Legislative Reporting Project

The Minnesota State Capitol on the first week of the legislative session. Feb. 19, 2026. Karina Kafka/Report for Minnesota
Minnesota State Capitol, February 2026 Karina Kafka | Report for Minnesota

Report for Minnesota’s Legislative Reporting Project connects student reporting on the Minnesota Legislature with news outlets across Minnesota. 

In 2026, five students are working at the Minnesota State Capitol with a longtime political editor and longtime political photojournalist to produce weekly news stories that fill coverage gaps for local news outlets in communities in all areas of the state. 

Their stories can be found below. 

 


Our partners

The following Minnesota news organizations have published Report for Minnesota content: 

ABC Newspapers, Albert Lea Tribune, Elk River Star News, Frazee-Vergas Forum, Grand Rapids Herald Review, KAXE, The Kenyon Leader, Laker Pioneer, Mankato Free Press, Mesabi Tribune, Message Media, Mille Lacs Messenger, Monticello Times, The Morrison County Record, Press & News, Star News, Stillwater Gazette, Sun Current, Sun Patriot Newspapers, Sun Post, Sun Sailor, Sun This Week, and Union Times.

We also thank Forum News Service for hosting an additional student to work with its legislative correspondent at the Capitol to generate coverage for its statewide network of newspapers. (Please note that the articles written by the Forum News Service student reporters are not included below.)


Read our Legislative Reporting Project stories

 

Bill aims to keep medical waste from ending up in Minnesota trash

The Minnesota House is poised to vote on a bill that would study how medical waste is ending up in the general waste stream. Depending on the findings, hospitals and surgical centers could face fines if they can’t fix the problem.

Lawmakers still looking for HCMC fix as session end nears

Minnesota lawmakers continue to debate short and long-term aid to HCMC as the hospital faces a $1.7 billion deficit over the next decade. Officials warn its financial struggles foreshadow challenges for hospitals statewide.

Minnesota Senate approves new benefits for ‘Secret War’ veterans

The Senate passed a bill to add benefits for Vietnam War-era veterans of what’s known as the Secret War in Laos. The bill opens the door to new benefits for these veterans but not all of the benefits that other American veterans receive.