Hello from St. Paul,
The 2026 legislative session has concluded, and while numerous good provisions are on their way to the governor for his signature, political gamesmanship stopped one very important bill I was working on from advancing.
FUNDING FOR HASTINGS AND COTTAGE GROVE
The cities of Hastings and Cottage Grove received some good news on the final day of session. I was able to help secure $17.5 million to help Hastings build the city’s Eastern Water Treatment Plant with a connection to the Minnesota Vets Home, tackling the PFAS issue and delivering on one of my promises to you. Hastings continues to deal with PFAS contamination, and I’m pleased the legislature recognized the need to step in and help the city with a problem it did not create.
Cottage Grove will also receive $9.6 million for its street realignment project at 100th Street and County Road 19A, which will improve safety and mobility and create economic opportunities in the area.
TAX RELIEF FOR MINNESOTANS
There’s little doubt Minnesotans are overtaxed, and the decisions made by an all Democrat-led state government in the House, Senate and governor’s mansion two years ago have led to the financial problems many are facing today. That’s why I was pleased all sides came together to support $400 million in tax relief, including $125 million in property tax cuts and $250 million in car tab fee reductions.
With only 1/2 control of the House, Republicans fought hard to get this for Minnesotans. If Republicans were to improve their standing in the House and Senate, and with Gov. Walz soon out of the picture, I am confident that we can deliver even more permanent tax relief and rein in the size and scope of state government—to better reflect the priorities of you, your family, and our communities.
FRAUD PREVENTION
A number of anti-fraud prevention measures were addressed this session, but the most important is the creation of an independent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) which is tasked with investigating state agencies, grant recipients, and contractors involved in fraud or other criminal misuse of public funds.
COUNTY TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES
Minnesota’s counties have been forced to use outdated human services software for decades. This has led to inefficiencies and wasted work time at the county level and done nothing to help our state combat fraudsters who are trying to swindle our system. Legislation we approved this session will provide funding to modernize these systems. This will improve efficiency, reduce costly administrative burdens, strengthen security protections, and help address issues related to error rates, eligibility verification, and new work requirements—making sure that government works better for both county employees and the taxpayers they serve.
E-MOTO BILL STOPPED DUE TO DEMOCRAT SHENANIGANS
While numerous good proposals moved forward with bipartisan support, partisan gamesmanship also reared its ugly head again before session adjourned. It happened with my e-moto bill.
You’ll recall a Hastings resident nearly died after being hit by an e-moto on a sidewalk. Since then, I have been working on legislation to bring about some needed changes, ensuring that electric motorcycles must follow the same rules as any other motorcycle, providing a pathway for electric motorcycles to become legal on our streets, and to prevent future pedestrian accidents.
Despite unanimous approval throughout the committee process, and the bill ready for a House floor vote, that never happened. With a 67-67 tie in the Minnesota House, Democrats made it personal, deciding they did not want to give me a political win and refusing to allow the bill to be heard on the House floor. I made a motion on the House floor to bring the e-moto bill forward, and it failed on a tied 67-67 vote. So, while House Democrats can claim a political victory, it’s the State of Minnesota that will ultimately lose.
PLEASE CONTACT ME!
Though session has ended, my work as your state representative has not. Feel free to contact me anytime if you have a legislative question or concern. I can always be reached at rep.tom.dippel@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-3135.
I hope to see you at a Memorial Day event this Monday!
Talk to you soon,
Tom