Draheim Legislative Updates April 6, 2026

Minnesota Senator Rich Draheim banner image

Friends and Neighbors, 

I hope you all had a peaceful Easter filled with quality time with loved ones. 

Last week, while we were on legislative break, I spent time back in the district meeting with constituents and visiting local businesses, one of my favorite parts of this job. 

Tomorrow, committee hearings and floor sessions start back up. With only six weeks left in the legislative session, our focus will be on advancing bills through committee and reviewing any legislation that involves spending taxpayer dollars. 

In this newsletter, I’ve included a few updates, including some good news about a major clean water project in Le Sueur and progress on my bill to help lower prescription drug costs for Minnesotans. 

As always, thank you for reading and for staying engaged. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything I can help with. 

Have a great week ahead! 

Thanks for reading, 
Rich 

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Securing $6.3 million for a critical clean water project in Le Sueur 

The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority announced a $6.3 million loan to the City of Le Sueur for a major clean drinking water project. The financing will save local taxpayers $721,000 in interest costs. 

Clean, safe drinking water is critical for our families and local businesses. This project will improve public health, support the local economy, and save Le Sueur taxpayers more than $700,000. I’m grateful we were able to make this happen. 

The project includes critical transmission and distribution upgrades to address aging and undersized infrastructure along North 4th Street from Bridge Street to Dakota Street, and Cathcart Street from Commerce Street to North 4th Street. 

The Public Facilities Authority received $176 million from the $700 million 2025 bonding bill. I strongly advocated for this funding and voted in support of the legislation. 

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Le Sueur County Water Testing Clinic 

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Lowering the cost of prescription drugs 
 
The average American watches 9 prescription drug ads on TV EVERY DAY! The top 10 pharmaceutical companies spend 25% of their budgets on marketing. 
 
These ads not only increase the price of health care by billions of dollars but their bright colors and upbeat songs mislead and deceive consumers. 
 
My bill to ban prescription drugs on TV got its second hearing recently. It’s one step we can take toward saving millions of dollars in healthcare costs and protecting public health.

WATCH 

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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 resource 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 Draheim 
Minnesota Senate, District 22