Having trouble viewing this? View it as a Web page.  Legislative Update from Rep. Kristin BahnerDear Neighbors, The 2026 legislative session has wrapped up for the year. Despite working under a 67-67 tie – the only split legislative body in the nation – we showed the country, once again, that Minnesota can lead and get the job done. With political volatility taking up space in our civil discourse, it is more critical now than ever to cut through partisan divides to deliver for Minnesotans. Protecting HCMC from ClosureA key example of this was compromise legislation that I was proud to support, which will stabilize Hennepin County Medical Center. HCMC is the beating heart of Minnesota's healthcare system; its stability plays a critical stabilizing role for healthcare facilities across the entire state, including North Memorial right here in Maple Grove. When HCMC is strong, our local healthcare ecosystem is strong. Importantly, 40% of HCMC's patients come from outside the Hennepin County metro area, making it a statewide asset that all Minnesotans, including our Maple Grove neighbors, depend on for trauma care, complex procedures, and specialized services. Using a combined method of General Fund and rainy day budget reserves, this legislation positions HCMC on stronger financial footing, ensuring it can continue to serve Minnesotans and weather the ongoing pressures of federal Medicaid cuts and a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. Protecting Minnesotans and Taxpayer DollarsWe also passed overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation in both the House and Senate including my bill to strengthen grants management, the process by which state dollars are awarded to organizations and programs, and protect Minnesota taxpayer dollars.  PHOTO: Minnesota House Photographer Andrew VonBank This legislation does three critical things: it enhances whistleblower protections to ensure that individuals who report fraud in the grants management process can do so with their identity kept private; it improves the state's ability to share information across agencies when an individual or organization has been found guilty of fraud, preventing them from accessing other government programs; and it creates permanent payment withholds, allowing the state to freeze payments when there is a credible allegation of fraud that requires investigation. Preventing the loss of taxpayer dollars before it occurs is always the best strategy, ensuring that public funds reach the people who need them most and that every hard-earned taxpayer dollar is allocated responsibly. I want to recognize Representative Ginny Klevorn of Plymouth for her critical work on the permanent payment withhold provision. Additionally, we passed legislation creating a new Office of Inspector General, which is an independent agency charged with evaluating and overseeing government programs, identifying credible allegations of fraud, freezing payments early, and referring cases for further law enforcement action when warranted. Together, these measures will protect the state budget and taxpayer dollars and represent the basic common sense and good governance that Minnesotans deserve. Protecting your Pocketbook Minnesotans continue to face real economic pressures: soaring prescription drug prices and healthcare premiums, higher prices at the pump, tariffs that have increased the cost of goods and services for businesses and consumers, and have driven record visits to local food shelves, including Cross Services near Maple Grove. At a recent mayor's prayer breakfast, I had a meaningful conversation with the head of Cross Services about the sharp increase in visits their organization has seen. We discussed how to more efficiently connect local families with the aid they need, how to expand their volunteer base, and how to bring in additional funding to better meet their mission. The need in our community is real, and we are committed to addressing it at every level. If you are able, I encourage you to consider volunteering at or donating to Cross Services. Every contribution helps ensure that our Maple Grove neighbors get the support they need right here at home. To help ease economic strains, we took action to increase property tax refunds and lower vehicle registration tab fees, putting real money back in the pockets of Maple Grove families. These are just two examples of the steps we are taking to increase affordability and improve the quality of life for Minnesotans across our communities. I am also encouraged that we passed a robust, bipartisan $1.2 billion infrastructure improvement package, which will create local jobs and help jumpstart our economy. This package includes significant water treatment and infrastructure improvements that will make life better for families in Maple Grove and communities across Minnesota. Protecting your HOA RightsAfter years of bipartisan vetting with HOA boards, residents, stakeholders, and legislators from both chambers, I am pleased to share that my Homeowners Association Bill of Rights legislation has been signed into law by the governor. Minnesota's 32-year-old HOA statute was badly in need of revision to address the challenges facing today's homeowners. This strong bipartisan effort authored in the Senate by Senators Pha (D) and Lucero (R), and championed in the House by myself and Representative Mekeland (R) spanned nearly three years of work with homeowners, HOA boards, and property managers across the state. The legislation has been widely heralded as a meaningful and long-overdue reform. Specifically, the bill does three important things: it creates greater transparency in HOA governance; it establishes basic best practices and guardrails for property managers and associations; and it provides vital consumer protections to safeguard homeowners' most important asset: their home. The bill also sets realistic expectations for both homeowners and their associations around roles, responsibilities, and dispute resolution, so that all parties can address disagreements in a reasonable and efficient manner. With nearly 80 percent of all new homes in Minnesota falling under an HOA, getting this right is not optional; it is essential. The dream of homeownership should not become a family's worst nightmare. This legislation builds a solid foundation of fair and equitable HOA law in Minnesota, and it is the first step — not the last.  PHOTO: Minnesota House Photographer Michele Jokinen Protecting our Neighbors Governor Walz signed into law legislation I co-authored with Representative Ginny Klevorn of Plymouth that toughens penalties for impersonating a police officer. This issue is deeply personal to me. After an assassin came to my door and put my family in harm's way, I understand firsthand how critical it is that Minnesotans be able to trust that the person on the other side of their door is a genuine, credentialed law enforcement professional. This law is a first step in restoring that public trust. It honors the dedication of our local law enforcement who do this important work each and every day to keep our Maple Grove families safe. Governor Walz also signed into law my bipartisan legislation, co-authored with Representative Jess Hanson, banning nudification technology, a technology with no legitimate or practical purpose that has been used to victimize women and children in nearly half a million cases in under a single year. We have seen an explosion of these cases nationwide, including one involving a young boy in Pennsylvania who used this technology to create non-consensual nude images of more than 60 of his classmates, causing fear, anxiety, and depression among impacted children. Minnesota is leading the nation on this issue. As the first state to put these protections in place, we are setting the standard for how states across the country can and should protect our most vulnerable neighbors. This legislation reflects my primary commitment: ensuring that government and technology works for everyday people. Artificial intelligence and emerging technology will significantly change the way our Maple Grove neighbors live, do business, and work in the very near future. It is critical that government establishes the right guardrails to make sure that change works for all of us, not against us. With more than 30 years of experience in the technology industry, I am committed to using that background to protect Minnesotans and to help shape stronger policy in states across the country. Looking AheadWhile we accomplished meaningful work this session, there is more to do. After a year of devastating political violence in Minnesota, including tragic losses within our own legislative community I am more committed than ever to finding common ground on this issue. While I respect the Second Amendment rights of responsible gun owners here in Maple Grove and across our state, at the same time I believe we can and must balance those rights with commonsense measures to prevent gun violence, protect our schools, and keep our families safe. Maple Grove residents, including parents from our Annunciation community, have made clear that this work cannot wait, and I will continue working across the aisle to advance solutions that honor both of these imperatives.  I will continue to lead on online safety for children. As a legislator, I hear directly from Maple Grove families about their concerns and the message is clear: our children deserve better protections online. This session, we passed an important first step by passing legislation placing restrictions on how social media platforms are accessed by minors, requiring parental controls and mandating that the highest levels of privacy be set by default for children's accounts. But this is only the beginning. Over the summer and into the next session, I will be building a much more comprehensive package, anchored by the Minnesota Kids Code, a design code that holds social media companies accountable for the safety of their products. The Kids Code would require risk assessments upfront before products reach the market, eliminate harm by design, and establish meaningful liability for companies that knowingly create dangerous products, ignoring the risks. I am proud to be recognized by my legislative peers as a national leader on children's online safety, and I am committed to policy that places our kids at the center of this work. Over the summer and into next session, I will be placing significant emphasis on a broader technology policy agenda and I will be working to establish a new dedicated technology committee to advance this important work. Key priorities include: - Surveillance pricing, which uses consumer data to manipulate what individuals pay for the same products and services, a practice that is unfair and must be addressed.
- Prior authorization reform, to stop insurance companies from using administrative barriers via AI technology to deny patients the care their doctors have ordered.
- AI guardrails, including my legislation establishing Independent Verification Organizations — modeled on the audit structures we use in the financial sector — to ensure that AI models comply with all applicable laws and remain true to their intended design.
- The Digital Choice Act, nation-leading legislation that puts individuals back in the driver's seat to better control their own digital identity and data privacy. Rather than allowing large technology platforms to own your photos, your content, and your personal information, the Digital Choice Act allows you to take your digital identity with you — to a new platform of your choosing — just as you can port your phone number to a new carrier today. This bill is about restoring your rights, your freedoms, and your ownership over who you are online.
Stay Connected!Working for and with our neighbors is an honor and a privilege. Thank you for entrusting me with the voice of our Maple Grove community. As we prepare to gather with friends and family over the weekend, let us take a moment to reflect upon and honor the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces. Your service will never be forgotten. All the best. Sincerely, Kristin Bahner
Your State Representative  Representative Kristin Bahner5th Floor, Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar St.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155 |