Minnesota Legislature
Week in Review: April 7-11
By Lisa Kaczke
A busy week of negotiations and compromises was the theme as most — most — finance committees met Friday’s noon deadline to approve finance bills and send them to the House Ways and Means Committee. Although the transportation bill is going to taxes next.
Five other committees — education, energy, environment and natural resources, health and higher education — couldn’t reach a bipartisan deal before the deadline and instead approved vehicle bills that’ll likely be amended later.
Will those folks work while the Legislature takes breather?
The Legislature will be off for the Easter/Passover break until noon April 21. Then lawmakers will have four weeks of the regular session to put together a biennial state budget by the constitutional deadline of May 19 to finish their work.
Recent Dailies
Week in Review March 31-April 4
By Lisa Kaczke
It was the week of the policy bills. Here’s what was approved ahead of Friday’s first and second committee deadlines:
Omnibus cannabis bill
Omnibus commerce policy...
Bill proposes more scrutiny for water usage at large data centers
By Tim Walker In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, could water ever truly become scarce? Yes, says Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL-Maplewood), especially when considering the tremendous water resources t...Bill proposes state higher education savings plan for newborns
By Todd Abeln Higher education can be expensive and new parents may wonder how they will be able to pay for it. To help parents begin saving for a post-secondary education, HF2908 would a...As Minnesota's senior population grows, lawmakers see need for healthy aging push
By Mike Cook Olmsted County Commissioner Gregg Wright added a little levity at a morning committee meeting. “Aging is a bipartisan issue. I think you’re all aware that Republicans and De...House panel considers bill extending unemployment benefits to striking workers
By Margaret Stevens
Strikes are the last resort for workers and are nothing like quitting work to look for something better, said Rep. Kaela Berg (DFL-Burnsville).
“Workers are forced out on st...
Bill aims to amend state constitution with explicit equal rights guarantees
By Mike Cook
In the 2026 general election, state voters will pick the state’s constitutional officers, senators and representatives.
They may also decide if the state constitution ...
DFL bill proposes new tax tier for state's wealthiest to offset potential federal cuts
By Rob Hubbard
If you look at this year’s legislative session from the perspective of a storyteller, you could say that the literary device of foreshadowing has come into play.
While discu...
Commerce policy bill advances in House
By Lisa Kaczke An omnibus commerce policy bill that includes provisions for financial institutions and insurance, as well as dozens of other proposals, is headed to the House Floor. The Ho...House committee approves human services policy bill addressing fraud, mental health care
By Todd Abeln Several fraud-related measures are included in the omnibus human services policy bill. HF2115 would create new penalties for kickbacks and establish criminal violations of h...State government policy bill heads to House Floor
By Mike Cook
After weeks of hearing bills from both sides of the aisle, it was all smiles early Thursday for the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee.
Rep. Ginny Klevorn (...
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Ways and Means Committee OKs House budget resolution
By Mike Cook
Total net General Fund expenditures in the 2026-27 biennium will not exceed a hair less than $66.62 billion.
That is the budget resolution approved Tuesday by the House Ways...
Minnesota's budget outlook worsens in both near, long term
By Rob Hubbard
It looks as if those calling for less state spending could get their wish, judging from Thursday’s release of the February 2025 Budget and Economic Forecast.
A state su...
