Minnesota Legislature
House leaders release committee budget targets
By Mike Cook
With all session committee deadlines less than two weeks away, House leaders announced an agreement Saturday on committee finance targets while crafting a spending plan for the 2026-27 biennium.
The agreement calls for an almost $1.16 billion reduction in General Fund spending, including $300 million in human services and $50 million in both health and workforce.
“Working in a bipartisan fashion, Democrats and Republicans in the Minnesota House were able to agree on a budget framework that responsibly slows expenditures in areas that are growing faster than the rate of inflation. This is a responsible approach that ensures budget stability now and into the future, helping to avoid dramatic cuts to essential services down the road,” Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) said in a statement. He and Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) co-chair the House Ways and Means Committee.
Recent Dailies
Minnesota's child care regulations in need of game-changing overhaul, House lawmaker says
By Todd Abeln
People who work in child care say that licensing requirements and practices in Minnesota need an overhaul.
As amended, HF2617 takes a run at that overhaul.
Laid over Wed...
Bill aims to limit costly, time-intensive data requests to schools
By Brian Basham
Owatonna Public Schools has been overwhelmed the past three years with a large public data request, costing the district more than $400,000 and taking resources away from t...
Digital driver's licenses? House lawmakers consider bill to put IDs on your smartphone
By Rob Hubbard
We used to call them smartphones, but they’ve gotten so smart that phone calls seem to be way down on the list of their most frequent uses. So why not add the role of a driver’s...
Proposed alternative path to midwife certification clears House committee
By Margaret Stevens
When Kylie Saari moved to Fairmont she knew she wanted to make a difference in her community.
Midwifery seemed like the perfect way to do that, especially because the local ...
House bill would lower eligibility barriers to mental health services
By Todd Abeln
Mental health case management helps people with severe mental health issues keep their lives on track.
Case managers work with people to address the effects of housing insta...
Tax committee considers expanded renter's credit
By Rob Hubbard New and improved! You’ll see such claims in the grocery aisles all the time, but, in the case of Minnesota’s “renter’s credit,” Rep. Liz Lee (DFL-St. Paul) knows that it’s n...Supporters say pricing fairness bill would level playing field for local grocers
By Lisa Kaczke
Jessica Rohloff’s hometown of New London had several grocery stores when she was growing up. But it went 15 years without a grocery store until the New London Food Co-Op opened ...
Statewide model standards sought for safer traffic stops
By Tim Walker
Traffic stops are one of the most dangerous encounters in the policing world for both the officers and drivers.
When tragedies occur, we hear about them through intensive me...
Lawmakers eye creation of $10 million loan program for affordable housing
By Margaret Stevens When it comes to housing, lawmakers on the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee agree on two key points. Minnesota needs more housing, especially affordable housing. A...‘Cohesive response’ proposed to combat chronic absenteeism in Minnesota schools
By Brian Basham
School attendance problems, including chronic absenteeism, have been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Matt Shaver, policy director at EdAllies, 25% of M...
Session Daily Home
Search Session Daily
Advanced Search OptionsPriority Dailies
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...
Full House convenes for first time in 2025, elects Demuth speaker
By Tim Walker
DFL, Republicans convene with a quorum for the first time in 2025 session after agreeing to a power-sharing deal.
