Bill HF0597, SF1004

Session 2025

Bill Introduced By
Pierce Harris
Camden High School
House

House Author
Pierce Harris

A bill for an act relating to

State spending in excess of inflation and population growth prohibited, and constitutional amendment proposed.

Committee Hearing

Path	Committee	Action
1	Judiciary Committee	In Committee
2	Rules Committee	No Action Taken

Legislative Action

	Action
House	No Action Taken
Senate	No Action Taken
Governor	No Action Taken

Select Amendment

1.1          A bill for an act
1.2          proposing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution by adding a section to
1.3          article XI; prohibiting state spending in excess of inflation and population growth.
1.4          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5          Section 1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
1.6        An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment
1.7          is adopted, a section shall be added to article XI, to read:

1.8          Sec. 16. The maximum biennial percentage change in state spending must not exceed
1.9          inflation plus the percentage change in state population. State spending shall be determined
1.10       as all expenditures and reserve increases, excluding: federal funds; excess revenue refunded
1.11       to taxpayers; reserve transfers or expenditures; expenditures approved by the people after
1.12       2024; and expenditures of gifts or court-ordered damage awards. Inflation shall be determined
1.13       as the total percentage change in the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer
1.14       Price Index for Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington for all urban consumers and all items,
1.15       or its successor index, for the previous two calendar years. The percentage change in state
1.16       population shall be determined as the total percentage change for the previous two calendar
1.17       years according to federal estimates and adjusted every decade to match the federal census.
1.18       Any excess revenue must be returned to taxpayers in the form of property tax refund or
1.19       permanent tax rate reductions. The legislature may exceed the spending limitation for one
1.20       biennium by a vote of 60 percent or more in each body.

2.1          Sec. 2. SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
2.2        The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2026 general election.
2.3          The question submitted must be:
2.4          "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to prohibit state spending increases in
2.5          excess of inflation and population growth?

2.6		Yes ........
2.7		No ........	"

Author
Pierce Harris
Camden High School
House

Essay

House File 0597 and Senate File 1004 are a bill that bans excessive state spending during inflationary periods which has been proven to make inflation worse This will keep common goods from getting even more expensive; it also prohibits state spending from rapid population growth. The excess of taxes will also be refunded to taxpayers. All of this will minimize how much people have to spend on consumer goods. State spending will still be used when there isn't an inflationary period. Government spending doesn't cause inflation however it will increase the demand on many different goods. Source: https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2016/may/how-does-government-spending-affect-inflation.

Now government spending does a lot if good things like build roads/schools so I can understand worries for it but stopping it during inflationary periods can keep the issue of high inflation from getting worse. Many economists and trusted sources bring up how government spending makes spending worse.

There are currently no votes for this bill.