Legislative Update – April 23, 2026
Dear neighbors,
One quick note up top, due to incoming inclement weather, today’s SSP River Beautification Project has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 7, at 5:00 PM at the Spiral Bridge (Grand & Hardman).
Yesterday, I was joined at the Capitol by constituent and advocate MJ Weiss from Suicide Awareness Voices of Education and Kayla’s HOPE. MJ was at the Capitol to present myself and Senator Scott Dibble with the Kayla’s HOPE Award, due to our work together to pass funds for suicide prevention barriers on the Washington Avenue Bridge on the University of Minnesota Campus.
The Senate also passed legislation requiring the Department of Transportation to ensure suicide prevention measures are included on existing and future bridge projects around the state. These are important, tangible steps forward in protecting Minnesotans, and I’m proud to support them.
Session Update
We’re one month out from the end of the 2026 Legislative Session. Now, work shifts from committees to the House floor, as we work to pass our legislative priorities. It’s a time when many people ask me the same question: What’s going to get done this year?
In a tied House, it’s been difficult to get Republicans to join us in tackling some of the biggest issues facing Minnesota families today: affordability, dealing with monopolies and AI surveillance pricing, gun violence prevention, and protecting our constitutional rights.
But that doesn’t mean that nothing will pass. Just this week, we passed 18 bills on the House floor. I spoke on the Floor in support of a bipartisan bill modifying and updating statutes on veterinary medicine, which passed on a 133-1 vote.
We also passed a pair of bills that Colin Hortman, son of Melissa and Mark, helped bring forward to help those facing future tragedies like theirs. We also passed a couple bills relating to fraud prevention and public safety. We’ll continue to make progress on bills that have bipartisan support for the rest of this legislative session.
Funding to Combat Medicaid Fraud
Last week the House GOP voted against funding to strengthen the integral Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The proposal would beef up one of the most effective Medicaid fraud fighting forces in the country. That means more fraudsters prosecuted and more public funds going where they need to.
There is a 3-to-1 match of federal funds for any state funds appropriated for MFCU staff. As a result, the state would only need to pay for 4.5 staff to get a total of 18! It is fiscally irresponsible to throw this opportunity away.
Minnesotans want us to take strong action to combat fraud and they want solutions that are proven to work---that’s what this bill is, and I’m disappointed that my colleagues let their disapproval of our Attorney General get in the way of the good work the staff attorneys do on behalf of our state. There are still potential paths for this critical fraud fighting legislation to move forward and I promise to fight for it every step of the way.
Stay in Touch!
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-6828.
For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these regular legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative