Lawmakers in Minnesota returned to St. Paul this week to begin the 2026 legislative session, starting with a tribute to former Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were killed last summer. Senator John Hoffman, who survived an attempted murder alongside his family, was also welcomed back.
Melissa Hortman’s desk will remain empty during the session as a memorial, adorned with her photo and fresh roses. After the ceremony, legislators from both parties gathered for a reception where members brought homemade bread and cakes in honor of the Hortman family. “It was a good way to honor Melissa and begin the session by reconnecting with colleagues from both parties and chambers,” said Rep. Kristin Robbins.
Rep. Robbins introduced several new bills at the start of the session. Among them is legislation that would allow school safety aid to follow students regardless of whether they attend public, charter, or private schools. She is also leading efforts on bills to eliminate taxes on overtime and tips, as well as a bill to remove taxes on Social Security benefits. Additional proposals focus on increasing internal controls and fraud reporting within state agencies.
“There is little doubt Minnesota’s fraud epidemic will continue to dominate headlines this session, and it is my hope that all legislators will finally take this problem seriously and we can have bipartisan support for these common sense bills this session,” Robbins stated.
Robbins recently testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee about fraud in Minnesota programs. According to Joe Thompson, Minnesota’s former First U.S. Attorney, the state has lost at least $9 billion due to Medicaid fraud—a figure that does not include losses from childcare or food assistance programs. Robbins noted that there is evidence suggesting some elected officials were aware of fraudulent activities but did not act on whistleblower reports or official findings.
“I testified about the scope of fraud in Minnesota and offered solutions that Congress could pass in order to end the fraud taking place in federal programs,” she said.
After her testimony, Robbins met with Justice Department officials and congressional leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson to discuss ongoing investigations into fraud in Minnesota.
A recent House Republican investigation revealed thousands of unresolved issues within Hennepin County’s voter rolls. These included high numbers of challenged voters in certain precincts, implausible birthdates, missing required information such as addresses or birthdays, duplicate entries, and potential cases of individuals registering or voting more than once.
“Once again, Secretary Simon tells us there are no problems in our elections system, but facts are indisputable, and the fact is there are THOUSANDS of unaddressed issues just in Hennepin County alone!” Robbins said.
She added: “For years we were all told we did not have a fraud problem in our state… For years we’ve also been told our elections system is the most honest and accurate in America… Once again, the facts tell a different tale.”
Robbins held a committee hearing last October focused on election fraud after two individuals were convicted for submitting between 500-600 fake voter registrations sent across multiple counties by the Secretary of State’s Office.
In transportation news, MnDOT has resumed work repairing 34 bridges and ramps along I-394 and I-94 between downtown Minneapolis and Highway 100 in Golden Valley. Westbound I-394 will be reduced to two lanes using E-ZPass lanes through mid-summer 2026; motorists should expect delays due to lane reductions and ramp closures beginning February 22.
Robbins also highlighted improvements seen by Osseo Area Schools after banning cell phones for grades K-8 and discussed concerns about unfunded mandates affecting school budgets. She praised local business leaders for their efforts despite these challenges at a recent chamber event in Otsego.
Constituents are encouraged to contact Rep. Robbins via email or phone regarding legislative matters or if they wish to arrange meetings at the Capitol.