ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Legislature will return from its Easter break on Tuesday with plenty of bills in the pipeline. They include a myriad of low-profile proposals but several high-profile pieces of legislation are in the mix, ranging from sports betting and cannabis and sports betting, to rights for trans people, to maintaining the state’s roads and bridges.
The House and Senate convened Feb. 12 with a much less ambitious agenda than what they passed during a frenetic 2023 session, when Democrats took full control of the Legislature for the first time in eight years. Now, with only a little extra money to work with, much of the focus has been on policy proposals that don't cost much.
With less than two months to go before the adjournment deadline of May 20, here's a look at the state of play:
BUDGET
The $72 billion two-year budget was largely set last year. While the surplus has inched up to $3.7 billion, Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic legislative leaders have agreed to spend only about $541 million more and bank the rest. The new spending includes $16 million for struggling emergency medical services in rural Minnesota, though some lawmakers say that's not nearly enough. One problem got solved early when Walz signed a fix to an error last year that could have cost taxpayers around $350 million next year.
BONDING
The main task this session is a public infrastructure borrowing package known as a bonding bill. Walz proposed a combination of $982 million in borrowing and cash. The final package is expected to keep an unglamorous focus on maintaining existing infrastructure, like roads, bridges and water treatment facilities. Bonding bills require 60% supermajorities, so it will need some Republican votes.
SPORTS BETTING