Legislative Update Dear friends and neighbors, Week four of the legislative session didn't hold back on any surprises—though at this point, some of them are starting to feel a little predictable. The week kicked off with the Walz administration continuing their ongoing accountability hiatus. When the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee convened Monday morning to ask some fairly straightforward questions about fraud in state programs, the administration simply… didn’t show up. Just last week, they at least sent staff to the Judiciary Committee—unfortunately, those staffers couldn’t answer questions about the extensive redactions in the Optum fraud report. This week, they took a new approach: send no one at all. But here’s the part that you just really can't make up: The very same DHS staffers who apparently couldn’t make time for the Fraud Committee hearing showed up in the exact same committee room just minutes later… to ask the Ways and Means Committee for more funding. So to recap: no time to answer questions about fraud, but plenty of time to request more taxpayer dollars. Funny how the calendar clears up when there’s money on the agenda! Keeping Energy Costs Realistic for Rural Utilities One of the biggest concerns I hear from folks across District 17A is pretty straightforward: everything costs more these days, and energy bills are right at the top of that list. That’s exactly why I introduced House File 3296, a bill aimed at helping our smaller municipal and cooperative utilities deal with a new reality: massive energy users moving into town practically overnight. Think data centers. Crypto mining operations. Large tech facilities, etc. When one of these operations sets up shop in a community served by a small utility, the electricity demand can double or even triple almost instantly. Under Minnesota’s current Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) program, utilities are required to meet energy-saving goals based on how much electricity they sell each year. So when a giant energy user suddenly shows up and starts consuming enormous amounts of power, the math changes overnight. Suddenly, a small-town utility is expected to hit conservation targets that—through no fault of their own—may be virtually impossible to meet. That’s where HF 3296 comes in. The bill simply allows electricity sales to certain large data centers to be excluded from the calculation used to set those conservation targets. In plain English: if a massive facility suddenly shows up and starts using huge amounts of power, your local utility shouldn’t be penalized for it. It’s a common-sense adjustment that helps protect small utilities, rural communities, and the ratepayers who ultimately foot the bill. I also want to give a big thank-you to Dave Meyer, General Manager of Glencoe Light and Power, who made the trip to St. Paul to testify on the bill. Dave did a fantastic job explaining how these policies play out in the real world for local utilities and the communities they serve. Minnesota is seeing new industries and technologies grow rapidly—and that’s exciting. But as that growth happens, our policies need to keep up. HF 3296 helps strike that balance: welcoming innovation while making sure small-town utilities—and their customers—aren’t stuck holding the bag! A Tab Too Far You may have seen this video clip floating around the internet about a comment made by one of my DFL colleagues during committee. She suggested she may introduce an amendment to quintuple Minnesota’s car tab fees in order to fund other projects some believe are worthy. Now, let me put into perspective just how serious quintupling the current fees would be. Under that proposal, the tabs on a two-year-old $50,000 vehicle would cost around $3,650. At that point, renewing your tabs starts to feel a lot less like a routine stop at the DMV and a lot more like taking on another car payment—without actually getting another car. But beyond the sticker shock, there’s a bigger issue here. Affordability is one of the most serious challenges facing Minnesotans right now. Families are juggling rising grocery bills, higher childcare costs, housing pressures, insurance increases, and energy prices that seem to climb faster than a Minnesota snowbank in January. And unfortunately, many of those pressures were made worse during the last biennium, when the Democrat trifecta passed billions in new taxes and fees. That includes things like the delivery fee, a new payroll tax, and costly unfunded mandates that local governments often have no choice but to pass along to taxpayers. House Republicans believe the answer isn’t piling on more costs—it’s making life more affordable. That’s why we’re advancing proposals to lower costs across the board, including: Lower vehicle tab fees (HF 3562 – Rep. Patti Anderson) - Creation of a direct primary care healthcare program (HF 1724 – Rep. Dawn Gillman)
A Property Tax Commission to rein in rising property taxes (HF 3396 – Rep. Greg Davids) No tax on tips or overtime pay (HF 3524 & HF 3525 – Rep. Kristin Robbins) Returning a portion of future surpluses directly to taxpayers (HF 4 – Rep. Wayne Johnson) Reducing property taxes by allowing schools to opt out of costly unfunded mandates (HF 957 – Rep. Ron Kresha) Allowing local governments relief from unfunded state mandates (HF 1593 – Rep. Tom Murphy) Minnesotans are asking us to make life more affordable, not turn license tabs into a luxury item. So while the idea of $3,600 car tabs certainly got people’s attention, I can confidently say House Republicans will be keeping that proposal firmly parked! Helping Minnesotans Get Back on Their Feet This session, I am proud to be a coauthor on House File 2689, legislation that updates Minnesota law governing the practice of physical therapy and improves access to care for patients across our state. If you’ve ever dealt with a sore back, a sports injury, or a nagging knee that just won’t cooperate, you know how frustrating it can be to wait around for care. Often, physical therapy is one of the best first steps toward recovery—but outdated statutes can sometimes slow that process down. House File 2689 brings Minnesota’s physical therapy laws into the modern era. The bill updates several definitions in statute, clarifies supervision standards for physical therapist assistants and students, and strengthens protections so only licensed professionals can advertise or present themselves as providing physical therapy services. Just as important, the bill removes an outdated restriction that required a physician referral after a certain period of treatment. This change allows patients to continue receiving appropriate therapy when it’s working, without unnecessary interruptions. At the end of the day, this bill is about making sure Minnesotans can access safe, effective care and get back to doing the things they love—whether that’s working, playing sports, chasing after kids or grandkids, or just getting through the day pain-free. Got a Idea? Let’s Talk. Now that the 2026 legislative session is officially in full swing, the pace at the Capitol has certainly picked up—but one thing hasn’t changed: my door is always open! If you have a question, a concern, an idea, or just want to talk through an issue that matters to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Some of the best ideas we work on here don’t start in a committee room—they start with a conversation. Minnesotans are thoughtful, practical people, and those real-life perspectives are what help shape better policies. And if you find yourself visiting the Capitol, please don’t hesitate to stop by and say hello! It’s always a highlight to connect with constituents in person, share a conversation, and hear what’s happening in the community. Sincerely, — Rep. Dawn Gillman |