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Dear friends and neighbors,
As you know, our 2025 legislative session adjourned on Monday just before midnight. We worked long hours through the weekend but, unfortunately, we were not able to complete all of our business on time. Considering the bumpy start we had to this session, including a 23-day boycott the DFL imposed, it is not too surprising that a special session is needed to complete our work this year. No one is certain when that will take place, but it will be soon and it should be short-lived.
Bills Passed
Before adjournment, we successfully passed seven bills in the House. Below is a brief overview of each, highlighting the key provisions.
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Agriculture: Invests in disease prevention for livestock and provides critical relief to Minnesota’s dairy industry, which has lost 40% of its farms in seven years.
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Housing: Targets the 100,000-unit shortage with investments in housing stock, increased affordable housing funding, infrastructure grants for underserved areas, and continued homeownership support programs.
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Legacy: Increases transparency by requiring IRS Form 990 from grantees, limits earmarks in favor of merit-based grants, and prohibits funds from being used on capital construction projects.
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Public Safety & Judiciary: Enacts tougher penalties for crimes against public safety personnel, mandates minimums for traffickers, holds adults accountable for fentanyl exposure to children, and halts early offender releases from Stillwater.
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State Government: Adds oversight capacity to the Legislative Auditor’s office and cuts millions from bloated budget requests for the Attorney General and Secretary of State.
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Veterans: Expands mental health services and funding for veterans' homes to better support Minnesota’s veteran population.
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Human Services Policy: Enhances behavioral health and substance use care, strengthens agency oversight, streamlines licensing, and reforms civil commitment for better coordination and rights protection.
Negotiations are ongoing for the outstanding bills, which we hope to have wrapped up within the next week. I am eager to be back on the Iron Range this interim, meeting with constituents, working my job in mining, and spending precious time with family.
Fighting for our Miners
In the final hours of session, we were able to pass the bill to extend unemployment insurance for our miners. It passed off the House floor with unanimous support on a vote of 132 to 0, a clear sign of strong bipartisan agreement on the importance of supporting workers on the Iron Range. This legislation is expected to be included in one of the Senate’s omnibus bills. Once it passes through the Senate, it will move to the Governor’s desk for signature and final enactment into law.
This vote does mark a significant step forward in ensuring short-term support for our miners during this period of uncertainty. However, it is only the beginning of a much larger effort to secure long-term stability and opportunity for the Iron Range. As I have said before, we cannot stop at temporary relief; we need permanent solutions that give our mining communities the tools they need to thrive.
Earlier in the session, Rep. Spencer Igo and I introduced HF3030, a broader and more comprehensive bill that addresses additional challenges facing the mining industry. HF3030 goes beyond unemployment insurance. It proposes reforms related to the state’s sulfate standard and the regulation of reactive mine waste—two major issues that directly impact the future of mining in Northern Minnesota. By tackling these problems head-on, HF3030 would help remove regulatory obstacles, improve environmental certainty, and create a more stable operating environment for mining companies and workers alike.
Passing the unemployment insurance extension is a meaningful win, but we need more for the Range. I remain fully committed to continuing the work we started with HF3030 and to advancing policies that will benefit miners, their families, and the entire Iron Range. Our communities deserve a long-term plan that protects jobs, strengthens the local economy, and keeps our region competitive for generations to come.
Family in the House
On the last day of session, I was joined by a few family members at the Capitol. My wife and three of our kids were present when we debated and passed the bill to extend UI benefits for our miners.
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My Aunt Donna and Uncle Ed, who live in Brooklyn Center but are originally from the Iron Range, also took the time to visit. Seeing them again was a great reminder of the impact the Range has on people – once a ranger, always a ranger! I am thankful for the opportunity to be surrounded by my family as we work long days and nights in St. Paul.
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