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*July 16, 2026*






Legislative Update

Dear Neighbors,

I hope everyone is having a great summer. Due to house rules this will be my last newsletter for 2026 but I will still be actively working on constituent issues so please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

One thing I've talked about in the past is Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML). We are now six months into Minnesota's new PFML program, and newly released data raises questions about the program's long-term sustainability and who is benefiting from it. While the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that 75,000 Minnesotans had been approved for leave, additional information provided to the Legislature shows that more than 92,000 applications have already been approved. At this pace, the state is on track to approve approximately 184,000 claims this year. Well above the original estimate of 130,000 annual claims.

The data also shows that roughly 67% of approved applications come from employees working for businesses with 200 or more employees, while employers with 30 or fewer employees account for just 14% of applications. This raises concerns that small businesses, which contribute to funding the program through payroll taxes but use it at much lower rates, are effectively subsidizing benefits for larger employers.

Minnesota has learned the hard way that government programs lacking proper oversight can quickly become vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse. With the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave program already approving more applications than originally projected, it is critical that the Legislature closely monitor its implementation and financial health. The state must ensure strong accountability measures are in place to verify claims, protect taxpayer dollars, and prevent the kinds of costly mistakes that have plagued other state programs. Responsible oversight today can help avoid higher taxes and larger financial problems tomorrow.

I hope everyone has a great rest of their summer and I hope you enjoy the start of the new school year.

As always, please never hesitate to reach out. You can contact me by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-296-0518.

- Representative Nathan Nelson




 











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