The 2026-2027 Legislative Session is officially underway. Tuesday, February 17th marked the first day of session here at the Capitol, and we’ve had a busy first two weeks since.

We are able to hold the line on our gains and achieve the change we need when we organize together. We still have so much to do, and we face strong headwinds from powerful corporate interests and the politicians they back, but we are able to achieve the change we need when we organize together.

This year, we are focused on setting the foundational groundwork for advancing policies that will have substantive, tangible impacts on the everyday standard of living of working people across our state, as well as legislation to protect our precious environment and water in Minnesota. My office is also busy advocating for funding for Duluth and northeast Minnesota regional infrastructure projects.

I am working closely with community and environmental advocacy organizations to develop more effective solutions toward stopping pollution from ending up in our waterways and ecosystem. These efforts include continuing to build on our landmark legislation to replace all lead lines across Minnesota within ten years, removing lead from ammunition and tackle, adopting better signs common sense guidelines for the use of ATVs near our estuaries, and regulating neonicotinoid coatings on agricultural seeds.

In the Senate Labor Committee, we are continuing our work to strengthen workers’ rights and protections here in Minnesota, while defending those rights as they are under whole scale attack by the federal government. We have begun holding oversight hearings on policies won in the last biennium. Since the last legislative session, we have collaborated with labor unions and workers’ organizations to understand the impact of federal actions on workers in Minnesota, and to address the emerging threats to workers’ rights, safety, and job security.

Here in Minnesota, we need a pause on hyper-scale data center development while we assess their implications for our communities and environment. This month, I am introducing legislation to temporarily halt new data center permits while the state studies their long-term effects. This two year moratorium would remain in place while lawmakers conduct a comprehensive review of environmental, infrastructure, and public health impacts and develop a stronger, more meaningful regulatory framework. 

I am also proud to be the lead author of the ‘Prove It First’ legislation, to protect our beautiful Boundary Waters, as well as Lake Superior and all Minnesota waters from toxic copper nickel sulfide (nonferrous) mining development. Prove It First would require any company seeking to open a nonferrous mine to first prove a similar mine has operated for at least 10 years and then been closed for at least 10 years without causing toxic pollution to the environment.

I invite you to join us in this important work at the Capitol the months of March & April, as the various pieces of legislation my office is tracking and monitoring work their way through various committees for hearings. 

If you need anything from my Senate office, or would like to share your thoughts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. My Committee Legislative Assistant, Sean Lim, can also help set up a meeting with me. You can reach Sean (he/him) at Sean.Lim@mnsenate.gov or (651) 296-4188.

My office has launched a new official Instagram page: @SenJenMcEwen! Follow along by visiting instagram.com/SenJenMcEwen. For Facebook users, follow my official account at facebook.com/SenatorMcEwen/.

I encourage all of our neighbors to sign up to receive the latest updates from my office by subscribing to my official newsletter, here: tinyurl.com/McEwenNews.

• Chair, Labor

• Vice Chair, Environment, Climate, and Legacy

• Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

• Transportation

You can find the bills I am the lead author of here and co-authored bills here.

Our team has grown! In February, with the start of session we welcomed Sean Lim, who joined my staff as my new Committee Legislative Aide. Fabian Bean continues to serve as our Senate Labor Committee Administrator.

Throughout this legislative session, our District 8 office is also excited to be hosting two Senate Interns on our team: Dylan Nygaard of Duluth, MN, and Mac Cappelen of Mahtomedi, MN -- we're excited to introduce you to them in our next newsletter!

Bills that I am proud to be Lead Authoring this Session!

• Quality Wage for Airport Workers (S.F. 4060)

• Lead Service Line Replacement*

• Moratorium on Hyper-Scale Data Center Construction*

• Restrictions on ATV Roads to protect water quality (S.F. 1245)

• Duluth Air Traffic Control tower funding (S.F. 518)

• Duluth Lake Superior Zoo: capitol improvements funding (S.F. 3766)

• Establishing a stronger framework for data center permitting (S.F. 3968)

• Get the Lead Out: prohibiting lead ammunition for hunting, and use of lead tackle for fishing (S.F. 1595)

• Requiring a human driver be present when a commercial motor vehicle is operated by an automated driving system (S.F. 4014)

Some of the Bills that I am Co-Authoring this Session:

• Regulating industry’s use of systemic insecticide (Neonicotinoid coating) on seeds, prohibiting sale or distribution without approval from Cmsr. of Agriculture (S.F. 4052)

• Requiring employers provide suitable seating for employees (S.F. 4003)

• Prohibiting Data Centers in certain districts (S.F. 608)

• Prohibit certain contracts to provide detention facilities federal immigration purposes (S.F. 3653)

• Study on the economic impact of federal immigration enforcement operations (S.F. 3695) 

• Requiring all local officials to file statements of economic interest (S.F. 3823)

• Environment and natural resources trust fund appropriation (S.F. 3857)

• Prohibiting virtual currency kiosks (S.F. 3868)

• Plug-In “balcony solar” installation and operation regulation (S.F. 3873)

• A resolution urging the President and Congress to reject the Border Lands Conservation Act (S.F. 3880)

• Free angling, deer, small game licenses for residents aged 65+ (S.F. 3890)

• Trunk highway system maintenance and expansion requirements (S.F. 4055)

*Bill number has not been assigned yet, stay tuned.

Mark your calendars! Representative Liish Kozlowski, Representative Pete Johnson, and I will be hosting a virtual, mid-session town hall meeting soon. Event details including date, time, and virtual meeting link are forthcoming.

As the 2026 legislative session is now underway, our Senate District 8 / Duluth delegation greatly values the opportunity to hear what policies matter most to you, answer your questions, and share how we are thinking about this session. I hope you will join us virtually! The RSVP and registration link will be sent out in our next bi-weekly newsletter. You will also be able to submit any questions you have for us ahead of time using that link.

Thank you to all of the issue advocacy coalitions, Duluth residents, and Senate District 8 constituents who have scheduled meetings with me at my office for their lobby days.

One of the highlights of being a Senator is hearing from my neighbors in Duluth about the issues that they hold near and dear. This month, I met with various groups of youth who are part of our Duluth schools and universities, as well as a variety of professional associations, small businesses, policy / subject matter experts, and environmental justice organizations.

Photo Gallery groups, from left to right & top to bottom: UMD Bulldog Lobby Day, Dulith Area Chamber of Commerce / Duluth & St. Louis County at the Capitol, LEAD MN, Northland Small Business Development Center, Pharmacy Legislative Day at the Capitol, Building Families Coalition, Duluthian students, Harbor City International School, Scott Johnson of St. Ann's Residence, Chiropractic Association, Duluth Edison School, UMN Day on the Hill, University of Minnesota Duluth students.

On the very first day of session, Tuesday, February 17th, I joined the Rise & Repair Coalition in the Capitol rotunda for their annual gathering in song and solidarity, “Opening Day in a Good Way.”

Rise & Repair is an alliance of individuals and organizations advancing Indigenous rights and climate justice in the state of Minnesota to protect the land, water, and Manoomin / Psin (Wild Rice), our state grain, for the future generations and posterity.

The first day of this year’s session was a day of mourning & remembrance for the late House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in the wake of their horrific assassinations in June of last year. We also honored my colleague Senator John Hoffman as he returned to the Senate this session, following an assassination attempt and egregious act of political violence on him and his family. It has been a month of deep reflection; we have a lot of work ahead of us this session to advance protections for all Minnesotans across every corner of the state.

I also spoke at a rally about the need for a moratorium on hyper-scale data centers here in Minnesota. We understand the potential long-term impacts hyperscale data centers could have on our communities, energy grid, and invaluable natural resources across the state of Minnesota.

That is why I am introducing a bill to enact a moratorium on new hyper-scale data center construction, until a thorough analysis has been done on their impacts on our communities, utilities, infrastructure, and environment.

I am proud to serve as Chair of the Labor Committee. On Tuesday, February 24th, I gaveled in the first Senate Labor Committee meeting of the year. We heard from members of the Minnesota Plumbing Board, and had presentations from staff at the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) and laid over two bills for consideration. You can visit the Senate Labor Committee webpage to find committee information, as well as watch recorded audio & video of all Labor Committee meetings.

My colleagues and I from the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee joined Senators from the Bonding Committee for a site visit tour of Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) facilities to discuss funding requests for expansion of storage capacity – including at the Society’s storage facility with artifacts not currently on display to the public, as well as the Minnesota History Center’s library and archives.

Minnesotans showed up and showed out for Friends of the Boundary Waters’ Rally at the Capitol because we treasure and love our precious Boundary Waters. We cannot count on the Federal government anymore to jump in and protect us. The buck now stops with us – right here in Minnesota. Read my remarks from the rally.

I call on all Minnesotans to hold every elected official accountable to protecting our people and waters, by asking those running to represent you at every level of government where they stand on copper nickel (nonferrous) mining, and demand a meaningful answer. People can also demand now that the DNR under the Walz administration cancel one of the state mineral leases for the proposed Twin Metals mine. Thank you to the Friends of the BWCAW for organizing yet another incredible Boundary Waters Day at the Capitol. Keep showing up, keep the pressure on.

MN Women's Press: Minnesota Lawmakers and Activists Call for Moratorium on Data Centers

Fox News: LIVE: Data center rally held at Minnesota State Capitol (46:00 minute mark)

Kare 11: Concerned homeowners and advocates bring the data center debate to the Minnesota State Capitol

Duluth News Tribune: County again seeks state aid to shore up eroding Duluth cemetery

Northern News Now: Duluth Senator to introduce data center moratorium

I want to extend a huge congratulations to Duluth Curling Club’s very own Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse, for winning silver medals in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Cory and Korey were the first ever American team to win a medal in Olympic mixed doubles curling. Duluth is so proud of them for making history.

Small Business Support for Our Region:

The Northland Small Business Development Council (SBDC) helps small businesses start, grow, and succeed. Northland SBDC serves Northeast Minnesota Counties and five Native nations with shared geography. SBDC offers no-cost business guidance with professional consultants, helping anyone seeking assistance to start, manage, or grow a business. Learn more by visiting their website at northlandsbdc.org and click the red “Request for Services” button. Fill out the short form and you will be connected to a local consultant who can provide a variety of technical assistance.

The State of Minnesota's Updated Economic Outlook:

Last week, Legislators were given a forecast briefing on Minnesota’s updated economic outlook.

We were pleased to learn that revenues in the current biennium (fiscal years 2026-27) are projected to be $1.3 billion higher than expected, and revenues in the next biennium (fiscal years 2028-29) are forecasted to be $2.2 billion higher, which will leave a surplus of $377 million in the next biennium. This is an exciting development, especially as we weather the storm of punitive and harmful federal cuts and uncertainty.

Looking ahead, my office will be closely monitoring and addressing the projected risks of the expansion of artificial intelligence in Minnesota, and the effects it could have on the state’s workforce with potential job displacement and layoffs across sectors. More information can be found at MMB: Minnesota's Management & Budget Department.

Chum Duluth: Food, Shelter, Dignity, Hope 
Union Gospel Mission
Twin Ports Rapid Response

Northland SBDC

The Minnesota Youth Council is the official voice of young people statewide, where 36 representatives from Minnesota middle schools and high schools amplify the voice and power of young people across our state at the Capitol. MYC has 2 upcoming openings for youth living in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District (Northeastern Minnesota, including the City of Duluth). Interested prospective applicants are encouraged to apply at (www.MNYOUTH.net). If you have any questions, please reach out to: (rbloome@mnyouth.net). Qualifications: these openings are for youth aged 13-19, attending school in Minnesota. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 31st. 

Capitol Address

95 University Avenue W.
Minnesota Senate Bldg., Room 3217
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-4188

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