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Legislative Update
I hope you're enjoying a safe and refreshing summer with your families. While the legislature is not in session, I’ve remained actively engaged in the work of making our state government more accountable, responsive, and effective for the people we serve.
Below are a few updates on key issues I’m working on, from transportation planning to supporting a community priority: stopping fraud and abuse in state programs meant to help the most vulnerable Minnesotans.
Transportation: Pushing for Coordination and Common Sense
After receiving dozens of emails from commuters in the western suburbs, I sent a letter to MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger raising concerns about overlapping construction projects along the I-394 and I-94 corridors. I’m working to get answers to help create solutions to this growing frustration.
Key concerns outlined in the letter include:
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The I-394 to I-94E Merge at Dunwoody – A poorly designed bottleneck is forcing all traffic into a single lane, creating safety risks and significant delays. I asked MnDOT to consider immediate, low-cost safety improvements.
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The I-394W Merge near Downtown – A confusing short merge forces traffic into one lane before quickly reopening into three. This kind of design flaw causes unnecessary congestion and frustration.
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Project Scheduling and 24/7 Construction – With multiple major projects happening simultaneously, I asked whether MnDOT is considering accelerated timelines through around-the-clock work to minimize impact on commuters with multiple shifts.
As Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee and Co-Chair of the Suburban Solutions Caucus, I’m committed to listening, learning, and advocating for real accountability in infrastructure decisions.
While I haven’t received a response yet, the letter did generate a much larger conversation, online and in the news, about how construction projects were planned. You can read some of those stories below. The fact is that many roads in the metro are under construction at the same time, making commutes for people in our community extremely difficult. I will keep you updated as I hear more from MnDOT.
Minnesota Fraud & Restoring Accountability
Stopping fraud is a bipartisan concern that I hear from constituents week after week. With billions of taxpayer dollars flowing through massive programs, Minnesotans deserve a system that is accountable, transparent, and working for those who truly need help, not those exploiting the system.
That’s why I advocated for the creation of the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee; to ensure efficient use of your tax dollars, and so that our state programs benefit the Minnesotans who truly need them. The committee’s mission is to uncover how fraud operates, hold bad actors accountable, and advance legislation to close the loopholes enabling abuse.
At the committee’s most recent hearing in June, members investigated the massive cost growth and oversight failures in Minnesota’s Medicaid program, especially following the state’s decision to expand Medicaid in 2014. The hearing highlighted that:
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Minnesota now spends $20 billion annually on Medicaid—$7 billion more than peer states like Wisconsin or Colorado.
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318,000 adults are enrolled in Minnesota’s Medicaid Expansion population, receiving benefits that average over $10,700 per person, well above the national average.
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DHS has over 1,000 open cases of improper payments, but only about 40 have been referred for prosecution.
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The state is recovering just $10 million a year, despite estimates of $440 million in annual fraud or overpayments.
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Meanwhile, DHS employs nearly 400 people in the Office of Inspector General (OIG), raising serious questions about effectiveness and accountability.
Even more troubling, multiple DHS whistleblowers testified that they faced surveillance, discipline, or retaliation simply for reporting internal fraud concerns. Frontline workers described outdated systems, broken databases, and a culture that discourages speaking up, exactly the conditions that allow fraud to thrive.
Just days after this hearing, another major case broke: Housing Stabilization Services, a Medicaid program originally projected to cost just $2.6 million annually, has now ballooned to over $100 million a year, with over $61 million billed in just the first half of 2025. Recent FBI raids confirmed what many suspected: providers were billing the state for services that were never delivered, in what authorities are calling a "massive scheme" that exploited vulnerable people.
This is exactly why Fraud Committee Chair, Kristin Robbins, and I are prioritizing this issue. Fraud is not a victimless crime. It drains resources away from the most vulnerable, erodes public trust, and damages the integrity of the programs meant to help people in need. I’ll continue standing behind the work of the committee and advocating for bold, permanent reforms that restore accountability and protect taxpayer dollars.
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Question of the week:
Last week, I asked for your thoughts on the new lane splitting law. Thank you all for voicing your opinions. Here are the results:
- 84% disagree with the new law allowing motorcycles to lane split and filter.
- 10% of you like the new law.
- 6% support lane filtering, where motorcycles move to the front at a stoplight, but do not support lane filtering, where motorcycles ride the line through slow-moving traffic.
This Week's Question:
Clean water and access to the outdoors are what Minnesota is all about. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) is a protected wilderness for that reason.
Do you support a permanent ban on mining to protect the Boundary Waters and the surrounding environment?
Answer this week's question here.
Closing Thoughts
Whether it's improving transportation, stopping fraud, or advocating for better state government, I remain focused on practical, common-sense solutions that reflect the values and priorities of our community.
As always, thank you for the opportunity to serve, listen, and meet with the community. A special thanks to Josh Radziej, ambassador with the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce, and Mark Chase, Mayor of Spring Park, for meeting to discuss supporting local priorities and investing in our small communities across the state.
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 Josh Radziej, ambassador with the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce
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 Mayor of Spring Park, Mark Chase
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Please don’t hesitate to reach out with your ideas, priorities, or questions.
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Representative Andrew Myers
House District 45A
Co-Chair of the Suburban Solutions Caucus
“Your voice has an impact.”
Serving Excelsior, Greenwood, Long Lake, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, St. Bonifacius and Tonka Bay
Please Contact Me
Please continue to reach out with thoughts, ideas, and priorities by emailing me directly at rep.andrew.myers@house.mn.gov or calling me at my office at (651) 296-9188 or via my cell at (612) 615-8444. Your voice has an impact and allows me to better address the priorities of you and your neighbors. Thank you and have a great week.
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/RepAndrewMyers
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2nd Floor Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.9188 |
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