Legislature

The following write-ups are produced and maintained by Minnesota House Research Department, with some links provided to other sources.

Structure

• Legislature as a governmental institution
• Sources of legislative authority

Operation

• Embraced and Expressed: Minnesota's Single Subject and Title Clause
  A 21-page guide that discusses the history of the Single Subject and Title Clause of the Minnesota Constitution and the importance of the clause in shaping legislation. December 2020.
• Single Subject and Title Clause
  Two-page overview of the report. December 2020.
• History of the Item Veto in Minnesota
  A 38-page information brief that provides a short history of the Minnesota item veto, or the constitutional power of governors to veto particular items of appropriations in bills with multiple appropriations. September 2018.
• Judicial Interpretation of Statutes
  An 8-page brief that discusses the role the courts play in interpreting statutes, including the tests and tools the court uses to resolve ambiguity. April 2020.
• Legislative Advisory Commission and Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy
  A 17-page publication that provides information on these two commissions, inlcuding their establishment, membership, operations, and duties and authority. November 2020.
• An Overview of Legislative Commissions: LAC and LCPFP
• Regular Sessions of the Minnesota Legislature
• Special Sessions of the Minnesota Legislature
• Retroactivity of Statutes
  An 8-page information brief that defines what a retroactive law is and addresses how a law must be drafted to be retroactive. February 2016.
• Veto Procedures
  An 11-page information brief that describes the procedures for vetoing bills and how the legislature can override vetoes. July 2018.

Constitutional Amendments

• Constitutional Amendments Data
  A spreadsheet that provides information on constitutional amendments in Minnesota.
• Legislative Approval of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (1894-2013)
• Minnesota Constitutional Amendments: History and Legal Principles
  A 78-page report that provides a general overview of historial and current legal and procedural issues related to amending the Minnesota Constitution. March 2013.
• State Constitutional Amendments
• United States Constitutional Amendment Process: Legal Principles for State Legislators
  A 57-page reference guide for state legislators and legislative staff on the history and legal principles related to amending the United States Constitution. April 2016.
• United States Constitutional Amendments: Minnesota's Legislative History
  A 39-page report that provides background on the Minnesota Legislature's involvement in the process of amending the United States Constitution. April 2016.

Legislative Office

• Compatibility of Offices
  A 14-page information brief addressing state law that determines whether one person may hold specific combinations of elected or appointed public positions simultaneously. August 2012.
• Government Immunity from Tort Liability
  A 4-page publication explaining the laws that make state and local governments immune from certain lawsuits. October 2020.
• Membership of the legislature
• Qualifications for legislative office
• Recall of State Elected Officials
• State Elected Officials' Compensation
  Lists salaries and explains how they are established. December 2018.
• Term of office for legislators

Ethics

• Ethical Issues and the Minnesota House
  A 13-page publication that answers basic questions about the operation of the House Ethics Committee, including jurisdiction, committee procedures, and the complaint process. August 2023.
• Legislative Ethics
  An 8-page publication that summarizes Minnesota laws and rules relating to ethical behavior that apply to House members and staff. November 2018.

Archived Materials

The following materials have been archived and may contain some information that is not up-to-date. "Archived" materials are no longer actively maintained by House Research Department and are generally at least five years old. Current materials are provided in the previous topics.

• Gift Ban Law and Rules for House Members and Employees
  A brief description of the laws and rules that ban gifts to House members from lobbyists and others. November 2013.
• House Members' Guide to 1993 Campaign Finance Law Changes (Request a copy)
• Key Redistricting Cases
  A brief description of redistricting decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Key Redistricting Laws
  An outline of laws that govern legislative and congressional redistricting.
• Legislators and Dual Offices
  A brief description of the constitutional prohibitions regarding other offices state legislators can occupy. October 2002.
• Making Laws
  A 180-page report that describes the formal lawmaking process in Minnesota. February 2018.
• Making Laws: A Brief Description (Request a copy)
• The Minnesota Legislature: Proposals to Change its Size and Structure
• Nebraska's Unicameral Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1985 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1986 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1987 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1988 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1989 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1990 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1991 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1992 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1993 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1994 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1995 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1996 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1997 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1998 Legislature (Request a copy)
• Reports Mandated by the 1999 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2000 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2001 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2002 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2003 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2004 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2006 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2008 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2009 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2010 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2011 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2012 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2013 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2014 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2015 Legislature
• Reports Mandated by the 2016 Legislature
  An annual guide listing reports that the legislature directed various state agencies and offices to do and report back to the legislature. June 2016.
• Reports Mandated by the 2018 Legislature
  An annual guide listing reports that the legislature directed various state agencies and offices to do and report back to the legislature. July 2018.
• Special Legislative Elections
  A brief description of when and how special elections are held for an open seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives. September 2003.
• Term Limits for Elective Office (Request a copy)
• Unicameral or Bicameral State Legislatures: The Policy Debate