Aaden Spencer, Burnsville
John Goettl, a senator within Senate C, wrote a bill with the goal of having it passed into law. With little opposition his bill passed through committee and then senate hearing. His dreams of having it passed into law were halted however when his bill made it to the executive branch. His bill was vetoed and thrown aside. All hope was lost… Right? Not quite. Governor Anne Guidera and her Lieutenant Dane Germany hold the executive power to veto bills that pass through the Senate Committees and floor. They hold this power as a part of the checks and balances system that the Minnesota government upholds in order to keep our law making fair and just. This system works both ways however. The Senate has the ability to overturn a Gubernatorial veto if a majority believe that the decision was wrong. Once the governor is vetoed, the bill is all but passed into law. Senator Goettl’s bill revolves around the idea of increasing Minnesota’s minimum wage in order to allow for a more liveable wage. His justification is as follows: in recent years the cost of living has increased significantly but minimum wage has all but stagnated. Poverty is already something far too many Minnesota residents are facing, and this seems like a great way to combat it, right? A majority of Senate C agreed and his bill passed! When it reached the executive branch, it was vetoed because the Governor believed that the implementation of the bill was too quick. Unphased, Senator Goettl completely changed the bill. His new changes slowed the rollout of the increase in minimum wage to take place over the next fifteen years instead of the original one year. It is super important to be able to take criticism and backlash against your beliefs and use them to reevaluate, that’s a crucial part of American democracy. With the new amendments made in order to better the bill and satisfy the governor, Senator Goettl’s bill was passed in the Senate a second time. Getting your bill passed within the senate is one of the most gratifying things someone can experience at YIG, and I highly recommend fighting for your bill with all you’ve got. This year is an incredibly special year for veto overrides in Senate C. Never before in the history of YIG has a Senate attempted to override ten or more vetoes within a single Senate session. The Governor’s office is committed to making sure the bills they pass are incredibly well thought out and realistic, so they’ve been vetoing a majority of bills that have reached them this year. The back and forth between the Senate and the Governor’s office is an amazing showcase of how balanced and thorough our Democratic system truly is.