Legislative Update - July 9, 2026Dear Neighbors, I hope you all had a pleasant 4th of July and have been enjoying all that our beautiful Minnesota summers have to offer. I was pleased to join the City of South St. Paul and Bonfe for the groundbreaking of the company's new 50,000-square-foot facility in the South St. Paul business park. This expansion is another strong vote of confidence in our community and our local workforce.  The project is expected to create 40 new high-wage jobs while helping a longtime local business continue to grow right here in South St. Paul. I'm grateful to Bonfe for their ongoing investment in our community and their commitment to creating opportunities for local workers. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this expansion will have for years to come. Paid Family Medical Leave is Working When we passed Minnesota's Paid Leave law in 2023, we made a simple promise: no one should have to choose between their paycheck and caring for themselves or the people they love. Six months in, more than 75,000 Minnesotans have already been approved for Paid Leave benefits, allowing workers to take paid, job-protected time off to welcome a new child, recover from a serious health condition, or care for a loved one. More than 38,000 families have used the program for bonding leave with a new child. The program is reaching the people it was designed to help. More than half of applicants earn less than $78,000 per year, nearly half live outside the Twin Cities metro, and before Paid Leave, many of these workers had no access to paid family or medical leave through their employers. That's especially important because, nationwide, only about 27% of workers have access to paid family leave through their jobs. Strong families build strong communities, and Paid Leave is helping ensure that Minnesotans can care for themselves and their loved ones without sacrificing their financial security. I'm proud to have supported this landmark investment in working families, and I'll continue working to protect and strengthen programs that help make Minnesota one of the best places in the country to live, work, and raise a family. New LawsOn July 1st, many new laws from the 2026 legislative session took effect. Some highlights include helping schools establish anonymous threat reporting systems so students and families can safely report concerning behavior, implementing a mandatory social media mental health warning, and more. You can find a list of the new laws and summaries here. Legislative Audit Commission MeetingWednesday, the Legislative Audit Commission, which I serve on, met with the Office of the Legislative Auditor, an independent, nonpartisan office helping strengthen accountability across Minnesota government. The commission reviewed and selected several proposed evaluations that will help guide future oversight, including the Minnesota Department of Health's Mortuary Science Program, Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's feedlot permitting process. I plan to go more in-depth next week on other topics and findings. I’m a longtime advocate for transparent government and believe strong oversight is essential to earning and maintaining the public's trust. Whether we're protecting our natural resources, ensuring educational opportunities are delivered fairly, or improving state licensing and regulatory programs, independent audits help identify what's working and where improvements are needed. New DNR GrantOne of the main reasons I got involved in government is to protect Minnesota's land, water, wildlife, and outdoor heritage. It requires long-term investment and strong local partnerships, and that’s why I'm encouraged to see the new Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Community Grant Program moving toward implementation. The program will support projects that restore habitat, improve water quality, conserve wildlife, and protect the natural resources that define our state. It will also expand access to conservation funding by helping communities that have too often borne the burden of pollution and environmental degradation participate in this important work. For nearly 40 years, Minnesotans have dedicated lottery proceeds to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund because we understand that stewardship is an investment in future generations. This new grant program builds on that legacy by empowering local communities, conservation partners, and Tribal Nations to develop projects that protect the places we all depend on. Whether it's restoring wetlands, improving habitat, safeguarding clean water, or strengthening our resilience to a changing climate, conservation is most successful when communities are engaged and equipped with the resources to lead. I look forward to seeing these investments help preserve Minnesota's natural heritage and ensure our state's remarkable landscapes and wildlife continue to thrive for generations to come. Stay in Touch!Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-6828. For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these regular legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page. Sincerely, Rick Hansen
State Representative |