Greetings,
Our first full week of the 2026 session has led to very busy committee hearings. Keeping in mind that the House has 67 Republicans and 67 Democrats, we have co-chairs of each committee who decide what bills are going to be heard, which creates an interesting dynamic from one hearing to the next.
KEEPING PREMIUMS AFFORDABLE
I co-chair the House Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the state’s appraisers, insurance industry, real estate, alcohol, gaming, and others. We heard some good news recently about our previous work.
Despite the stars aligning for what could have been significant cost increases for health insurance premiums, last year we were successful in holding off on approving any additional mandates which would have driven up costs. Think of things like coverage for new procedures which are more costly to insurance companies, who then pass the costs on to you through higher premiums. It’s estimated that costs could be at least 5% to 7% higher without our work to eliminate any additional mandates.
We also reviewed the Minnesota Common Interest Community laws, which deals with homeowners’ associations and condos. We’re discussing statutory language for good governance.
STATE PENSIONS LOOKING GOOD
I’ve spent a significant portion of my legislative career on the Minnesota Pension Commission. This group works to keep public pensions, such as those for police, fire officials and state government employes, solvent.
I authored legislation back in 2018 that sought to improve our state’s pension programs when things looked rough. We recently received an update that all of the retirement plans are doing well and that the state is meeting its obligations for the future. It was good being part of this process, but it feels even better to see the work is paying off.
GUN CONTROL MEASURES COULD INCREASE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE
This week, Governor Walz unveiled gun control measures he would like passed into law, as did House Democrats who proposed a pair of controversial bills in our public safety committee. It is worth noting that if the governor’s plans were enacted into law, it would likely cost homeowners more to own a gun as it would make homeowners insurance policies more costly.
KEEP IN TOUCH
As always, I'm continuing to support constituent needs. Feel free to contact me anytime at rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-7808.
Have a good weekend,
Tim