Hello from St. Paul,
The Minnesota House of Representatives is once again open for business after lawmakers returned to St. Paul on Tuesday for the start of the 2026 legislative session. The off-year of the legislative biennium is normally the shorter year of the two and this session will be no different, as we are constitutionally required to end session on May 17.
So, what topics could be among those making headlines this year? You can count on fraud to be there.
Our former U.S. attorney estimated that Minnesota has lost at least $9 billion to people who have been allowed to scam the system. It’s an insane number to wrap your head around but look at it this way: $9 billion lost equates to roughly $3,840 for each Minnesota household. That is real money, and thanks to the denial of a fraud problem or willingness to take it seriously by Democrat lawmakers and the Walz administration, that money is long gone.
It already appears the coverup is continuing. On Thursday, a House committee debated the bipartisan Office of the Inspector General bill. This legislation would create an independent Office of the Inspector General and allow it to investigate and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in Minnesota without being overseen by the Governor’s Office. The proposal received near-unanimous approval in the Senate, but Democrats in the House are more interested in playing politics with it. They tried to make it more expensive and less independent, and when that didn’t work they tried to shut it down altogether. It’s beyond embarrassing.
PRESERVE GIRLS’ SPORTS ACT
Expect a renewed push to advance the Preserving Girls Sports Act, a measure designed to protect the integrity of girls’ athletics by prohibiting biological males from competing in female sports. Following a recent decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court allowing males who identify as female to participate on girls’ teams in Minnesota, statutory protections are urgently needed to safeguard fairness, competitive balance, and the safety of female athletes.
ELECTION INTEGRITY
With billions of taxpayer dollars already lost to fraud, it’s fair to ask where else our state may be vulnerable to abuse by those who stand to gain financially. Given the many schemes criminals have used to siphon money from public programs, it requires a significant leap of faith to assume our election system is somehow immune from similar exploitation.
A recent review of voting records in Hennepin County reportedly uncovered thousands of voter entries containing discrepancies, missing required information, questionable eligibility, implausible birthdates, and potential duplicate registrations.
In light of these findings, expect renewed focus on election integrity and increased scrutiny of how the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office is managing — or failing to adequately manage — the maintenance and cleanup of the state’s voter rolls.
How do you feel about these and other legislative topics? Feel free to contact me at any time to share your thoughts. I can be reached at 651.296.3135 or at rep.tom.dippel@house.mn.gov. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
LOCAL VISITS
I recently held a meeting with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture with a local farmer who is having difficulty farming his land in Denmark Township.
I recently attended a Dakota County meeting where officials unveiled their legislative priorities.
Afterwards, it was good catching up with Dakota County Commissioner Mike Slavik.
I enjoyed speaking via Zoom with members of NAMI Mental Health.
I also enjoyed meeting with staff and students at St. Elizabeth Anne Seton Catholic School in Hastings!
Constituent Lisa Reckseidler also visited St. Paul this week, taking part in Chiropractors Day on the Hill!
Have a good weekend,
Tom