Legislative Update – 2026 Session BeginsDear Neighbors, On February 17, the 2026 Legislative Session officially began. It was a brutally hard day, as we gaveled in without my friend and our leader, Melissa Hortman. We honored Melissa, her husband Mark, and their dog Gilbert with a remembrance ceremony, and by planting seeds, baking bread and cake, and petting golden retrievers.  Melissa taught us that we can do the most good for the most people when we work together, and my colleagues and I will always walk that talk in honor of our friend, mentor, and leader. 2026 Session BeginsWith a full agenda ahead, committees are already debating bills to protect civil rights, prevent gun violence, reform health care, lower costs, and prevent fraud. This session, I’ll continue to serve as vice chair of the Children and Families and Higher Education committees. I’ve also joined the House Commerce Committee to fight unfair corporate practices like surveillance pricing. I’ve already presented bills to support our cannabis small businesses and to ban AI-generated "nudification" technology. I was joined by testifiers whose lives were tragically altered by these tools and are calling on legislators to act.  We are already behind on this work; as AI advances, it further enables predators. We cannot afford to wait. Taking Action on Gun Violence PreventionTwo empty school desks currently sit in a corridor of the State Capitol. They belonged to Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski, whose lives were taken last August during the Annunciation Catholic Church and School shooting. Their families and other survivors are calling for action.  House DFLers are proposing bills banning assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and binary triggers, requiring safe storage, and mandating the reporting of lost or stolen guns. Governor Walz has included Republican priorities—like mental health support and school safety—in his gun violence prevention package, meaning my Republican colleagues can’t deflect the conversation away from guns like they usually do—we can do both. With a tied House, all it takes is one Republican to join us, say “enough,” and stand with the families of Annunciation and the nearly 70% of Minnesotans who are calling for action on guns. Fletcher and Harper should still be in school today. Minnesotans are asking us to do something to prevent future gun deaths - it's up to Republicans to decide if they stand with the people or the gun lobby. |