I hope you took some time this holiday season to relax and spend time with friends and loved ones. As we enter 2026, I’ve been looking forward and preparing for the 2026 legislative session, meeting with local leaders and partners and drafting bills to be introduced when session begins in February.
It’s also a good time to reflect on previous victories, as some of our new laws went into effect on January 1. Minnesota's minimum-wage rate will be increased for inflation for all employers in the state, and new standards for workers' meal and rest breaks also begin. You can find a summary of other laws going into effect here.
Minnesota's Paid Leave Program is now in effect! Paid Leave provides partial wage replacement for up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave for your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and recovery. It also provides up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a new child or a seriously ill loved one.
You can read more about the details of Paid Leave in my previous email newsletter here, or at pl.mn.gov.
Recently, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture provided an update on the Venison Donation Program, which was created by legislation I passed nearly 20 years ago, allowing hunter-harvested venison to be donated to Minnesota food charities.
Today, the program is working exactly as intended, and in 2025, we even saw an increase in pounds of venison donated, a total of 9,914. The Venison Donation Program reduces hunter waste and allows food shelves to offer valuable protein to those in need. Learn more about the program here.
Today, the Legislative Audit Commission, which I serve on, met to hear a presentation of the key findings and recommendations from a performance audit of the Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Administration Grant program and testimony from department staff.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is currently taking comments on plans to amend rules concerning the Minnesota Dry Cleaner Reimbursement Account by updating the reimbursement rates for consultant and contractor services for environmental response action costs. You can read more background information here and submit comments until February 4 here.
Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback throughout the year. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-296-6828.
For more regular updates, you can subscribe to these regular legislative updates if you haven’t already, here, and you can also “like” and follow my official State Representative Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative
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