(ABC 6 News) – We are roughly halfway done with this year’s 2024 legislative session at the Minnesota capitol. Area lawmakers were back in Rochester Thursday morning to attend a panel discussion at the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Update.

Rochester legislators seemed united under one goal, setting Minnesota businesses up for success, but they’re still a clear divide on how exactly they plan to get that done.

Rochester-area legislators seemed united under one goal, setting Minnesota businesses up for success, but they’re still a clear divide on how exactly they plan to get that done.

Hundreds of Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce members gathering as the success of their businesses lays in the hands of the legislature.

“It really hasn’t slowed down at all this session. It just continues, we have a lot of things moving,” said Sen. Liz Boldon (DFL-Rochester) about the legislative session thus far.

But DFL lawmakers touted what they call “successes” from the 2023 session, like paid family and medical leave.

“The comfort and the security of knowing that people that people aren’t going to have to be choosing between paycheck and staying home from work, or not staying home from work and being able to pay their bills,” said Boldon.

Others though say the mandate is doing more harm than good.

“[While] certaintly well intended. But the problem is the way it was rolled out, we knew it was wrong from the get-go because there wasn’t an actuarial study. And, I know many of you understand insurance, and you cannot put a promise on benefits without knowing what it’s going to cost and having either the tax revenue or the revenue to pay for those benefits,” said Sen. Carla Nelson (R-Rochester).

Another concern for the chamber is Minnesota becoming the highest taxed state for businesses at 9.8%.

“We got businesses and entities that are shining stars. They are leaders in the world and that attracts people, but do we keep them? And that’s where we have to remember we’re not an island, and we have to be comparable and competitive, and I don’t think we have,” said Rep. Duane Quam (R-Byron).

But Rep. Andy Smith (DFL-Rochester) says those tax dollars crucial to the state.

“There was a study last year that CNBC released that had us as the fifth best state in the nation for business and that’s because those taxes, that are perhaps higher than other places, give us the third best infrastructure in the country, it give us the 13th best education in the country, it give us the fourth best health care in the country,” said Smith

A big take away was all lawmakers telling businesses in the room to reach out with any thoughts or concerns. And with just over a month and half in the legislative session there’s still plenty of work left to go until May 20.