As MN Legislative Session begins, lawmakers bring new priorities to the table

ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) – Members of the Minnesota Legislature wasted no time getting back to work as the 2026 legislative session began this week in St. Paul; by the second day of the session, the hallways of the state capitol were once again abuzz with action.

19 legislative committees held hearings on Tuesday, each hoping to get a jump on a new year of policymaking. Bill introductions spanned a wide range of topics.

Bills regarding housing, fraud, unemployment, protesting, and federal immigration operations were sprinkled into the various committee hearings Wednesday.

With the House in a tie, House committees will again remain split evenly between DFL and GOP members. The two parties will each have a co-chair and will alternate between who holds the gavel.

In order for any bill to pass this year, it must have bipartisan support. Enough members from both parties will need to support a given bill for it to pass through each relevant committee on its way to the floor.

“I do remain optimistic. I think we can reach some places where we agree, and I think the rest of the country is going to be watching [to see if] Minnesota [has] been damaged to the point where they can’t come back from this,” Governor Tim Walz said on Tuesday. “I think the real story that’s been missed, [is that we’re] one of very few states with divided legislatures, [with] no shutdown, getting things done.”