Legislative Update: May 5, 2026

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you have been able to enjoy the warmer weather lately. We have less than two weeks left of this 2026 legislative session. 

I will continue to push for:

• real progress on protecting our kids and ensuring that they don’t have to live in fear of gun violence or ICE in their schools, 
• meaningfully addressing affordability,
• taking real steps to address fraud, not just things that work well as talking points,
• protecting our environment for us and for our kids and grandkids,
• and making sure Minnesota is the best place to live and raise a family.

Constituent Survey

Thank you to everyone who has come to the capitol to meet with me. There is nothing more powerful than hearing directly from local leaders, students, constituents, and advocates as they testify on legislation or meet with me to share the real impacts of proposed policies on our community. We receive requests and feedback on bills continuously; thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. It is helpful for me, and all of us here, to understand a wide variety of perspectives on different issues as we work to make decisions. We’d love to gather additional feedback. Please take a quick moment to complete our 2026 constituent survey. Thank you.

Legacy Funding Update

I’m serving as the DFL co-Chair of the House Legacy Committee, and Democrats voted to pass the Outdoor Heritage bill but not one House Republican voted to pass it out of committee. With two weeks of session left, this makes it more difficult and more unlikely for the bill to pass. It’s important to note that these funds are absolutely crucial for the long-term health of our land, air, and water. This bill supports the restoration and protection of wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitats for fish and wildlife across our state. It helps expand and protect public access to our natural spaces, supports local economies through outdoor recreation, and delivers cleaner air and water. 

This bill should never be political. The projects are local, visible, and provide real benefits to communities across the state. In a tied legislature, I was hopeful we’d get a bipartisan vote this year. Unfortunately, republicans also chose to block this legislation from advancing, and in doing so, even blocked projects in their own districts.

I remain committed to getting this work back on track and ensuring we move forward in a way that respects both the process and the people it serves.

HCMC Update

HCMC is in a precarious situation, needing a significant ($300M+) and annual infusion of funds to stay open. Over 70% of the people they serve are on Medicaid, Medicare, or don’t have any insurance. While I haven’t done a review of hospitals around the state, I believe this is probably the highest of any hospital in MN. Uncompensated care contributes to this crisis, as emergency rooms are required to treat patients regardless of whether they have insurance or can pay. And ER costs are so much higher than if someone had access to preventative care. HCMC’s uncompensated care has ballooned from $40M in 2020 to $104M in 2024. 

HCMC is a level 1 trauma center and backstops hospitals all around the state. 40% of all transferred trauma and burn patients and almost 30% of ALL patients come from outside Hennepin County.

They are a symptom of our broken healthcare system in this country. Even before the disastrous cuts to Medicaid in the federal HR1 reconciliation bill that passed last summer, the payments received by hospitals for Medicaid/Medicare were not enough to cover costs. 

There does seem to be bipartisan acknowledgement that HCMC can not be allowed to fail. Hennepin County has introduced a proposal to increase its ballpark sales tax, ranging from .015% to 1%, to generate funds to keep HCMC’s doors open. There are many other options that are being considered. 

Stay in Touch

Please reach out to my office if you need assistance with anything. I am best reached through email at rep.samantha.vang@house.mn.gov or please contact my Legislative Assistant, Isabel, at Isabel.Anderson@house.mn.gov. I always appreciate hearing from you. You can also follow along on my official Facebook page here. 

Sincerely,

Rep. Samantha Vang

651-296-3709

rep.samantha.vang@house.mn.gov