Dear Neighbors,
I’d like to start by condemning the hateful and bigoted language from President Trump directed toward our Somali communities. His rhetoric is not only dead wrong, but inflammatory and dangerous. I also condemn the ongoing ICE terror campaign that is a direct assault on our beloved immigrant communities, including U.S. citizens. To be abundantly clear: the actions of ICE are frequently illegal, harmful, and based on manufactured lies about our friends and neighbors. These hateful actions must not be tolerated and we should all speak out against this. It saddens me that.I have not heard any MN House Republicans condemning these attacks against Minnesotans.
I’d like to share a toolkit put together by my Senate colleagues. In it you will find numerous tools around knowing your rights, legal assistance, emergency contacts, advocacy and community support, and many extra resources. Please share with your networks.
Standing up to the Federal Crisis
I recently co-authored an op-ed published in Talking Points discussing the many actions state lawmakers are taking to improve the lives of our constituents, particularly when we are under attack from Trump and his enablers. This has been a difficult environment to serve as a public official, but we need state leaders who are willing to step up and take positive action now more than ever. I was proud to join legislators from Colorado and North Carolina in calling for more legislative action that makes tangible impacts in our communities.
Ralph Reeder Food Shelf
Recently I had the opportunity to again tour the Ralph Reeder food shelf. They are an incredible resource to families in need in our district. Seeing the food they receive from community members and all of the volunteers busy at work there makes me so proud of this district. You all step up to help each other when there is a need! For more information about ways to access their resources or volunteer to help, click here.
Chat with Students
It was an honor to talk to a couple of classes at Highview Middle School for a class project about how government functions and what students can do to get involved. I love hearing ideas from youth and answering questions they have.
Paid Family Medical Leave to Launch on January 1, 2026
I wanted to provide you with an important update on one of the most groundbreaking accomplishments DFL lawmakers have delivered for working families in recent memory: Minnesota’s new Paid Leave Family & Medical Leave program. The U.S. is the only developed country in the world that doesn’t guarantee some form of paid leave, forcing most workers to make impossible choices between a paycheck and caring for a new child, an aging parent, or their own serious health condition. But in Minnesota, that’s about to change with the launch of Paid Leave on January 1, 2026. As we prepare for Paid Leave to take effect, I want to share a bit about the basics of the new law, how it impacts you, and how to use it when it goes live.
Paid Leave – which DFLers in the Legislature and Governor Walz passed in 2023 – provides partial wage replacement for up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave for your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and recovery. It also provides up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a new child, a seriously ill loved one, or for certain military or safety-related events. A short video explaining the basics of how it works is available here:
The program will have a small cost, but offer powerful benefits. The premium rate for 2026 will be 0.88%, with employers responsible for at least half. If the employer chooses to split the premium with the employee, each will pay 0.44%. For an employee earning the average annual income, this amounts to about $5 per week each for the worker and the employer.
Minnesota has developed helpful toolkits with resources for workers and businesses alike. The toolkit for workers can help you find out if you’re eligible for coverage, when Paid Leave can be used, how much time you can take, how you’ll be compensated, and more. The toolkit for businesses includes info about upcoming public engagement events, information on premium rates and contributions, equivalent plans for Paid Leave, and other FAQs.
For many Minnesotans, missing a single paycheck means the difference between staying above water and facing dire financial challenges, and that’s particularly true considering the affordability crisis we’re facing now, with prices rising for just about everything in our daily lives. Paid Leave is one major step to provide some relief, ensuring you’ll no longer have to risk your economic security to look after yourself, care for a newborn, or tend to a loved one.
This program has truly been years in the making, and I’m so excited for families in our community and throughout Minnesota to finally have peace of mind. As we get closer to the program’s rollout, I encourage you to check out all of the resources available at pl.mn.gov.
Stay In Touch
Please feel free to contact me directly with your viewpoints or if I can be of assistance. My email is rep.kelly.moller@house.mn.gov and my phone number is 651-296-0141.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
Kelly Moller
State Representative