This week marked one year since Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan took office. From meeting with Minnesotans at nearly 600 events in more than 100 communities across the state to passing a budget that invests in our schools, protects access to health care, and lifts up local communities, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor have governed with One Minnesota at the heart of everything they do.
Below are some of their key accomplishments from the last year:
Building One Minnesota: To ensure all voices are included at the Minnesota State Capitol, Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan have visited more than 100 towns in every corner of Minnesota and participated in nearly 600 events since they were elected. In one of the only divided governments in the country, Governor Walz worked across party lines with legislative leaders last session to pass a budget that improves the lives of Minnesotans. This was the first time in more than 40 years that a legislative budget passed without a single vetofrom the Governor, and the first time in over a decade that a Governor has reached a bipartisan biennial budget deal with the Minnesota State Legislature on time.
Investing in our Students: A former high school teacher, Governor Walz signed a budget bill that makes a historic investment in schools and keeps preschool doors open for 4,000 of Minnesota’s littlest learners. He commenced the School Finance Working Group to overhaul the way the state funds education and reduce reliance on local school referendums. The Governor signed a higher education budget bill into law to make college more affordable for low-income students. Knowing that a child’s education is affected by factors outside the classroom, Governor Walz signed Executive Order 19-34 charging state agencies to center children in their decision-making and established the Children’s Cabinet to promote healthy beginnings, mental health, childcare, housing stability, and educational opportunity.<
Protecting Access to Affordable Health Care: Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan protected the health care of more than 1.2 million Minnesotans. By preserving the Health Care Access Fund, the Governor defended access to affordable health care and maintained stability in the individual health insurance market for consumers across the state. The Governor also signed a historic bill to provide local communities with the resources they need to address the ongoing opioid epidemic and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the problem they helped create. The Governor successfully championed legislation to increase transparency in prescription drug costs and help spur additional policy solutions to lower drug prices for Minnesotans.
[CLICK HERE] for the complete list of all of Governor Walz’s historic accomplishments.