Legislative Update: Start of 2026 Session!
Hello Neighbors,
Earlier this month, I was officially sworn in as your State Representative for District 64A. It is truly an honor to have our neighbors' trust and to bring the voices of our communities to the State Capitol.
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Meg Luger-Nikolai. I’m a labor lawyer, mother of three, and longtime community advocate. In the past, I’ve visited the Capitol to push for legislation improving the lives of educators, workers, and families. Now, I’m ready to continue that work as your State Representative.
I want to thank our former representative, Mayor Kaohly Her, for her leadership on behalf of our district these past six years. Her legislative work and community advocacy will be missed at the Capitol, but I look forward to working alongside the Mayor’s office to continue to build a stronger Saint Paul.
Honoring Melissa and Mark Hortman
This week, as the 2026 Legislative Session began, the House, Senate, and our constitutional officers gathered to honor the life of Melissa Hortman, her devoted husband Mark, and their beloved dog, Gilbert. Melissa was a leader, colleague, and friend whose loss weighs heavily on so many at the Capitol.
There were tears, stories, and gratitude for a life of service that shaped our Minnesota in lasting ways. Melissa and Mark loved to bake, so we gathered afterward for homemade desserts. In honor of Gilbert, service dogs visited the Capitol and brightened an otherwise tough day.
It was not the first day of the session that anyone imagined. But it was a powerful reminder of why we serve: for people, for community, and for one another. You can?read more?from MPR News?about Tuesday’s remembrance,?and you can?watch the full ceremony here.
2026 Session Begins
On Wednesday, House business began as usual, and committees began meeting to discuss the impacts of ICE on our communities and debate legislation to move our state forward.
In a tied House, we need to work together to pass any legislation, and that work begins in committees. This session, I will be serving on the Energy Finance and Policy Committee, the State Government Finance and Policy Committee, and the Transportation Finance and Policy Committee.
We’re working on bills to make energy more affordable amidst Trump’s attack on clean energy. We’re working on legislation to make our streets safer. And we are already hearing proposals from DFLers that would protect our government services from fraudsters who have made a business ripping off taxpayers and our neighbors who rely on public services.
Stay in Touch!
As the weeks go on, I’ll continue to share updates from the Capitol and the bills my colleagues and I are proposing.
If you haven’t already, please subscribe to these legislative updates, and send this to a neighbor so they can too! You can also stay up to date on my work for our district by following my Official State Representative Facebook page.
It is an honor to represent our community at the State Capitol. Together, we can work to build a Minnesota that works better for everybody. If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that?you’d?like to share, please?don’t?hesitate to reach out!
Send me an email at rep.meg.luger-nikolai@house.mn.gov (replies to this newsletter won’t reach me!) or give my office a call at 651-296-8799, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Sincerely,?
Meg Luger-Nikolai
State Representative