Rep. Ned Carroll - Legislative Update - Start of Session - Minnesota House of Representatives

Dear Neighbors,

As we enter the 2026 session there is a lot that we need to take on in order to improve the lives of Minnesotans. Whether it’s addressing fraud, holding ICE accountable, or taking action to reduce gun violence, my DFL colleagues and I are already hard at work. By standing up to authoritarianism and greed we can make a better Minnesota. If you have any state-level issues or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out this session.

While I’m excited to get to work this year, we did start off on a solemn note. This session is the first in 20 years where Melissa Hortman will be absent. She leaves behind a legacy of fierce advocacy for the average Minnesotan, as well as great intelligence and sense of decency. I hope we will honor that legacy this session.

Standing up to ICE

Our state has been devastated by Operation Metro Surge. I never thought I’d see the day where our federal government is blatantly breaking the law, killing our neighbors, and lying about it. We must employ every tool we can to stand up to these unconstitutional actions.

Last week, we hit the ground running with bills to deliver rental assistance to impacted families and ban federal agents from our schools without a judicial warrant. We are also ready with many more bills, like banning federal agents from masking their identities and requiring an independent investigation into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

While state government has certain limits to how much we can do to push back against Trump’s unconstitutional actions, we must do all we can.

Countering Fraud

The ongoing fraud issues hurting our state are infuriating. Every dollar taken from a public program is a dollar that doesn’t go to housing the disabled, educating kids, or caring for our elderly. These services are critical and we must restore their integrity.

Unfortunately, we have yet to come to a final framework that works for all sides. Last Thursday, we brought forward our version of a bill to create a new government office charged with preventing and investigating fraud. But it wasn’t heard in full due to partisan disagreements. We believe our version is critical in that it avoids some unconstitutionality issues. Only by working together honestly can we get this situation sorted and get things back on track.

Gun Violence Prevention

This week I joined many of my colleagues at a Wayzata church to meet with some of the Annunciation School families. We heard their stories and discussed what actions we are trying to take at the Capitol.

On Tuesday, the Public Safety Committee heard a bill to ban assault rifles and a bill to ban high capacity magazines. Neither received a Republican vote so they won’t move forward at this time. I believe this is an issue that should go beyond politics. The lives of our children and grandchildren are at stake, and there is nothing more precious. I encourage you to watch the testimony of the parents who lost their daughter on that tragic day. I will continue to fight to pass these common sense reforms.

Stay Connected!

Unfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out at [email protected] or 651-296-5510, and I will be happy to help.

Warmly,

Ned Carroll

State Representative