It’s hard to believe July is already upon us. I hope you all had a fun and safe July 4th as we celebrated our nation’s 250th birthday. While there is time for celebration, it has also been an especially tough year. December through mid February, we had 3,000+ federal forces bringing uncertainty to our communities and public safety concerns to our state. But once again, despite those challenging times, Minnesota showed the country that we will always stand up for another. And our state government can still get the job done.
I was cautiously optimistic about our work with an evenly split House. The Minnesota Legislature worked together to save HCMC and pass $1.2 billion in local infrastructure funding, including funds to help update our local infrastructure in the district, namely, Louisiana Boulevard and Oxford Road in St. Louis Park. Another local bill I passed extends a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district in Hopkins to continue down the path of redeveloping the old Atlas Cold Storage site on Blake Road in Hopkins.
We also passed historic fraud prevention measures, put common-sense regulations on AI, and fought off some of the worst effects of President Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill. With the new month of July also came many new laws that took effect from the 2026 legislative session. Some highlights include helping schools establish anonymous threat reporting systems so students and families can safely report concerning behavior (within an education bill that I carried), implementing a mandatory social media mental health warning, and more. You can find a list of the new laws and summaries here.
I hope you can take a moment to fill out my short survey to share your priorities and how I can best advocate for them in St. Paul.
Keep in Touch
Opportunities for Connecting over the Interim
This summer and fall, I’ll be connecting with our neighbors in the community. If you belong to an organization or group, or own a local business, and would like to meet, I’m happy to get together.
I appreciated connecting with the staff at my recent tour of Stonecrest, the senior living home in Minnetonka! It is a wonderful facility that gives people a sense of home.
Mark Your Calendars
Please mark your calendars for a back-to-school supply drive that Rep. Larry Kraft and I will be hosting for STEP Food Shelf. It will be on Saturday, August 15 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in from of STEP (6812 W Lake St, St Lousi Park, MN 55426). STEP provides over 700 students with school supplies and drives like this one helps them reach their goal.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a ribbon cutting for STEP’s expansion so they’re able to provide more support for our communities.
Last Update
During an election period, legislators cannot use state resources for unsolicited communications because it might create an unfair advantage. Therefore, this will be my last e-update until after the election. I am still available to help with any state-level problems and discuss issues important to our community, so please reach out if I can assist in any way.
I hope this email finds you well. With June 14 upon us, even a year later, we’re still mourning the loss of our friend Melissa, her husband Mark, and their beloved golden retriever Gilbert, who were assassinated in an act of political violence.
My friend Melissa was a singular force for good in Minnesota, dedicating her career to improving the lives of all Minnesotans; millions of people she would never meet. Mark Hortman was an amazing person and always supportive of Melissa, and you can read more about his life here.
I am honored to have served alongside one of the most consequential House Speakers in Minnesota history.
In remembrance of Mark, Melissa, and Gilbert, and to honor John, Yvette, and Hope Hoffman, I’ll be lighting a candle at dusk Sunday. I hope you’ll join me.
Session Recap
We’re a few weeks removed from the 2026 legislative session now, and I wanted to take some time to give a little more detail about the investments we made in our community and state. If you have questions about specific legislation, do not hesitate to reach out.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT/LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE: We passed $1.2 billion in bipartisan infrastructure investments to support our communities across the state. These investments ensure we take care of what we have, provide high quality educational facilities, restore and protect our natural spaces, and improve the critical infrastructure, such as water and transportation systems, that allow communities throughout the state to grow and thrive. I am pleased to announce that $5.1 million for Oxford & Louisiana Area Infrastructure in St. Louis Park was included in the bonding bill.
ENVIRONMENT & LEGACY: This year’s Legacy bill provides $191 million for over 100 projects across Minnesota to help preserve wildlife habitat, restore wetlands and forests, improve outdoor recreation opportunities, and protect Minnesota’s natural resources for future generations. These investments support nearly 69,000 acres of conservation work, including prairie restoration, forest protection, wetland enhancement, and habitat improvements.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES & HEALTH FINANCE & HUMAN SERVICES: Legislation included over $200 million provided for the stabilization reserve for HCMC, as well as $23.9 million for community health centers. We also took action to ban AI from denying prior authorizations and extended telehealth. Additional funding for food shelf grants and food bank grants. There were many other items in these comprehensive packages.
HOUSING: Legislation included $40 million emergency rental assistance impacted by Operation Metro Surge and other challenges in 2026. There was also $100 million provided in Housing Infrastructure Bonds creating more than 2,200 affordable homes. Investments also include projects across the state with Greater Minnesota workforce housing funded.
JOBS/LABOR: My DFL colleagues and I blocked every attempt to repeal earned sick & safe time, paid family leave, meatpacker protections, and the nursing home workforce standards board. We extended unemployment insurance to workers from the Hibtac Mine in Hibbing and adopted policy changes from the Workers Compensation Advisory Council.
PUBLIC SAFETY: There was $30 million provided for various security enhancements at the Capitol and the courts. We also passed a creation of a new State Patrol unit that will coordinate security services for legislators and $10 million to the courts for judges’ home security systems, as well as personal data protections. The public safety bill also included $12.1 million in grant funding to Minnesota’s essential victim services organizations; $2.1 million to the Philando Castile Memorial Training Fund, which helps local law enforcement agencies pay for important training on topics like implicit bias and crisis intervention; and $905 thousand in grants that will help local law enforcement agencies solve nonfatal shootings.
EDUCATION: Overall, given the circumstances of a tied house and a non-budget year, we were able to provide some funding for our schools. The shortfall in compensatory aid and impending cuts to special education remain at the forefront of financial concerns that schools face and will be on the agenda for next session when we set the State’s two year budget. We were able to provide $10 million to ease the reduction to compensatory aid.
After the Annunciation tragedy, school safety was in the forefront of folks’ minds. We passed important policy to require our schools to have Anonymous Threat Reporting Systems (ATRS) that will help prevent future school tragedies. Included in the ATRS bill was $5 million for grants to schools and funds to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to screen for threats. And while we are starting to see the results of investments in increased staffing for student support personnel we made in 2023, we still have more to do to make sure our student’s have the supports they need. In the Health bill, we were able to get $12.5 million in school-linked behavioral health grants and $3.8 million for mobile crisis grants.
TAXES: Invested $125 million for expanded homestead credit property tax refunds. Authorized the development of a Direct File program free for all Minnesotans. I introduced and carried this bill for four years, thank you to Chair Aisha Gomez for getting it across the finish line. Extending the Homelessness Prevention Aid for four years. The Tax bill also included a provision I carried to extend a tax increment financing provision for a project area along Blake Road in the City of Hopkins.
VETERANS: The veterans bill secured $26M in federal VA funding and 185 new jobs by meeting staffing standards. It also established formal “Veteran of the Secret War” status for Hmong and Lao vets. 45% National Guard pay raise for lower ranks.
Celebrating Pride
I’d like to wish our family, friends, and neighbors a safe and happy Pride month. Every day we can be allies to our neighbors and now more than ever, it’s important to let our communities know we stand with them. Everyone deserves to be their authentic selves and to love who they love. Hopkins will be celebrating its 3rd Pride Celebration on Sunday, June 14. You can find more details, including activities, here.
Summer Happenings in the District
Our communities are incredible places to gather and enjoy the warmer weather. Coming up is St. Louis Park’s annual Parktacular- save the date for the Grand Olde Parade on June 20. Click on the hyperlinks below to find schedules of more of our favorite summer traditions:
Last week, we celebrated St. Louis Park music teacher David Davis, the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year! Mr. Davis believes each student has their own inherent brilliance and loves watching them gain confidence when they learn a new skill. Rep. Larry Kraft, Rep. Mike Freiberg, Senator Ann H. Rest, and I presented Mr. Davis with House & Senate resolutions at the Park Spanish Immersion End of the Year Celebration. Congratulations, Mr. Davis!!
This summer and fall, I’ll be connecting with our neighbors in the community. If you belong to an organization or group, or own a local business, and would like to meet, I’m happy to get together. You can reach me at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889. Email is the quickest way to get in touch.
Wishing you a peaceful weekend,
Rep. Cheryl Youakim 46B – Hopkins, Edina, & St. Louis Park
The 2026 Legislative Session came to an end this week with the final bills passed before the Sunday midnight deadline and retirement speeches on Monday. I’m proud of the work we accomplished in a tied House to help our hospitals, deliver property tax cuts, protect taxpayer dollars, and invest in local jobs and infrastructure projects.
In a tied 67-67 House, there was always bound to be compromise and disappointment. As your state representative, I worked to find compromise wherever possible without jeopardizing our communities’ core values.
Despite the challenge of an even partisan split in the House, my DFL colleagues and I worked every day to make life better for Minnesotans. We worked to make life more affordable by addressing high costs for health care, housing, child care, energy, and groceries.
We successfully passed solutions to combat and prevent fraud, protecting Minnesotans’ state dollars and keeping them out of criminals’ hands. We also provided funding to stabilize Hennepin County Medical Center, the state’s largest safety net hospital, which serves patients from across the state. As the DFL Education Finance Committee Chair, it was critical to address student and teacher safety in the aftermath of the Annunciation shooting and Operation Metro Surge successfully fought for and passed investments in mental health support for our students and anonymous threat reporting for our communities.
In a tied House, we came together to pass a significant Local Jobs and Infrastructure package, which includes the bill I carried with Rep. Larry Kraft for the $5.1 million for Oxford & Louisiana Area Infrastructure in St. Louis Park.The Tax bill also included a provision I carried to extend a tax increment financing provision for a project area along Blake Road in the City of Hopkins.
Photo credit: MN House Photographer Michele Jokinen
After an incredibly difficult year—the killing of Melissa, Mark, and Gilbert Hortman, the shooting at Annunciation, and the federal occupation—this session, we worked to do everything in our power to protect our neighbors, despite Republican opposition.
While we were able to get some good work done, many key priorities were left on the table. If we had one more vote, we could have made real progress on the priorities I hear about most from our neighbors:
An ICE response package that would keep ICE out of our schools and hospitals, help our small businesses harmed by the Surge, and protect Minnesotans’ constitutional rights.
With a one seat majority in the Minnesota Senate, DFLers took action on many of these priorities, but House Republicans refused to join us in a tied house. Whether it was standing up to Trump, the gun lobby, or the billionaires who are able to weather economic instability, Republicans failed to join us to meet the moment.
But the work isn’t over, and I’m more committed than ever before to build a stronger Minnesota. In Minnesota, you should be able to afford your life. I’m committed to building a future where hard work is rewarded, families have a real chance to get ahead, and our Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and Edina community can thrive.
I’ll plan to give an overview at our District 46 Town Hall with Representative Kraft and Senator Latz at the Saint Louis Park City Hall on Wednesday, May 27th, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The event is free and nonpartisan.
Session is over, but the work still continues. During the interim I take tours of various programs we’ve invested in, as well as schools. I will also be meeting with constituents, local electeds, folks in our schools and cities, and businesses in our communities.
I appreciated Sarah Dzuik giving the tour of Junior Achievement in St. Paul. You’re doing amazing work exposing students to career paths with Biz Town, teaching financial literacy with Finance Park, and helping students chart a path with Dream Accelerator! Check out their good work here: https://www.janorth.org/
As we prepare to gather with friends and family over the weekend, let us take a moment to reflect upon and honor the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces. Their service will never be forgotten.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to contact me anytime at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889 with questions or input. Email is the quickest way to get in touch.
It is the last day of the legislative session and we need to finish our work by midnight. While the last week has been full of ups and downs, a pathway began to clear for us to land this plane. Bills are up today to save HCMC, invest in a bonding bill, provide IT modernization for our counties, and more. In the next few weeks, we will be rolling out the individual provisions in the bills that passed and were sent to the Governor’s desk.
After we adjourn Monday, I look forward to reflecting on the session with you and other community members. You’re invited to join me for a Session Recap Town Hall on Wednesday, May 27th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the SLP City Council Chambers with Rep. Kraft and Sen. Latz. All constituents are invited.
Agreement Reached to Save HCMC
On Wednesday night, legislative leaders reached a bipartisan supplemental budget agreement that takes important steps to strengthen Minnesota’s health care system and ensure the long-term stability of Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).
This agreement reflects the values Minnesotans expect, and we’re reinforcing fiscal stability while delivering historic, bipartisan support for HCMC, a cornerstone of our health care system and a vital safety net for families in the region and across our State.
HCMC serves patients from every corner of Minnesota, providing critical care and specialized services that keep our entire health care system strong. Ensuring its long-term health is essential not only for Hennepin County but for communities statewide.
Minnesota has always believed in a strong, reliable health care safety net. This agreement reaffirms that commitment and ensures that every Minnesotan can continue to get the care they need, when they need it.
Investing in our Schools
This week, I worked with Senator Mary Kunesh to advance a conference committee report that makes several important updates to education based on Minnesota’s February budget forecast. These changes come at no additional cost, and they will help schools and communities better manage real-world challenges facing students and families. These are practical updates that help schools focus resources where they are needed most while continuing to support safe, stable, and inclusive learning environments for students across Minnesota.
The bill also includes a few no-cost provisions brought forward by individual legislators such as allowing school districts to use their capital operating fund to pay their electrical bills, a provision on the school land trust bill disbursements, a fund transfer for two school districts, an extension on the grant funds for gender neutral bathrooms in our schools, and a licensing fix to help our highly qualified paraprofessionals that work in all of our schools.
We also passed a separate bill that had $10 million to provide a little funding to help schools that were seeing a decrease in compensatory aid. I pushed for $28 million, but was not able to get it out of House Republican leadership. That bill also included $5 million ($4 million in grants) to help schools set up anonymous threat reporting systems. Schools can choose from a free system that is part of our Department of Public Safety or create their own. These systems are a pathway to help alert schools to students that need support, especially in the area of mental health and suicide ideation as well as a prevention tool for safer school environment. It will not stop all school shootings, but studies show it can help break the cycle that leads to violence. In the Health bill we also have increases to school-linked mental health as well as funding for crisis management teams.
Finally, we will be passing a small bill today that provides teacher literacy preparation in early education classrooms, clarifications and updates to the Read Act, and a small provision to let military veterans from the Vietnam War era receive honorary high school diplomas.
Because this year was not a budget year, it was primarily focused on policy. That is why we passed a smaller K-12 education package compared to last year. It was also hard to get a long list of items passed out of our committees in a tied Minnesota House. To be frank, we were able to pass the forecast article, provide our students with more mental health support, deliver a small compensatory aid package, and pass an anonymous threat reporting system mandate with some start-up money. Those items were top on my priority list.
Floor Action Early in the Week
Earlier in the week, we were able to pass an important housing bill. Thank you Housing Co-Chair Mike Howard & Co-Chair Spencer Igo, as well as Vice Co-Chair Liish Kozlowski, on passing a Housing bill that invests in home construction, affordable housing, rental assistance, and more! This is going to make a positive impact across the state, and I was happy to vote yes.
Another touching moment was when Rep. Brion Curran and Rep. Bjorn Olson showed bipartisan leadership on the House Resolution to honor Master Sgt. Nicole M. Amor from White Bear Lake, who lost her life serving our country. Additionally, for the bill to rename a segment of highway in her honor.
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One of the biggest disappointments of the session was the House Republicans refusing to have a floor vote on a comprehensive gun violence prevention package that had already passed the Senate. If taken up on the House floor, this bill would need just one House Republican vote to head to the Governor’s desk and become law. Rather than risk that happening in a simple up or down vote, Republican leaders have gone from pretending the bill doesn’t even exist to outright refusing to do their job.
Thursday, House Democrats made a motion to vote on the legislation, with my colleagues and I standing up to share the ways gun violence has impacted every corner of the state. I shared a story from Sami Rahamin, whose father Rueven was killed in the Accent Signage shooting on September 28, 2012. At the time, it was the deadliest workplace shooting in Minnesota with 6 people killed (Rueven among them) and three injured. Sami was 17 at the time and came to the Capitol to testify for sensible gun violence prevention. The strength he showed during his personal testimony has stuck with me and we have stayed in touch over the years. I reached out to Sami recently to ask if I could share his family’s story and I was honored that he said yes.
After hours of sharing tragic stories underlining the urgency of this legislation, Republicans continued to block a vote on this bill. When the Floor Session ended Thursday night, House Democrats held a sit-in on the House Floor, one that continued until the House gaveled in on Saturday to bring attention to this crucial issue and demand Speaker Demuth hold a vote on this bill.
When Speaker Demuth gaveled in at noon on Saturday, she was greeted by hundreds of Minnesotans outside the doors of the Minnesota House demanding action on gun violence prevention. There were Annunciation parents there, students who had delivered petitions of support, parents, grandparents, and Minnesotans who have been affected in some way by gun violence in their communities. The strength and energy in the crowd was a reminder of the refrain we have heard from the Annunciation families – when you pray, move your feet!
Keep in Touch
Please continue to contact me anytime at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889 with questions or input. Email is the quickest way to get in touch. I hope to see you at the Town Hall on May 27.
Rep. Cheryl Youakim 46B – Hopkins, Edina, & St. Louis Park
There are only nine days remaining in the 2026 legislative session. House DFLers are working hard to respond to the challenges that our communities are facing. By the nature of a tied House, with every bill requiring bipartisan support to pass, the path isn’t always easy. The work is important though, and we know Minnesotans expect results, not gridlock.
On Monday, we passed a bipartisan bill to provide our public K-12 schools with increased funding from the School Land Trust Account. Yesterday, the Senate took action on the bill and added an amendment. Now the bill will have to have a brief conference committee.
Once an identical bill is agreed upon by both the Senate and the House, the question will go on the ballot this fall. If voters approve the constitutional amendment this fall, schools will receive an additional $40 per student. Thank you to all those who helped get this bill across the finish line in the House! We are now waiting for Senate action.
OIG Bill Passes
This week, the House DFL passed a strong and effective independent watchdog by establishing the Minnesota Office of the Inspector General. I voted yes on the bill. Alongside the anti-fraud measures we have already passed and additional protections still moving through the Legislature, this legislation is about ensuring that public dollars go where they are intended and stay out of the hands of criminals.
At the center of this effort was a simple reality: everyone is angry about fraud against our public programs. Minnesotans expect accountability and they deserve confidence that taxpayer dollars are being protected. We stayed focused on the people harmed most when these programs are attacked like seniors, children, and people with disabilities who rely on these services every day.
Every person at the Capitol agrees there is a problem to solve. The challenge was to build a solution that was thoughtful, effective, and durable. That work takes time. Because of the careful approach taken in crafting this legislation and the leadership of Rep. Matt Norris, this Office of the Inspector General will be prepared to prevent fraud from day one, with real oversight tools and the independence needed to do the job right.
HCMC Update
Many of you have written to me about the importance of addressing the financial challenges Hennepin County Medical Center is facing and ensuring the critical facility can remain open. Thank you for sharing your concerns. We are working hard to develop a solution to help HCMC continue serving our community before we adjourn. In fact, we spent a third day in our House Tax Committee hearing from Rep. Esther Agbaje and Rep. Danny Nadeau regarding a bill that is taking shape. This is one of the top bipartisan priorities, and I’m hopeful we’ll be able to get it done.
HCMC is a shining example of how our health care system should work; they accept patients from across the state, whether they have private insurance or are on medicaid. From across every region in the state, HCMC provides critical care for a significant number of burn and trauma patients and serves as the gold standard for physician training for over 30% of the physicians trained in Minnesota.
On a personal note, during her undergrad, our daughter Madeline had a research internship at HCMC in their emergency room. She has said that time spent there inspired her to go and helped her get into medical school. She is now a doctor in Denver, Colorado and hopes to eventually come home to practice here in Minnesota. My daughter asked me to share her story in our recent House Tax Committee hearing.
I am encouraged to hear both leaders in the House share their prioritization of this.
House passes Health Budget Bill Aligning Minnesota with H.R. 1
This week, the House passed the state Health Budget bill aligning with the Federal HF1. I voted no, because Minnesotans deserve a health care system that expands access to care, lowers costs, and protects vulnerable families, not one that shifts the burden of harmful federal policies onto our communities.
The reality is that HF1 represents the largest rollback of health care coverage in recent American history. As many as 140,000 Minnesotans may lose coverage due to the devastating cuts and new requirements for Medicaid. These changes won’t improve care or reduce costs. Instead, they create expensive and inefficient bureaucratic hurdles that will force more people off their health insurance and make our health care system more costly in the long run.
When people lose access to preventative care, they delay treatment until conditions become emergencies. That means even worse health outcomes, even more overcrowded emergency rooms, and even higher costs for everyone. Hospitals across Minnesota (especially in Greater Minnesota) are already under enormous financial strain. Reduced funding and rising numbers of uninsured patients could push many rural hospitals to the breaking point, worsening health care deserts and leaving families with nowhere nearby to turn during a medical emergency.
I will continue fighting for a health care system that delivers affordable, accessible care when people need it and protects the health and dignity of every Minnesotan.
Mental Health Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time to check in with your loved ones and remind them that they are not alone, and help is available.
Minnesota provides a number of resources to help those who are struggling. If you need emotional or mental health support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit 988Lifeline to chat online with a trained specialist.
Last week, I voted ‘Yes’ on an important suicide prevention measure, supported by SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. The bill requires the state to ensure suicide prevention measures are included on existing and future bridge projects around the state.
We need to be proactive about suicide prevention in all respects, and this is one step forward in that mission.
Community at the Capitol
This week the Capitol rotunda has been filled with Minnesotans advocating for issues including funding for our schools, affordable healthcare, funding for food shelves, and more. Hearing the voices of Minnesotans in the people’s house is what this place was built for.
As the wife, mother, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law to public school teachers, I love it when local leaders come and advocate for investments in our public schools and our community! Thank you to Hopkins School Board Member Sara Wilhelm Garbers, Alice Smith parent Shannon Kreisel, for visiting with Rep. Patty Acomb and me and for caring about our students!
Wednesday, I also met with Mayor Nadia Mohamed, who was here representing Cities for Safe and Stable Communities as well as St. Louis Park. We discussed the need for increased funding to cities due to costs and fallout from Metro Surge. There is a small appropriation moving through the Senate that I hope gets larger. Unfortunately, we were not able to convince our GOP House colleagues to make this important investment.
Keep in Touch
As bills are progressing through the final weeks of session, there are a lot of moving parts. I may not be as responsive to your emails regarding individual pieces of legislation. But please know that I read each of your emails and take your thoughts to heart as we hear final bills on the House floor. Please continue to contact me anytime at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889 with questions or input. Email is the quickest way to get in touch.
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