Friends and neighbors,
A new legislative session is underway, with 100 Republicans and 101 Democratic–Farmer–Laborers gaveling in as the most divided legislature in the republic. I'll update you weekly throughout the session as I seek to represent your interests here in the Minnesota Senate.
Auditing the Fraud
As a member of the Legislative Audit Commission (LAC), I have been involved in the oversight of state government funding and protecting taxpayers’ dollars. The LAC is a bipartisan body of three Republicans and three DFLers from each body of the Legislature. We guide the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) by setting its priorities and by reviewing their audits and evaluations to ensure state agencies are following statute.
In January 2026, the OLA presented their findings in their audit of the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) division of the Department of Human Services. They presented numerous deviations from statute. The most shocking parts of their audit was their discovery of documents that were backdated or created specifically to avoid the OLA discovering their nonexistence.
Another disturbing finding was the discovery that BHA paid $670,000 to a grantee for a single month of work, even though the grantee could not provide documents to support the payment. Then, to make matters worse, the state grant manager who approved the payment left their position to go work for the grantee.
Read the full report, HERE.
Unfunded Mandates
This session, I will be bringing a constitutional amendment for consideration to end the unfunded mandates on our schools, cities, and counties. These mandates are an easy way for legislators to implement a policy or program without having to raise taxes to fund it.
What actually happens is the entity required to implement the policy or program is forced to raise your property tax. They don’t get a choice, a voice or a vote. Your local government is made to look like the bad guy, and you get a higher tax bill.
Since joining the Legislature, I have advocated for accountability and transparency. This is one more attempt for you, the taxpayer, to know who is doing what to you.
Transactional Gold and Silver
Minnesota has the opportunity to take the reins and be among those leading the nation by giving people a safe and stable alternative to a strictly fiat financial system. This is why I will be proposing a bill for the state to create a program that allows residents to purchase gold and silver from a gold and silver vault.
The money could be spent using the same process as your debit card. This kind of system would allow Minnesotans to be protected against inflation and preserve wealth with a real-world tangible asset. By passing this innovative bill, we would empower our citizens with actual economic freedom while also maintaining the convenience of modern payment systems.
Security at the Capitol
Beginning today, new security measures have been implemented at both the Capitol and the Minnesota Senate Building. These include scanners at the entrances and limited entry points. The Minnesota Capitol has long stood as the “Star of the North,” openly accessible to citizens who wish to engage with their government.
Turning it into a secure fortress sends the wrong message — a message that the people serve the government, instead of the government serving the people. As we move through session, we must ensure that any and all of the security enhancements don’t deny people their right to freely access their elected representatives.
Choose Freedom,
Calvin Bahr
Minnesota Senate, District 31