firefighters, corrections officers, and others.
Anti-Price Gouging Bill (HF3526)
This legislation prevents “storm chasing” – defined as price gouging in weather emergencies. This should help keep Minnesotans’ homeowners insurance costs lower.
2023 Session Highlights
100% Clean Energy by 2040 (SF4)
This historic piece of legislation will make Minnesota’s energy sector 100% carbon neutral by 2040 – an extremely important step in our fight against climate change. This bill has received national recognition, and balances cost and reliability concerns.
School Counselor Federal Billing (SF1028)
This bill helps our school districts be reimbursed by the federal government for counseling services – bringing over $10 million to Minnesota to support student mental health needs. Some Mankato area school staff took leadership roles in fighting for this bill.
PTSD Duty Disability (SF1959)
This bill funds PTSD treatment for firefighters, paramedics, and police who are disabled from work. It also supports the related pension plans, and helps cities and counties pay for associated health care costs.
Omnibus Pension Budget (SF3162)
This bill provides $500 million to shore up our pension reserves and helps improve retirement packages for our teachers, public servants, police officers, and firefighters.
2017-2022
Legislative Commission on Pensions
In January, Sen. Frentz was honored to be elected Chair of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement (LCPR), which oversees nearly $100 billion in state public employee retirement funds.
The basic mission of the LCPR is to protect the retirement promises we make to our public employees.
Sen. Frentz was the Chief Author of the Pension Omnibus Bill (SF 2884) which helped support our teachers, police, firefighters, paramedics, and many more.
Thousands of Minnesota teachers contacted Sen. Frentz to urge passage of the bill. It created a “60/30 Career Rule” for teachers, allowing them to retire at age 60 with 30 years of service with reduced penalties for early retirement. It also gave post-retirement cost of living increases to our public safety community, which were overdue.
Senate Energy Committee
Sen. Frentz continued to serve as Chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate Committee. The main committee goals are to help deliver energy that is clean, affordable, and reliable. We also work to support Minnesota’s law that transitions us to 100% clean energy by 2040. Climate change is costing us more money and lives every year.
Sen. Frentz authored the Energy Budget Omnibus Bill (SF2393). It funded the Dept. of Commerce Energy Division and the Public Utilities Commission. It also adopted “securitization” policies to maintain low energy rates during severe weather events, and made other important policy changes.
