Dear Neighbors,
As we enter the 2026 session there is a lot that we need to take on in order to improve the lives of Minnesotans. Whether it’s addressing fraud, holding ICE accountable, or taking action to make life more affordable, I’m ready to get to work. If you have any state-level issues or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out this session.
While there’s a lot to tackle this year, we did start off on a solemn note. This is the first session in 20 years where Melissa Hortman will be absent. She leaves behind a legacy of fierce advocacy for the average Minnesotan and I hope we will honor that legacy this session.
Presented My Bill to Fight Fraud - Hit Unprecedented Roadblock
- Fraud in any form is unacceptable, and I’m furious about for-profit fraudsters defrauding Minnesotans and our public services and programs. That’s why this week I presented my bill to create an Office of the Inspector General in the State Government Committee.
- I started working on this bill last year with members of both parties, and I spent the interim working on proposed improvements. My version of the bill would build upon the Senate version by strengthening it in several ways. It would focus on prevention, saving taxpayers more than simply investigating after the fact. It would also avoid some constitutional pitfalls to guarantee that the bill could be fully implemented and get to fighting fraud sooner.
- Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues used an unprecedented tactic to prevent us from debating my ideas for how to make this bill work better. Fraud is too important of an issue to play political games with. That’s why I will continue to reach across the aisle to come to a compromise on this important initiative.
DFL Introduces Bills on ICE - Commonsense Measures to Lift up Minnesota
- Our state has been devastated by Operation Metro Surge. I never thought I’d see the day where our federal government is blatantly violating the constitution, killing our neighbors, and lying about it.
- This week, we hit the ground running with many bills that support our neighbors through this difficult time. These include banning federal agents from masking their identities, requiring an independent investigation into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, providing rental assistance to folks who haven’t been able to go to work, and preventing ICE from operating on school property.
- While state government has certain limits to how much we can do to push back against unconstitutional federal actions, we must do all we can.
Upcoming Town Hall - Stop By!
- I am hosting a town hall on Tuesday, March 3, at 7pm!
- There will be a lot to cover so I encourage you to come by to learn about the 2026 session and share your thoughts.
- You can sign up for the town hall to receive the location and pre-submit questions here: http://tiny.cc/NorrisTownHall
Stay in Touch
Please feel free to reach out to me by email at rep.matt.norris@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-2907. If you have a friend, neighbor, or relative who wants to receive updates about the Legislature, let them know they can subscribe to my email list here, and follow my Facebook here. It’s an honor to represent our community. Please stay in touch!
Sincerely,
Matt Norris, District 32B
5th Floor Centennial Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155