With the special session in St. Paul finally over, we can give you final updates on what passed and what didn’t during 2025. Plus, we update you on an important new brief True North Legal has filed at the Supreme Court, and a revealing new interview with Rep. Angie Craig. Finally, tune in for a farewell message from Moses Bratrud, who is moving on to new opportunities! The end of one era of the Family Beacon podcast, and the beginning of something new!

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From True North Legal:

This amicus brief urges the U.S. Supreme Court  to reverse the Tenth Circuit's decision upholding Colorado’s counseling restriction, a law that prohibits young people struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria from getting counseling that aligns with their self-selected counseling goals, like the counseling restriction law that passed in Minnesota a few years ago. The law is a speech muzzle on counselors who desire to help children and adolescents reconcile their hearts and minds with biological reality. True North Legal’s brief argues that the overly broad law violates the First Amendment’s protections for free speech and religious liberty by banning counseling that does not affirm state-sanctioned views about gender identity and sexual orientation.

As True North Legal explains in their May 16, 2025 blog post, the case “strikes at the heart of our freedoms” and presents a pivotal question:

“Can the state silence licensed professionals and prevent clients from pursuing their own counseling goals—particularly when those goals are informed by their deeply held religious beliefs?”

Amici represented in this brief include:

Erin Brewer, Ph.D., a former transgender-identified youth who overcame gender dysphoria through counseling after trauma, now a national advocate for alternatives to gender-affirming care.

Nate Oyloe, a Christian counselor and founder of Agape First Ministries, who experienced and overcame same-sex attraction and gender confusion through faith-based counseling.

CCFA (Christian Counselors Freedom Alliance), a Minnesota-based coalition of fifty-five licensed mental health professionals who assert that counseling restrictions like Minnesota’s and Colorado’s violate their constitutional rights and harm clients.

Renee Carlson, General Counsel, True North Legal:

“This brief makes clear that the First Amendment doesn't end at the counseling room door. The government cannot dictate what counselors say to their clients—especially when the speech is guided by the clients’ own personal goals and beliefs. While the law targets licensed mental health professionals, they are not the only victims. Under these counseling restrictions, children and adolescents struggling with severe mental health challenges are left to go it alone.”

Doug Wardlow, Director of Litigation, True North Legal:

“Our Constitution protects both free speech and free exercise of religion. Counseling restrictions like Colorado’s and Minnesota’s are blatant viewpoint-based censorship. They harm not only counselors but also the very young people they claim to protect. The First Amendment does not permit the state to dictate what views counselors may discuss with their clients, let alone prohibit counseling that aligns with biblical principles.”

Learn More:

Agape First Ministries (Nate Oyloe)

Erin Brewer

Supreme Court docket for Chiles v. Salazar (No. 24-539)

TNL testimony on Minnesota counseling ban

Minnesota Family Council engaged in many issues of public policy in the 2025 Legislation Session. The session officially came to a close in the early morning hours of June 10 as legislators passed final budget bills in the one-day special session. Here is a brief summary of issues we were tracking and watching for at the end of legislative session:

No so-called "Equal Rights Amendment" (ERA) in 2025

The ERA failed to pass even out of committee in its single hearing in the 2025 legislative session. The ERA is a proposed state constitutional amendment which would give constitutional protection to abortion and so-called "gender identity," with no protections for religious freedom. Minnesota Family Council has been strongly opposed to this legislation for multiple legislative sessions, especially in 2024 when the legislation had more momentum and even passed the Minnesota House. Read more about our analysis of this issue in this National Review article written by Renee Carlson and Rebecca Delahunt: "In Minnesota, Push for ERA Threatens Freedoms, Equality."

Watch our 2025 testimony in committee by Renee Carlson, General Counsel of True North Legal, and testimony by Rebecca Delahunt, Director of Public Policy.

No mobile sports gambling legalization in 2025

Even with multiple bill introductions to legalize the mobile sports gambling industry, the issue failed to pass out of a committee in the state Senate and never had a hearing in the state House of Representatives.

Read our 2025 written testimony with a detailed summary of our opposition.

Watch our 2025 verbal testimony in committee.

Nonpublic student aid was protected

Approximately $55 million a year is allocated to Minnesota students seeking nonpublic education opportunities for expenses such as transportation, textbooks, testing, school nursing, and counseling. Governor Walz' proposed state budget earlier this year recommended elimination of this funding to students, but legislative leaders preserved this funding. 

This is a school choice issue for Minnesota students. Read MFC written testimony in opposition to these proposed cuts in committee.

Small cuts to grant funding of abortion achieved in the omnibus Health bill

The Sexual and Reproductive Health grant funds abortion providers (among other services) in the state, awarding state taxpayer dollars to organizations such as Planned Parenthood and others which provide abortion. Staff and legislators were able to secure small cuts to this grant funding, an achievement which Minnesota Family Council supports. We look forward to working on more cuts of state taxpayer funding of abortion in the future. 

Our own Renee Carlson has been announced as a speaker at the Godward Life conference at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. The conference will be held September 26-27, 2025. 

Renee's Friday morning talk will be titled: Seeking Justice and Speaking Truth Amidst Cultural Chaos. She will equipping and emboldening Christians to engage in the cultural issues relating to law, policy, and our local government based on 1 Peter 3:14–17.

Join us at Godward Life!

At our Annual Dinner on May 10, we honored three courageous young athletes with our first-ever Courage Award.

These young women bravely testified at the legislature to protect fairness in women’s sports. We’re incredibly grateful to Rep. Peggy Scott (R-Andover) for her leadership and for presenting the award in person!

Let’s celebrate these young women and their bold witness! Please SHARE THIS VIDEO to celebrate the courage of these young athletes!

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Calling all pro-life women!

Seeking several hundred women to attend opening arguments for landmark pro-women case:
Women’s Life Care Center, NIFLA, et al. v. Ellison, Planned Parenthood, et al.

Monday, June 23rd

12:00 sharp – Free bus ride leaves from The North Church
(5151 Program Ave, St Paul, MN 55112)

12:50 PM – Gather at a Minneapolis hotel

1:00 PM – Walk together (approx. 3 blocks) to the federal courthouse

1:15 PM – Proceed through security; enter courtroom

2:00 PM – Oral arguments begin

4:15 PM – Bus back to North Church

RSVP: [email protected]

Women in and beyond Minnesota care about the tragic, painful losses mothers sustain after being subjected to abortions through coercion, pressure, and deception. Be a strong and prayerful presence as a distinguished legal team argues for an injunction against abortion in Minnesota.

Read and follow the case here:
www.stopcoercedabortions.com

WATCH NOW: This video features Rep. Peggy Scott (R-Andover) talking about the work of Minnesota Family Council and True North Legal in securing big wins for protecting girls' sports in Minnesota, and MFC volunteer Curtis discussing how getting involved in MFC's work is rewarding and makes a big difference.

True North Legal is an initiative of Minnesota Family Institute, fighting to protect life, family, and religious freedom in our legal system. Learn more about True North Legal and its crucial work at truenorthlegal.org.