The Ninety-fourth Minnesota Legislature is the upcoming meeting of the legislative branch of the state of Minnesota, composed of the Minnesota Senate and the Minnesota House of Representatives. It will convene in Saint Paul on January 14, 2025, following the November 2024 elections for the House as well as a special election for Senate District 45. The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) held a one-seat majority in the Senate and a five-seat majority in the House in the previous legislature.
| 94th Minnesota Legislature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Term | January 13, 2025 – | ||||
While the DFL retained control of the Senate, they lost 3 seats in the House to the Republicans, meaning the chamber is deadlocked at 67-67. This is only the second time in state history that the House is tied.[1]
Under HF 1830, which was passed in the first session of the 93rd Legislature and takes effect on January 13, 2025, the statutory definition of a "legislative day" will only include days "when either house of the legislature gives any bill a third reading, adopts a rule of procedure or organization, elects a university regent, confirms a gubernatorial appointment, or votes to override a gubernatorial veto."[2][3] This will exclude all committee meetings and votes, as well as first and second reading of any bill in floor session of either house, theoretically allowing for more legislative business to be conducted for more calendar days without violating the constitutional limit of legislative sessions to 120 legislative days every two years. The law also provides for a later start date for the session, moving it from the first to the second Monday in January.
Political composition
editSenate
edit| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic– Farmer–Labor |
Republican | |||
| Start of the previous Legislature | 34 | 33 | 67 | 0 |
| End of the previous Legislature | 33 | 33 | 66 | 1 |
| Begin 2025 | 34 | 33 | 67 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 50.75% | 49.25% | ||
House of Representatives
edit| Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic– Farmer–Labor |
Republican | |||
| End of the previous Legislature | 69 | 64 | 133 | 1 |
| Start 2025 | 67 | 67 | 134 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 50% | 50% | ||
Leadership
editSenate
edit- President: Bobby Joe Champion (DFL)[4]
- President pro tempore: Ann Rest (DFL)
Majority (DFL) leadership
edit- Majority Leader: Erin Murphy (DFL)
- Assistant Majority Leaders: TBD
Minority (Republican) leadership
editHouse of Representatives
edit- Speaker: TBD
- Speaker pro tempore: TBD
DFL leadership
edit- Leader: Jamie Long (DFL)
- Whip: TBD
- Assistant Leaders: TBD
Republican leadership
edit- Leader: Lisa Demuth (R)[5]
- Deputy Leader: Harry Niska (R)[5]
- Whip: TBD
- Assistant Leaders: TBD
Members
edit
Senate
editHouse of Representatives
edit
Committees
editThe 94th Legislature will adopt a bipartisan approach to committee leadership, with standing committees and divisions co-chaired by members from the DFL and Republican parties. Committee memberships will be equally divided between the two parties.[7] Committee and division co-chairs were announced on November 25, 2024.[8]
| Committee | DFL co-chair | Republican co-chair |
|---|---|---|
| Rules and Legislative Administration | Jamie Long | Harry Niska |
| Ways and Means | Zack Stephenson | Paul Torkelson |
| Agriculture Finance and Policy | Rick Hansen | Paul Anderson |
| Capital Investment | Fue Lee | Mary Franson |
| Children and Families Finance and Policy | Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn | Nolan West |
| Commerce Finance and Policy | Kaohly Her | Tim O'Driscoll |
| Education Finance | Cheryl Youakim | Ron Kresha |
| Education Policy | Sydney Jordan | Peggy Bennett |
| Energy Finance and Policy | Patty Acomb | Chris Swedzinski |
| Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy | Peter Fischer | Josh Heintzeman |
| Ethics | Kelly Moller | Greg Davids |
| Elections Finance and Government Operations | Mike Freiberg | Duane Quam |
| Health Finance and Policy | Robert Bierman | Jeff Backer |
| Higher Education Finance and Policy | Dan Wolgamott | Marion Rarick |
| Housing Finance and Policy | Michael Howard | Spencer Igo |
| Human Services Finance and Policy | Mohamud Noor | Joe Schomacker |
| Judiciary Finance and Civil Law | Tina Liebling | Peggy Scott |
| Labor and Workforce Development Finance and Policy | Dave Pinto | Dave Baker |
| Legacy Finance | Samantha Vang | Joe McDonald |
| Public Safety Finance and Policy | Kelly Moller | Paul Novotny |
| State Government Finance and Policy | Ginny Klevorn | Jim Nash |
| Veterans and Military Affairs Division | Jay Xiong | Matt Bliss |
| Taxes | Aisha Gomez | Greg Davids |
| Transportation Finance and Policy | Erin Koegel | Jon Koznick |
| Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement | Leon Lillie | Tim O'Driscoll |
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "The year the House was tied, and how the two parties made peace … until they didn't - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Omnibus government bill proposes changes to definition of legislative day, altered session start date - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ "New state flag, changes to 'legislative day' definition among measures adopted by state government, elections negotiators - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
- ^ Gitaa, Tim (January 5, 2023). "Bobby Joe Champion voted Senate president". Insight News. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ a b "Demuth named Republican speaker-designate". Minnesota House of Representatives. 2024-11-08. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^ "House committees, meeting schedule announced for 2025-26 biennium". Minnesota House of Representatives. 2024-11-18. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "House committee, division co-chairs announced for 2025-26 legislative biennium - Session Daily - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-26.