NW Twin Cities

On Monday, the Minnesota Legislature approved the 2025 Legacy Finance budget with significant bipartisan support. Representative Joe McDonald (R–Delano), in his first year as Co-Chair of the Legacy Committee, was involved in developing the bill, which aims to uphold Minnesota traditions while introducing more oversight to how Legacy Amendment funds are spent.

The legislation introduces several changes. One key provision is a shift toward competitive, merit-based grants instead of individual earmarks for cultural and historical projects. This approach is intended to ensure that funding decisions are based on need, impact, and public benefit.

The budget also brings new transparency requirements for applicants to the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Organizations must now submit IRS 990 forms and are prohibited from using these funds for capital construction.

Another aspect of the agreement is a reduction of Minnesota Public Radio’s funding request by half. The measure redirects resources toward local and grassroots initiatives. Additionally, $1.5 million has been allocated in grants for county fairs and FFA programs, supporting longstanding state traditions and youth leadership development.

There are also investments aimed at preserving Minnesota’s environment, including efforts focused on clean water, wildlife habitat protection, outdoor recreation, and maintenance of parks and trails across the state.

Representative McDonald highlighted additional outcomes secured by Republicans during special session negotiations: “blocking tax increases, eliminating free health care for adults in the country illegally, and delivering the largest state budget cut in Minnesota history—totaling $5 billion.”

The House passed the final version of the bill with a vote tally of 113-21.