St. Paul, MN – The 94th Minnesota State Legislature convened at noon on Tuesday, January 14th, with Representative Isaac Schultz sworn in for his second term in accordance with the Minnesota Constitution and Minnesota State Law. All 67 elected Republicans were present and prepared to work, even as the 66 elected Democrats chose to boycott the start of the legislative session. Republicans stepped forward to address the priorities of the people of Minnesota. The Democrat boycott was an attempt to block a quorum—the minimum number of members required to conduct legislative business. Secretary of State Steve Simon, who holds ceremonial powers as a temporary Speaker until the House elects one, deviated from his constitutionally defined duties by ruling that a quorum was not reached, despite over 50% of elected members being present. Following his ruling, Simon vacated the Speaker’s rostrum. In accordance with state law, the oldest member present, Representative Paul Anderson, assumed the role of presiding officer. With Anderson in charge of the Chamber, the House elected Representative Lisa Demuth as Speaker of the House. Members also adopted temporary House rules and immediately began working for the people of Minnesota. “House Republicans stepped up and delivered leadership when it was needed most,” said Schultz. “By electing Speaker Demuth and adopting House rules, we’ve demonstrated our commitment to organizing the House of Representatives and getting to work for the people of Minnesota. From addressing fraud to making our state safer and more affordable, I’m ready to work on behalf of the people of District 10B.” Schultz will advance these priorities through his work on the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, Labor and Workforce Development Finance and Policy, and Rules and Legislative Administration Committees. Additionally, Schultz was appointed as Deputy Speaker pro tempore for the 2025-2026 Legislative Session, where he will preside over the House in the absence of Speaker Demuth. |