Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from the Capitol, where I’m pleased to report a bill I authored allowing e-signatures for estate planning documents other than wills recently passed the House unanimously and has been signed into law by the governor.
This bill (H.F. 3560) is a collaboration between the Uniform Law Commission and the Minnesota Bar Association. State law already allows wills to be e-signed, so it is common sense to also include documents such as healthcare directives, trust planning documents, power of attorney documents, etc. The effectiveness of these legal documents is no different from an e-signature to a wet ink signature, and if a notary is required for a specific document, that requirement still stands.
This is a good idea for numerous reasons. Estate planning attorneys can be difficult to find in some parts of our state. Furthermore, it would allow people with mobility challenges to complete documents from home without having to travel to an office.
In other news:
Local Mississippi bridge project
I was honored to join Ramsey City Administrator Brian Hagen for a bill hearing on legislation I have authored to officially identify and preserve right of way for a new Mississippi River Ramsey-Dayton bridge.
The bill (H.F. 4426) facilitates the first phase of a Tier I and II Environmental Impact Statement for a new bridge. As Mr. Hagen noted, we anticipate rapid growth to continue in our area, and our communities already are suffering from serious congestion. Our local highways see major freight movement and serve as a travel corridor up to the northern part of Minnesota. We need a coordinated regional-level plan and long-term solutions this bill will help provide.
We’ve been talking about this mythical Ramsey-Dayton bridge seemingly forever, and now is the time to act. Thank you to members of the Capital Investment Committee for the warm reception, and to Mr. Hagen for helping to present our local bill.
Affordability bills
House Republicans have unveiled a “North Star Comeback” package of bills authored to address a major issue facing Minnesotans these days: affordability. This is a clear, focused plan built on three simple priorities: protect family budgets, make government work, and build a world-class economy.
The package we put together puts real money into people’s pockets by way of the largest tax cut proposal in state history, at nearly $4 billion. The relief includes a one-time property tax refund, ending taxes on tips and overtime, lowering childcare costs, cutting car tab fees, and delivering hundreds of millions of dollars to Minnesota schools at no cost to taxpayers through scholarship granting organizations.
These are not partisan ideas, they’re common sense. In a tied House, all we need is for Democrats to stop obstructing and start delivering so we can get this done for Minnesotans.
School safety
House Republicans hosted a press conference this week to share information about a plan we have developed to deliver immediate, meaningful improvements to school safety. The proposal includes significantly increased funding for school safety across public, nonpublic, and tribal schools to ensure every student is protected, no matter where they learn. It also expands support for student mental health, recognizing that early intervention can help prevent crises before they occur.
In addition, the plan provides flexible, locally driven options for anonymous threat reporting systems and stronger school safety plans, giving schools the tools they need to respond quickly and effectively based on their unique circumstances. It also includes discipline reforms aimed at restoring order in the classroom and protecting teachers, staff, and students.
These ideas reflect what we’ve heard directly from superintendents, teachers, students, and parents across Minnesota. In fact, many of these proposals have historically received bipartisan support, with members on both sides acknowledging their importance.
But instead of moving forward on areas where there is clear agreement, House Democrats prevented the bill from advancing through the committee process and then voted unanimously against the same package on the floor yesterday.
Girls sports
If you care about girls and their ability to have safe and fair competition, you support H.F. 12, H.F. 2685 and H.F. 1233. It’s really that simple.
Unfortunately, all 67 House Democrats recently sided with the radical activists by blocking House Republican efforts to act on all three of those bills, placing girls at risk in the process.
This issue should not even be controversial, but Democrats have made it so by staking out an extreme position that is out of touch and puts girls at a disadvantage. They had three chances to get it right this week, but failed Minnesotans each time.
Watch for more from the House as we make our way into the final month of the 2026 session and, as always, your input is welcome.
Sincerely,
Harry