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Good morning!
I hope you and your family had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. It was great to see so many people out enjoying parades, community celebrations, and time with family and friends as we marked the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding. Holidays like Independence Day are a great reminder of the strong communities we have here in Minnesota and the freedoms and opportunities we are blessed to enjoy. Thank you for taking the time to read this update and stay connected with what's happening in St. Paul and around our district.
More Questions Surround Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program
A new investigative report from KSTP found that Minnesota now has 436 open investigations involving publicly funded child care providers, even as the state begins rolling out a long-awaited electronic attendance system designed to strengthen oversight of the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). The new system will allow attendance records to be compared electronically with billing records, helping identify potential fraud that previously may have gone undetected. However, the initial rollout includes only 81 providers, with no firm timeline for statewide implementation.
Protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring assistance reaches the families who truly need it should never be optional. While I am encouraged that Minnesota is finally implementing stronger safeguards, the fact that hundreds of investigations remain open demonstrates there is still significant work to do. We must continue improving oversight, strengthening accountability, and making sure state agencies have the tools and urgency needed to detect fraud before millions of taxpayer dollars are lost.
 6 Month Update on Minnesota's PFML Program
As Minnesota's new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program reaches its six-month mark, early data is raising important questions about whether the program can remain affordable over the long term. More than 92,000 leave applications have already been approved, putting the program on pace to far exceed the number of claims originally projected (130,000 originally projected, while the program is on pace to exceed 184,000).
At the same time, roughly two-thirds of approved applications have come from employees at businesses with 200 or more workers, even though the program was often promoted as a way to help workers who previously didn't have access to paid leave. That means many small businesses are paying into a system that appears to be used most heavily by larger employers.
While the program is financially stable for now, these trends could lead to a payroll tax increase in the future to keep the program solvent. If that happens, the impact won't stop with businesses. School districts, cities, counties, and other local governments would also face higher costs, creating additional pressure on local budgets and, ultimately, taxpayers. As this program continues to develop, I'll be keeping a close eye on its financial health and advocating for policies that protect both Minnesota workers and the employers who make our economy strong.
 Upcoming Blackout Period
I want to give you a heads up that the Legislature is approaching the election-year communications blackout period. Under state law, legislators are prohibited from sending taxpayer-funded newsletters after July 17. While this will be one of my final legislative updates for the time being, my office will remain open and available to assist with state-related questions and constituent services. Facebook will be the best place to keep up with updates and information from me. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if I can be of assistance.
Events
Join the motorcycle ride to benefit Lakes Area Humane Society on July 11th. More details can be found here.
Get ready for the 55th Annual Sinclair Lewis Days: Once Upon a Main Street, happening July 15–19, 2026, in Sauk Centre!
Concerts in the Park on Wednesday nights in Sauk Centre from 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
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