|
|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2025 legislative session is off to a busy start, and I’m excited to share updates on the work we’re doing at the Capitol. This week, we unveiled bold initiatives to combat fraud and make Minnesota more affordable. House Republicans focused on our responsibilities, despite our colleagues not showing up for the second week and in spite of attempts to disrupt a Public Safety Committee hearing.
As always, I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve you and look forward to hearing your feedback as we continue to move forward this session!
|
|
Executive Summary
-
Fighting Fraud & Restoring Accountability
-
Making Minnesota Affordable
-
My Bills
-
Protecting the Legislative Process
-
Photos
|
|
Fighting Fraud and Restoring Accountability
This week, I participated in a press conference to unveil House Republicans’ comprehensive approach to tackling waste and fraud in state government. As your representative, I’ve heard from so many of you about the need to ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and transparently. That’s why I’m proud to support three bills focused on stopping fraud:
-
HF 1: Establishes an independent Office of the Inspector General to oversee fraud prevention across all state agencies. This bill creates a centralized approach to ensure accountability, stop fraudulent payments, and protect taxpayer dollars.
-
HF 2: Strengthens oversight with stricter reporting requirements, mandatory site visits, and new tools to detect fraud.
-
HF 3: Introduces “fraud notes,” which assess the potential for fraud in proposed legislation before it becomes law.
I also shared a clip during the press conference explaining why this issue is so important to our state. You can watch that clip here. Fraud undermines trust in government and wastes resources that should be helping Minnesotans. These bills represent our commitment to ensuring your hard-earned tax dollars are used as intended.
|
|
|
Making Minnesota Affordable
House Republicans are also taking bold steps to address rising costs and make life more affordable for families, seniors, and businesses. This week, we introduced three bills as part of our Make Minnesota Affordable initiative:
-
HF 4: Proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure future budget surpluses are returned to taxpayers, guaranteeing Minnesotans benefit from the state’s financial successes.
-
HF 5: Repeals the retail delivery fee, eliminates the state tax on Social Security income, and simplifies tax policies to ease financial stress for families and seniors.
-
HF 9: Modernizes renewable energy policies to include hydroelectric power, delay impractical mandates, and protect reliable energy infrastructure to stabilize energy costs.
These bills are designed to provide real relief for Minnesotans struggling with rising costs and ensure government works for the people.
|
|
|
Follow my Work at the Capitol
I’ve also introduced several bills this session that reflect our shared priorities. By visiting my chief author page, you can see all of the bills I've introduced and follow along as they make their way through the legislative process.
|
|
Protecting the Legislative Process
Photos
This week, the Public Safety Committee meeting was disrupted by a group of protestors who attempted to shut down the hearing. I have linked a clip of the protest here, but want to warn you that the language is extremely profane and you should not view it while children are present. I absolutely respect the right to protest, and we have lawful protests at the Capitol every week. Protestors do not, however, have a first amendment right to impede our work or harass or intimidate public testifiers at our hearings. Such behavior disrupts the important work we are Constitutionally responsible to do for Minnesotans.
Despite this disruption, we remained focused and continued our work, ensuring the committee could move forward with its agenda. The legislative process exists to serve the people of Minnesota, and it’s critical we uphold the integrity of that process so all voices can be heard.
 Had a great “walk & talk” with a constituent who has worked as a Guardian ad Litem for over 25 years! She was there to advocate for this important program, which ensures children have advocates in our judicial system, including custody disputes!
 Ran into two former interns while dropping a bonding bill for Greenfield. Both of them now work for the House.
 Had such a fun day having one of my campaign interns shadow me on my official duties! She sat through Taxes & Higher Ed Committees, attended our fraud press conference, attended a few meetings, and got a quick tour when I dropped two bills in the Hopper! Thanks for coming!
|
|
Please Contact Me
Many of you have already been in touch to discuss your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you. Thank you for sharing your ideas! Please continue to contact me to discuss any matters to which I can be of assistance.
The best way to reach me is by email: rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn.gov. For occasional updates, you can follow my Facebook Page at @RepKristinRobbins. You can also leave a voicemail on my office number, 651-296-7806, which is checked every weekday while we are in session.
Of course, if you are coming to the Capitol, I’d love to meet you! Please reach out if you would like to set-up an in-person meeting.
Have a great weekend!
Kristin
|
|
239 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.7806 |
|
|
|
|
