93rd Minnesota Legislature | |||||
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Overview | |||||
Term | January 3, 2023 – May 20, 2024 | ||||
Senate | |||||
Members | 67 senators | ||||
President | Bobby Joe Champion (DFL) | ||||
Majority Leader | Kari Dziedzic (DFL) until February 6, 2024 Erin Murphy (DFL) after February 6, 2024 | ||||
Minority Leader | Mark Johnson (R) | ||||
House of Representatives | |||||
Members | 134 representatives | ||||
Speaker | Melissa Hortman (DFL) | ||||
Majority Leader | Jamie Long (DFL) | ||||
Minority Leader | Lisa Demuth (R) | ||||
Sessions | |||||
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The Ninety-third Minnesota Legislature is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the state of Minnesota, composed of the Minnesota Senate and the Minnesota House of Representatives. It convened in Saint Paul on January 3, 2023 and adjourned sine die on May 20, 2024.
This was the first legislature to be fully DFL-controlled since the 88th Minnesota Legislature in 2013–15. During the first session (2023), the body passed a number of major reforms to Minnesota law, including requiring paid leave, banning noncompete agreements, cannabis legalization, increased spending on infrastructure and environmental issues, tax modifications, codifying abortion rights, universal free school meals, and universal gun background checks among others. [1] The Star Tribune called it "one of the most consequential" ever in Minnesota, while Governor Tim Walz stated that it was the "most productive session in Minnesota history." [1] Some journalists compared the session to the 67th Minnesota Legislature, which from 1971–1973 enacted major changes to school finance known as the "Minnesota Miracle". [1] [2]
The second legislative session (2024) began in February. The primary agenda for even-year sessions traditionally centered on passing a public construction bill and introducing new policy measures, given the $72 billion two-year budget was adopted in the previous session. [3] A central task for the session was the assembly of a public construction bill to finance infrastructure projects. [4] There were legislative efforts to refine the state's newly legalized adult-use cannabis market to streamline the licensing process and to provide clarity to businesses regarding employee drug testing. [5] [6] Other significant issues were the role and responsibilities of school resource officers, banning shadow noncompetes, establishing unemployment benefits for striking workers, and requiring companies to post salary ranges for jobs. [7] [8] [9] [10]
At the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce's session priorities gathering in St. Paul in early 2024, the state's four legislative leaders expressed opposition to changing the law to allow strong beer in grocery stores and a constitutional amendment for a full-time Legislature. [11] [12] A "sanctuary state" bill to limit state cooperation with ICE was introduced, but it was not considered. [13]
Boldface indicates the bill was passed by its house of origin.
Enacted in 2024
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The recreational cannabis law saw a substantial update, introducing a vetted lottery system for distributing licenses and allowing pre-approved licenses for early cultivation to ensure product availability when retail stores open next spring. Additionally, the prohibition on serving THC and alcoholic beverages within five hours was replaced with a rule against serving intoxicants to already intoxicated patrons. [104] For medical cannabis, patients can now assign registered caregivers to grow up to eight plants on their behalf. [105]
In transportation, labor, and housing, the session addressed the lawsuits against the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan and limited the use of environmental laws to challenge future city plans. [106] Aimed at combating worker misclassification, legislation now defines independent contractor qualifications and increases penalties for fraud. [107] The session also set statewide standards for ride-share driver pay rates, preempting local control and ensuring increased pay for drivers. [108] [109]
Regarding public safety, the legislature allowed limited use of prone restraints in schools and increasing penalties for gun straw purchases. [110] Binary triggers, which allow firearms to fire on both trigger pull and release, were banned. [111]
In social media and child protection, Minnesota became the first state to ban profiting from social media accounts featuring children, requiring profits to be set aside for the children when they turn 18, with exceptions for child actors and models. [112] [113]
The session allocated $24 million for emergency medical services (EMS) in greater Minnesota, $6 million for a pilot program in the Northeast, and created a new Office of Emergency Medical Services. [114] Consumer protection saw the passage of the 'Taylor Swift bill,' mandating ticket sellers list full prices upfront, and the Debt Fairness Act, which bans reporting medical debt to credit bureaus and prevents withholding treatment due to unpaid debt. [115] [116]
Environmental and health legislation included requiring consultation between the Met Council and the MnDOT on light rail projects, prioritizing land sales within reservation boundaries to Indian reservations, and allocating $5.8 million for nitrate pollution mitigation. [117] [118] The state aims to reduce nitrogen fertilizer purchases by 25% by 2030. [119] Funding was also provided for ATV trail construction and ice rescue operations. [120] [121]
Broadband development legislation prioritized grant applications from organizations adhering to specific labor rules, though it faced opposition from the Minnesota Cable Communications Association. Health and education saw midwives being allowed to administer certain medications, [122] permitting Native American smudging ceremonies in schools, [123] and requiring health plans to cover medically necessary gender-affirming care with some religious exemptions. [124] Schools must implement cell phone policies by March 2025, and book bans based on viewpoint were prohibited. [125] [126]
Energy and waste management legislation required producers to contribute to state recycling programs and aimed to speed up permitting for clean energy projects. [127] The Voting Rights Act added state protections against voter suppression and mandated courts to support voters. [128] Lastly, legislation regulated and banned many so-called junk fees, requiring businesses to disclose the full price of products or services upfront. [129]
Several key bills did not make it through the 2024 session. These include the Equal Rights Amendment, which aimed to protect gender rights and included provisions for abortion access and gender identity protections, passed the House but did not come to a Senate vote. [130] Sports betting legislation was not finalized before the deadline, [131] nor was a measure to allow strong beer sales in grocery stores. [132] Additional measures that did not pass include: requiring cities to allow duplexes and triplexes in single-family zones; [133] preventing landlords from rejecting tenants based on government rent vouchers, [134] [135] making Metropolitan Council members elected instead of appointed; [136] local ranked choice voting expansion; [137] [138] establishing a statewide $15 minimum wage; [139] and, allowing physician-assisted suicide in certain cases. [140]
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant | |||
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Republican | Independent | Democratic– Farmer–Labor | |||
End of the previous Legislature | 34 | 1 | 31 | 66 | 1 |
Begin 2023 | 33 | 0 | 34 | 67 | 0 |
Latest voting share | 49% | 0% | 52% |
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | Vacant | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic– Farmer–Labor | Republican | ||||||
End of the previous Legislature | 70 | 64 | 134 | 0 | |||
Begin 2023 | 70 | 64 | 134 | 0 | |||
Latest voting share | 52.2% | 47.8% |
District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
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57A | Ruth Richardson (DFL) | Resigned on September 1, 2023 to focus on role at Planned Parenthood. [146] A special election was held on December 5, 2023. [147] | Bianca Virnig (DFL) | January 12, 2024 [148] |
27B | Kurt Daudt (R) | Resigned February 11, 2024. [149] A special election was held on March 19, 2024. [150] [151] | Bryan Lawrence (R) | April 2, 2024 [152] |
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