• Promoting economic development through tax reform and streamlining the permitting process • Supporting legislative efforts to remove the nuclear moratorium to enhance grid reliability and strengthen baseload power • Addressing regional housing needs through the development and expansion of resources such as the City of Rochester’s request for funding to increase sewer capacity
Over the past three years, the Minnesota Legislature has experienced a DFL trifecta, a historic tie, and narrow partisan majorities, and the upcoming 2026 legislative session promises to be just as interesting. As the session nears, many candidates and elected officials already have their sights set on election season. In the 2026 cycle, Minnesotans will see a number of offices on the ballot, including governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the entire Minnesota Legislature, and numerous local offices. Given the narrow margins in the state legislature, federal policy changes, and 2026 being an election year, the upcoming session promises to be a unique one. As the session approaches, the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce is preparing our 2026 legislative priorities derived from input from a diverse makeup of Chamber members, including small businesses, mid- size employers, and community partners. This year, the top two priorities return from our 2025 legislative agenda. These include the support of the City of Rochester and Olmsted County’s bonding projects and legislative support for efforts to address talent attraction, retention, and training that sustains and empowers the diverse workforce of the Rochester region. Additionally, the Chamber’s advocacy efforts will focus on: • Securing state bonding funds for the development of interchanges on Highway 14 in Byron at the intersection of Highway 14 and County State Aid Highways 3 and 5 • Addressing business concerns through modifications to mandates such as Paid Family Medical Leave • Reducing barriers to employment and addressing workforce needs
The Chamber’s legislative agenda will be announced in mid-December. Once released, it can be viewed at www.rochestermnchamber.com/advocacy or via the QR code.
The Chamber is committed to keeping you, our members, informed of our advocacy efforts and legislative developments. Our Advocate newsletter, sent out bi-weekly during legislative session, shares relevant policy updates, opportunities to engage in the legislative process, and relevant local, state, and national news. As a preview of the upcoming legislative session, the Chamber connected with our local delegation and invited them to share their perspective on what they view as the top priorities of the business community and their personal expectations and goals for the upcoming session. With the February 17th start of session nearing, we encourage you to view the responses of legislators to learn more about their outlook and expectations for the coming year. Thank you to you, our members, for your continued engagement in our advocacy efforts as we work to share the voice of the Rochester area business community with our elected officials in St. Paul.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in the candidates responses are the sole views of their own. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce or its members. The publication of the candidates statements therein do not imply the expression of any endorsement whatsoever by the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce or its members. At the time of publication, a response was not available from Sen. Steve Drazkowski (20), Rep. Duane Quam (24A), Rep. Tina Liebling (24B), and Rep Kim Hicks (25A).
DECEMBER 2025 — ROCHESTER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVANTAGE MAGAZINE | 5
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