October 19–25, 2026
A quiet week for passed legislation with local impact, though one federal law now gives clergy a path back into Social Security, and emergency alert coverage may expand for rural areas like Goodhue County.
For clergy and religious workers. A new federal law (HR 227) is now on the books. Ministers, nuns, and Christian Science practitioners who previously opted out of Social Security and Medicare have a two-year window to reverse that decision. If they do, they'll start paying self-employment taxes on their ministerial income and become eligible for retirement and Medicare benefits down the road. This is now law.
Emergency alerts on your phone. Congress also sent (HR 7022) to the President, and it is now signed into law. Wireless carriers can now route emergency alerts, think tornado warnings, missing-persons alerts, and public safety threats, through satellite networks in addition to the usual cell towers. For Goodhue County residents in areas where cell coverage is spotty, this could mean fewer gaps when a warning goes out. Your carrier has to opt in, and you'll have the option to turn off the satellite delivery if you prefer. The law is in effect now.
Several other federal bills this week dealt with matters outside Goodhue County, including a Sacramento land sale and San Francisco Bay cleanup funding, and won't change anything here.
Coming up next week:
San Francisco Bay restoration funding. HR 1382, which would expand federal funding for San Francisco Bay cleanup projects and open that funding to private companies and nonprofits, cleared committee and is headed toward a full House floor vote. No firm vote date is set. This bill's focus is squarely on the Bay Area and does not have a direct effect on Goodhue County residents.
See what's up for a vote now · Find your representatives