Kayla’s HOPE Act signed into law; new youth social media protections head to Governor
BLOOMINGTON, MN – SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education today commended the Minnesota Legislature following the conclusion of the 2026 legislative session, celebrating the passage of two significant pieces of legislation that will save lives and protect Minnesotans from the harms that drive suicide risk.
“In a session that saw partisan conflict and disagreement, Minnesota lawmakers found common ground where it matters most – saving lives,” said Erich Mische, CEO of SAVE. “We are proud to have worked alongside legislators, families, and advocates to advance legislation that reflects what the research tells us works. This session will be remembered as one that moved the needle on suicide prevention in Minnesota.”
Kayla’s HOPE Act – A Landmark Victory for Lethal Means Safety
Among SAVE’s top legislative priorities this session was the passage of the Kayla’s HOPE Act (SF 2971), signed into law by Governor Tim Walz on May 7, 2026. The law directs the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Health to develop statewide criteria and best practices for identifying high-risk public structures and implementing suicide deterrent measures – such as barriers – into existing and future infrastructure projects.
Research consistently shows that structural interventions at known high-risk locations are among the most effective tools for preventing suicide deaths. A delay of even one minute can be enough to save a life.
The law is named for Kayla Gaebel, who died by suicide at the Washington Avenue Bridge on November 9, 2023. Her mother, MJ Weiss Blair – Vice President of SAVE’s Board of Directors and founder of Kayla’s HOPE – has been a tireless advocate for suicide prevention in public infrastructure, helping secure $8 million in state funding for deterrent measures on high-risk structures.
“Kayla’s HOPE Act is the result of work by families who refused to let their loss be the end of the story,” said Mische. “MJ Weiss Blair has channeled unimaginable grief into a law that will protect lives for generations. That is what courage looks like, and SAVE is honored to have stood alongside her and the Kayla’s HOPE family every step of the way. We are deeply grateful to Rep. Bjorn Olson and Sen. Scott Dibble for their leadership in carrying this legislation across the finish line.”
New Protections for Youth on Social Media
SAVE also celebrates the passage of SF 2696, landmark legislation establishing new safeguards for minors on social media platforms. The bill passed the Minnesota House on May 14 and the Minnesota Senate unanimously on May 15, and is heading to Governor Walz’s desk for signature.
SF 2696 requires parental consent before a child 15 or younger can create a social media account, mandates that default privacy settings on minor accounts be set to the strictest level available, prohibits targeted advertising directed at minors, and bans platforms from deploying features designed to maximize engagement and screen time among young users – including autoplay video, infinite scrolling, and push notifications. These features have been directly linked to compulsive use, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among adolescents.
“We have known for years that the way social media platforms are designed poses a direct threat to the mental health of young people,” said Mische. “SF 2696 is a step toward holding those platforms accountable and giving parents a meaningful role in protecting their children. No algorithm should have more influence over a child’s mental health than the adults who love them.”
Looking Ahead to the 2027 Session
While this session’s progress is cause for celebration, SAVE knows there is more work to do. Among SAVE’s priorities for the 2027 legislative session is passage of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline specialty license plate bill (SF 4683), authored by Rep. Rick Hansen and Sen. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger. The bill would create a specialty license plate featuring the 988 number, turning every vehicle that carries one into a rolling reminder that help is available. Revenue generated from plate sales would be directed to lethal means safety efforts – funding the purchase and free distribution of cable gun locks, trigger locks, and gun safes through nonprofit organizations, and supporting a statewide gun storage mapping initiative to help Minnesotans identify secure off-site firearm storage facilities near them.
“More than half of all suicide deaths in Minnesota involve firearms, and we know that creating time and distance between a person in crisis and a lethal means saves lives,” said Mische. “The 988 license plate is both a visibility tool and a funding mechanism for the hands-on lethal means safety work that SAVE and our partners do every day. We look forward to working with Rep. Hansen, Sen. Hemmingsen-Jaeger, and the full Legislature to pass this bill in 2027.”
SAVE will also continue to push for policies addressing the role of artificial intelligence and social media in youth mental health and suicide risk – including regulations that hold technology companies accountable for the content and algorithms that reach Minnesota’s young people.
“Suicide prevention does not take a year off, and neither does SAVE,” said Mische. “We will be back at the Capitol in 2027 with a bold agenda and the same belief that has guided this organization for more than 36 years – that suicide is preventable, that lives are worth fighting for, and that Minnesota can and should lead the way.”
About SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
SAVE – Suicide Awareness Voices of Education is a national nonprofit working to prevent the tragedy of suicide through education, advocacy, lethal means safety efforts, and support for suicide loss survivors.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.