State Representative Zack Stephenson

08/13/2026

Today I had the honor of convening the first nonpartisan working group meeting on the Hortman Memorial State Park on the Capitol grounds.

Nothing can make pain of losing Melissa and Mark go away, but preserving her legacy through making the Capitol Complex a beautiful state park that Minnesota kids will enjoy brings a bit of peace.

07/01/2026

Thanks to bipartisan legislation we passed last year, Minnesota is about to become the fourth state in the nation to require social media companies to warn users about the mental health risks of using their apps.

These massive tech companies profit off of our attention, interest, outrage, and emotions, and they have long known that the use of their platforms increases the risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.

This new law will help ensure Minnesotans know about those risks (the same way we're warned about the increased risk of cancer on packs of ci******es), and will help improve access to the resources Minnesotans might need them if they're using these apps.

I'm glad we were able to work across the aisle to get this done.

06/26/2026

11 years ago today, the Supreme Court recognized the right for anyone to live and love who they want to.

It didn’t just happen, it was the hard work that leaders put in for decades that made it possible, including in Minnesota. We were the first state to defeat a same-sex marriage ban through the will of the voters, and then it was the law of the land.

We led then, and we lead now. Minnesota is a safe place for you to be who you are.

06/24/2026

Four years ago, the court decided that politicians should have more say in women’s health care than their doctors, leading to tragic stories in red states across the country.

I’m proud that Minnesota remains a safe place for women to make their own decisions.

06/11/2026

I first met Melissa Hortman when I was 17. I'm 41 now.

I miss my friends every day, and I will never stop working to carry on the legacy of service that they committed their lives to.

05/22/2026

After my first session as caucus leader, I’m reflecting on the brilliant, hard work of my colleagues to deliver for Minnesotans. From saving HCMC to funding housing and infrastructure projects all across the state, to so much more, we passed incredible legislation that will make Minnesotans’ lives better.

I am so proud of this caucus, and I am forever proud of the state that we call home.

05/18/2026

I'm thinking of Melissa Hortman as we wrap up the session. The best tribute to Melissa was getting our work done and getting it done on time.

05/12/2026

Any amount of fraud is unacceptable - it means criminals have stolen from taxpayers and the most vulnerable in our state.

My colleagues and I are committed to doing everything we can to hold bad actors accountable and prevent fraud in the future.

I'm glad that our bill to create an independent Office of the Inspector General has now officially passed in both the House and Senate and is on its way to the Governor.

The OIG’s office is one piece of our multi-part agenda to stop and prevent fraud in our state — but it's a big part, and I'm proud to have supported the effort to make it happen.

04/27/2026

Every day, firefighters put their lives on the line to protect people. They are there when people need them most, and policymakers have the same obligation to be there for our firefighters.

I was glad to spend a few minutes with our brave first responders this morning at Fire Service Day at the Capitol, where I made clear my commitment to passing legislation to keep our firefighters safe, supported, and protected.

04/22/2026

Private insurance companies keep hiking up the rates on our public schools to make more profit, while our schools are cutting staff to make up for it. In Anoka-Hennepin, premiums went up by 22% in 2025. Enough is enough - this isn't sustainable.

This is a common-sense solution that supports our schools and educators, and I'm proud to support it.

As health insurance premiums continue to rise, Minnesota school districts — especially small, rural ones — struggle to find good, affordable health care coverage for their staff. Minnesota educators across the state want to be able to band together for better coverage and bargaining power in the...