Advocacy
2026 Minnesota State Legislative Session
The 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session started on February 17, 2026, and officially wrapped up on May 17, 2026. We are happy to share that there were no cuts to IPS Services and no major cuts to disability services. There were some procedural changes made which will affect human services providers, mostly centered around regulation and compliance to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Policy and procedural updates:
New Office of the Inspector General
Lawmakers approved the created of an independent Office of the Inspector General to oversee state agencies and programs. This office will:- Conducts audits and investigations
- Strengthen accountability
Human Services Policy Updates
A human services policy bill will be passed that includes updates impacting providers,including changes to cost reporting and related processes.Human Services Finance Changes
The human services omnibus bill includes provisions that may:- Affect reimbursement for certain administrative fees and transportation services
- Introduce new administrative requirements related to finding, claims, and visit verification
MOHR Employment Exploration Proposal
Legislation supported by MOHR to temporarily suspend certain Extended Employment (EE) rule requirements did not pass due to borader legislative negotiations. This remains a priority, and discussions are expected to continue.What Can You Do in Minnesota?
There are multiple ways to get involved in the legislative process all year round. Whether you are a person with a disability, a loved one, someone who works in disability services, or a caring member of the community, below are ways to take your advocacy to the next step!
Special Events
Rise annually hosts opportunities for people we serve and their families to stay informed about the current legislative session.
- Legislative update sessions are often hosted by Rise President & CEO Tim Dickie at various Rise office locations to help keep families, people served, and our supporters informed.
Become an Advocacy Volunteer
We are always looking for volunteers who are interested in advocating on behalf of the people we serve. Advocacy volunteers can take on a variety of roles and time commitments can be as much or as little as you’d like. For more information about becoming an advocacy volunteer, contact volunteer@rise.org.
Learn More about Self-Advocacy
Contact Your Legislators
Step 1
Know Your Legislators
Do you know who your Minnesota legislators are that represent you? This is important because these are the people who directly impact you and your community, so they are the best ones to contact about issues that matter to you! Click the below links to learn more!
Sign Up for Legislative Updates
Make sure you know who represents you. These are the people who will be voting on the legislation that affects you and your community, which means they are the best people to contact about the issues that matter to you!
Step 2
Email, Call or Write Your Legislators
Contact your legislators to let them know what is important to you. Maybe you care most about day services, job placement, life enrichment services, or welfare-tow-work programs -- whatever services have had an impact on you, let your legislators know how they have made a difference in your life. If you aren’t sure what to say, we often provide useful letter examples advocating for disability services issues that come up during each session. They will be posted on this page.
Step 3
Write a Letter to the Editor
Writing a Letter to the Editor to your local newspaper can be a great way to get the rest of your community involved in an issue. You can use the template below to help you if you aren’t sure how to write one. Remember, letters to the editor are best when you personalize it as much as you are comfortable with, by making it clear why this issue matters to you. Try to keep them to no more than about 175 words in length.
Read the article Tracy Bird, who is served at Rise Spring Lake Park, submitted to Access Press and had published in June 2019. She discussed the importance of staying in touch with your state representatives and having your voice heard. It's a great example from someone who is speaking from her heart about her own personal experiences.
2026 Wisconsin State Legislative Session
The Wisconsin 2026 Legislative Session officially started on Tuesday, January 13, and ran until Thursday, March 19.
Become an Advocacy Volunteer
We are always looking for volunteers who are interested in advocating on behalf of the people we serve. Advocacy volunteers can take on a variety of roles and time commitments can be as much or as little as you’d like. For more information about becoming an advocacy volunteer, contact volunteer@rise.org.
Learn More about Self-Advocacy
What Can You Do in Wisconsin?
There are multiple ways to get involved in the legislative process all year round. Whether you are a person with a disability, a loved one, someone who works in disability services, or a caring member of the community, below are ways to take your advocacy to the next step!
Step 1
Know Your Legislators
Do you know who your Wisconsin legislators are that represent you? This is important because these are the people who directly impact you and your community, so they are the best ones to contact about issues that matter to you! Click the below links to learn more.
Sign Up for Legislative Updates
Make sure you know who represents you. These are the people who will be voting on the legislation that affects you and your community, which means they are the best people to contact about the issues that matter to you!
Step 2
Email, Call or Write Your Legislators
Contact your legislators to let them know what is important to you. Maybe you care most about day services, job placement, or life enrichment services, -- whatever services have had an impact on you, let your legislators know how they have made a difference in your life. If you aren’t sure what to say, you can look at the sample letters we have drafted here.
Step 3
Write a Letter to the Editor
Writing a Letter to the Editor to your local newspaper can be a great way to get the rest of your community involved in an issue. You can use the template below to help you if you aren’t sure how to write one. Remember, letters to the editor are best when you personalize it as much as you are comfortable with, by making it clear why this issue matters to you. Try to keep them to no more than about 175 words in length.
Read the article Tracy Bird, who is served at Rise Spring Lake Park, submitted to Access Press and had published in June 2019. She discussed the importance of staying in touch with your state representatives and having your voice heard. It's a great example from someone who is speaking from her heart about her own personal experiences.