Ceremonial signing highlights bipartisan passage of legislation requires suicide prevention measures in bridge and infrastructure projects
ST. PAUL, MN – Governor Tim Walz today signed Kayla’s HOPE Act (SF 2971) into law in a ceremonial signing at the Governor’s Reception Room in the Minnesota State Capitol. The bill was formally signed into law on May 7th, 2026.
Joining the Governor were SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education CEO Erich Mische, SAVE Board Vice President and founder of Kayla’s HOPE MJ Weiss Blair, Chief Senate author Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-61), Jamie Kraker, Vice President-WTW, Melissa Schultz, Minnesota Department of Transportation, and other members of SAVE, friends and family.
The signing marks the culmination of more than two years of determined advocacy by SAVE and Weiss Blair, who founded Kayla’s HOPE: Helping Others, Protecting Everyone following the death of her daughter, Kayla Gaebel, on November 9, 2023. Kayla, a 29-year-old mother of two, died by suicide at the Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis.
“This is what happens when survivors refuse to let grief be the end of the story,” said Erich Mische, CEO of SAVE. “MJ Weiss Blair turned unimaginable loss into lifesaving action – and today, Minnesota is safer because of her determination. We are deeply grateful to Governor Walz for his signature, to Minnesota State Representative Bjorn Olson and Minnesota State Senator Scott Dibble for their exceptional leadership, and to every legislator who voted to make this a reality.”
What the Law Does
Kayla’s HOPE Act directs the Minnesota Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health, to develop statewide criteria and best practices for determining when and where suicide prevention measures should be incorporated into bridge and infrastructure projects – both new construction and existing repairs – and requires those measures to be implemented. Physical deterrents such as barriers and heightened railings have been shown by research to be effective at reducing suicide deaths at known high-risk locations.
The bill passed the Minnesota House unanimously and the Senate 63-4 – a rare moment of bipartisan unity in a session marked by sharp divisions.
About SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
Founded in 1989 and based in Bloomington, Minnesota, SAVE is one of the nation’s leading suicide prevention organizations. SAVE’s programs include education, training, advocacy, lethal means safety, and survivor support. Learn more at save.org.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.