Governor Walz recently signed a $1.2 billion infrastructure bill, announced appointments to a council documenting historical operations, and enacted legislation to strengthen online protections for children. These actions highlight a week of significant legislative and administrative developments for Minnesota.
The infrastructure bill, ceremonially signed at the Third Street Bridge construction site in St. Paul, represents a substantial investment in public works, transportation, housing, and water infrastructure. Governor Walz said he was “proud of the 2026 bonding bill, a $1.2 billion investment in our state’s infrastructure that caps off eight years of more than $8 billion in investments across Minnesota.” He added that with “fiscal responsibility at the top of mind, we’ve delivered a bonding bill that will secure jobs, strengthen our economy, and support critical public works, transportation, housing, and water infrastructure for decades to come.”
Additionally, Governor Walz appointed members to the Governor’s Council on Recording the Truth of Operation Metro Surge and Operation PARRIS on Minnesotans. He said the council members “bring deep expertise, lived experience, and a shared commitment to the truth,” and their work “will help create a lasting public record of both the harm endured and the resilience Minnesotans demonstrated during this difficult chapter in our state’s history.” Last week, he also signed HF 4138, amending the Stop Harms From Addictive Social Media (SHASM) statute to enhance online protections for children by limiting addictive social media features, boosting privacy, and increasing parental controls. Governor Walz, a teacher and a dad, said, “Privacy and safety have to come first. This bill puts families back in the driver’s seat and makes sure technology works for our kids, not the other way around.”