Dear Neighbors, We have 10 days left to complete our work at the Minnesota Legislature this year. We’ve been spending long days on the House Floor, passing bipartisan bills. Much of this weekend will be dedicated to negotiations between the House and Senate, finalizing legislation that can then be sent to Governor Walz. As DFL Vice Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, when I’m not on the House Floor I’m typically in negotiations to get our bill over the finish line so we can invest in jobs and infrastructure projects. Negotiations are going well, and I’m still confident we will come to an agreement. By nature of the tie in the House, and the narrow party divide in the Senate, the bills we are passing are compromises. I can say that many of these pieces of legislation would look very different were they my ideal version, but I know every colleague on both sides of the aisle would say the same. Still, these are solutions to issues facing Minnesotans. This week, we passed the following bills off the House Floor: - The establishment of the Office of Inspector General, aimed at combatting fraud and ensuring public dollars are used as intended.
- An Elections Bill that improves efficiency, clarifies procedures, and reduces costs in Minnesota’s elections system.
- The Payment Transparency Act, which helps subcontractors get paid.
- A supplemental Public Safety budget that focuses on community-based crime victim services, like emergency shelters and legal advocacy.
- A Higher Ed Bill that takes on “ghost students,” which are individuals, often using stolen identities, that steal financial aid.
- A Housing Bill that, while staying budget-neutral, would expand affordable housing units in our state.
- A boost is service pay for National Guard members, which passed unanimously.
These bills also need to pass the Minnesota Senate, and should that chamber pass a different version, a conference committee would then be formed of House and Senate members to craft a final bill. Both chambers would then vote a final time on identical legislation. Sometimes that’s as simple as a quick fix, and other times that work takes several days. With only one full work week left, we’re hoping for more of the former. The Cost of Justice Marvin Haynes was released from a Minnesota prison in 2023, having spent nearly 20 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. He is just one story - though certainly the most extreme - addressed in the 2026 Claims Bill, of which I am the author. Mr. Haynes was in his late teens when he was incarcerated, and nearly 40 when he was released. A miscarriage of justice at this magnitude is the nightmare scenario, and will likely result in the highest ever payment from the state for wrongful imprisonment - $4.5 million. It’s thanks to the efforts of the Great North Innocence Project that Mr. Haynes was finally released. The organization found that not only did two eyewitnesses recant their testimony, but that there was an overall lack of actual physical evidence against Mr. Haynes. You can read more about his story and our legislation in MPR’s coverage. Stay Connected Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services offers nonpartisan recaps of high-profile bills, committee hearings, and floor sessions with their Session Daily publication. Subscribe to receive these here. To track bills of interest through the legislative process, I encourage you to utilize the MyBills feature on the Minnesota House of Representatives’ website. You can also visit my House of Representatives website. With only 10 days left, I welcome your questions and comments. You can send an email to rep.luke.frederick@house.mn.gov or call me at (651) 296-3248. Also, please visit and “like” my Facebook page for more Capitol and community updates. Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the legislature. Sincerely, Luke Frederick State Representative |