Friends and Neighbors,
The first week of my last legislative session is in the books.
On Tuesday, we paid tribute to Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, and on Thursday we remembered our colleague and friend, Senator Bruce Anderson. We also welcomed back Senator John Hoffman after the assassination attempt on he and his wife last summer.
On Wednesday, we started committee hearings. Like last year, I serve on three committees: Finance; Housing and Homelessness Prevention; and Jobs and Economic Development, where I serve as Republican Lead.
Our Manufactured Housing Working group had its first meeting this week, which I’m glad to be a part of. It’s a bipartisan group of legislators and our work is focused on making manufactured home ownership more affordable and accessible.
As session gets underway, I want to hear from you. What are your priorities and concerns? Reach out to my office anytime to share your voice.
Have a great weekend.
Rich
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State Capitol gets new security, why can’t schools get the same priority?
February 15 marked National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day. As a fairly new recognition, started in 2022, many people don’t even know it exists. You might not be fully aware of what a School Resource Officer (SRO) actually does, or the critical role they play in school safety.
Guns often dominate the headlines when we talk about keeping students, teachers, and school staff safe, but other measures, like having trained SROs in our schools, need to be front and center in the conversation.
In the wake of the Annunciation School shooting last August, parents, administrators, and lawmakers are all rethinking school safety. Increasing statewide funding for SROs would make an immediate difference.
There’s a report that an Annunciation parishioner first felt a sense of safety that morning only after the first officer arrived, four minutes after shooting began. Four minutes can feel like a lifetime in a moment like that. Annunciation School did not have a dedicated SRO. In hindsight, it’s impossible not to wonder how much difference one might have made.
To me, it’s common sense to have SROs in both public and private schools across Minnesota. But it’s not that clear to everyone. In 2023, the Democrat-controlled Legislature passed a bill with overly restrictive language that limited an SRO’s ability to act in dangerous situations. As a result, school districts across the state responded by removing SROs or repositioning them outside school buildings.
The short-term impact was immediate. There were reports of increased student violence and even assaults on officers. One was sent to the hospital after being kicked in the head.
SROs are sworn law enforcement officers, but they’re so much more. They teach students about the law, serve as mentors, counselors, and sometimes confidants to young people still figuring things out. They’re essential not just to the school they serve, but to the entire community.
This year at the Capitol, we’ve seen new security measures put in place. Weapons screeners are now at the entrances to the State Capitol and Senate Building. Every visitor has to pass through them. I’ve also noticed more State Troopers and Capitol Security officers around the complex, sometimes with a squad car parked right outside. It’s a visible deterrent. Anyone thinking of doing harm sees the increased law enforcement presence and might decide otherwise.
I’m grateful that the Governor and Democrat lawmakers take the safety of public officials so seriously. I hope they’ll extend that same priority to our children, teachers, and school staff.
It didn’t take long to add new security at the Capitol after last summer’s tragedy. Now it’s time to give our schools the same level of protection, and the personnel needed to stop threats before they harm the places where our kids are supposed to be learning.
Our children deserve the same safety we provide to elected officials.
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DNR Rulemaking: Native Rough Fish Limits
What is this rule about?
The Minesota Department of Natural Resources is proposing a rule change that would set daily and possession limits for native rough fish.
Why am I receiving this notification?
You subscribed to one or more of the following notification lists: Fishing Regulations, Minnesota Fishing, Spearing/Bowfishing Rules, Sportfishing Rules, and Underutilized/Rough Fish Rules and Management. Subscribing to this list means you will receive DNR rulemaking notices on all topics. See the links below this message to manage your subscription.
What will this rulemaking do?
The proposed rule would amend Minnesota’s regulations on native rough fish populations and all methods of taking native rough fish in inland waters of the state.
- Sets daily and possession limits for native rough fish that are separate from the limits for carp and smelt.
- Amend the bowfin daily and possession limit from unlimited to 6 in inland waters.
- Amend the bigmouth and smallmouth buffalo daily and possession limit from unlimited to 5 in aggregate in a northern zone and 30 in aggregate in a southern zone in inland waters.
- Amend the sucker and redhorse daily and possession limit from unlimited to 30 in aggregate in inland waters.
- Amend the carpsucker and quillback daily and possession limit from unlimited to 30 in aggregate in inland waters.
- Amend the freshwater drum daily and possession limit from unlimited to 30 in inland waters.
- Amend the mooneye and goldeye daily and possession limit from unlimited to 30 in aggregate in inland waters.
Who might be affected by these rule changes?
- Individuals who take native rough fish in inland waters of Minnesota.
- Fishing and conservation groups concerned about native rough fish management.
- Individuals or groups with whom native rough fish may have cultural significance.
Where do I send my comments?
You have until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, 2026, to submit your comments. Email comments must be submitted to fisheries.rulemaking.comments.dnr@state.mn.us. Please mention “Native Rough Fish Limits” in the subject line or body of your correspondence. Comments provided in writing by mail or by telephone may be submitted to the DNR contact person listed below.
You may request a hearing on these rules. If at least 50 persons submit a valid request for a hearing and a sufficient number do not withdraw their requests (reducing the number below 50), then a public hearing will be held before an administrative law judge. The Notice of Intent to Adopt Expedited Rules tells you how to submit a request for hearing to the DNR contact person.
Public data. All public comments received by the DNR and all information within the comments are public data under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.03, subdivision 1. Public comments, including names and addresses, become part of the public record upon receipt by the DNR.
Where can I get more information?
More information is available at Native Rough Fish Limits | Minnesota DNR; also see the document links below:
If you want a free copy of the proposed rules, call or email the DNR contact person listed below:
DNR contact person
John Dunn, Fisheries Rules and Regulations Coordinator
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Fish and Wildlife Division
500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 259-5235
fisheries.rulemaking.comments.dnr@state.mn.us
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MN Fraud Files
Originally created during the eight-year term of Gov. Mark Dayton, Center of the American Experiment’s Scandal Tracker was reopened to account for the ever-growing list of frauds and scandals perpetuated under the Tim Walz administration.
Your one-stop clearinghouse for everything related to state government fraud in Minnesota
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Contact Me
Be sure to follow me on Facebook for more frequent updates throughout the session.
I always appreciate hearing from constituents. It helps me do my job better and stay focused on the issues that matter most to you.
If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, feel free to reach out. You can email at sen.rich.draheim@mnsenate.gov, and my legislative assistant, Henry Rosckes, is available at henry.rosckes@mnsenate.gov.
Thanks for reading.
Rich
Rich Draheim
Minnesota Senate, District 22