 Legislative Update -Dear Neighbors, First and foremost, connecting with our community and residents is one of the most important and rewarding aspects of being your elected state representative. It was a tough summer in Minnesota this year, bookended by horrific acts of gun violence. I’ve been working with local community leaders and my colleagues at the capitol on advancing gun violence prevention measures that will protect Minnesotans. In June, we lost Melissa and Mark Hortman in addition to the attack on the Hoffmans, and the tragedy at Annunciation put a dark cloud over the start of the school year for all Minnesotans. And unfortunately, the gun violence epidemic mixed with a series of political violence, hateful rhetoric, and demonizing our neighbors continues to wreak havoc in our state and across our nation. Every person, regardless of who you are, where you worship, or who you love, deserves to feel safe in their community. Our nation is at a pivotal moment, and we cannot sit idly by while bad actors continue to use divisive rhetoric that will inevitably lead to more harm and violence. My Senate colleagues held a committee hearing on gun violence prevention last month with families of victims from the Annunciation tragedy, first responders, and medical professionals, who shared their heart-wrenching testimonies. Unfortunately, even after hearing the traumatic recounts of the tragedy, I am disappointed in my Republican colleagues for their unwillingness to take the necessary steps toward finding a consensus on common-sense legislation to prevent future gun-related tragedies in our communities. We must keep talking to one another, even amid disagreement. The voices of families who have lost loved ones to gun violence must and will be heard. I stand with them in their fight, committed to ensuring their voices continue to drive the change that must come. This week, DFL leaders stood united to publicly announce our proposal for a special session to address gun violence prevention measures in our state. My DFL colleagues and I couldn't be clearer on this issue. We are ready to take action to address gun violence. We have a plan that would get weapons of war off of our streets and keep our communities safe.  In a tied House, we cannot advance any meaningful measures without the support of our Republican colleagues. I’ve said it over and over again; Minnesotans have made it clear they want us to put the partisan theatrics aside and work together to pass legislation that will serve and address pressing issues in our state. The question now is, will any of the GOP in the House have the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and stand alongside their fellow Minnesotans so we can protect our communities from gun violence? Republican-led Government Shutdown The federal government began to shut down on Wednesday after Congressional Republicans refused to address the rising costs of healthcare and failed to come to an agreement to extend government funding ahead of the Oct. 1, 2025, deadline. Donald Trump and Republicans have shut down the federal government because they refuse to make health insurance more affordable. As working families continue to struggle with high prices for food, housing, child care, energy, and health care, this is an unconscionable choice. In forcing a federal government shutdown, Donald Trump and his Republican allies have made a choice to stand with the wealthiest among us while the middle class is forced to pay more and more. As DFLers, we’re committed to lowering prices for working families – including health care. We call on Congressional Republicans to share this commitment and ensure everyone can have the affordable health care they deserve. You may be curious how the shutdown will affect Minnesotans. Here is what we’ve been hearing: - About 20,000 federal employees in Minnesota face disruption. Many will be furloughed (sent home without pay).
- Essential workers (like TSA agents and air traffic controllers) must keep working, but they will not be paid until the shutdown ends.
- Airports like MSP International could see delays and long lines if unpaid essential staff call out sick.
- Services that continue: You will still receive Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits. Mail delivery is also unaffected.
- Services with disruptions: Federal offices will likely be closed. National sites like Voyageurs National Park will remain open, but with very limited services and staff.
- At-Risk Programs: Programs like WIC (food assistance for women and children) will continue short-term but could run out of funds if the shutdown lasts a long time.
- Besides the federal workers losing pay, a long shutdown could slow down small business loans, delay processing of some Social Security claims, and potentially cause some health insurance costs to rise.
One major backlash of the shutdown and the ‘Big Beautiful Big’ is that health insurance premiums will drastically rise for 2026. The Minnesota Department of Commerce has announced the official 2026 health insurance rates featuring staggering increases. To view the graphic below, click this LINK.  We knew the federal reconciliation bill would bring some staggering health insurance hikes, but in Minnesota, we do everything we can to stand up for each other. Our reinsurance program offsets high-cost claims and stabilizes premiums. Where the federal policies would bring an almost 70% increase, we’ve been able to limit hikes to +14.2% in the small group market and 21.5% in the individual market. These increases are still high and will be hard to manage for many families and small businesses, but assistance is available for thousands who qualify. Go to https://www.mnsure.org/ to see your options and talk to an expert about what works best for you and your family. I'm optimistic that even in the first few days of the shutdown, the GOP will see the damning effects of their harmful and cruel policies and, in good faith, return to the negotiation table to fix this issue. Stay Connected!Unfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at rep.brion.curran@house.mn.gov or 651-296-4342, and I will be happy to help. If you were forwarded this email and you’d like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these, please forward this and encourage them to subscribe! Sincerely, Brion Curran
State Representative |