2025 Legislative Session Begins With Uncertainty and Acrimony in the State House

by Sam Richie, AASPMN Lobbyist

The 2025 Minnesota Legislature began on January 14, but unlike in previous years, the House of Representatives got off to a rocky start.

All 67 members of the Republican House Caucus were present in the chamber when Secretary of State Steve Simon called them to order while the 66 current members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (“DFL”) Caucus were absent. Following a roll call, Secretary of State Steve Simon declared that a quorum was not present and adjourned the session. House Republicans subsequently moved to appeal the ruling of chair and, with Rep. Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck) having replaced Secretary of State Simon on the rostrum, the appeal was upheld, and the Republicans proceeded, electing Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) as Speaker of the House.

The House DFL Caucus subsequently filed a petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court seeking to uphold Secretary Simon’s declaration that a quorum was not present. The Republicans say that their 67 members constitute a quorum as it represents a majority of the 133 members currently sworn in as state representatives. Meanwhile, House Republicans have argued that 68 members, or a majority of the 134 total seats on the chamber, are required to constitute a quorum. One seat is currently vacant after a judge determined that the then Representative-elect had failed to establish residency in his district. A special election to fill the 134th seat was scheduled for January 28. 

Over on the Senate side, things got off to a smoother start, but the impending burglary trial for Senator Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) hangs over everything threatening to upend the current bipartisan mood. With the chamber currently split 33-33 following former Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic’s passing in December, Republican leader Sen. Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) and DFL leader Sen. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) rolled out a power sharing arrangement similar to what was previously negotiated in the House of Representatives. 

Without the partisan fireworks of the House of Representatives, the Senate’s first floor session of the biennium included a somber and heartfelt tribute to their former colleague. A special election for the seat was also to be held on January 28. With the Minneapolis district overwhelmingly Democratic, most Capitol insiders anticipate that community leader Doron Clark, who emerged as the DFL nominee in a seven-candidate primary, is likely to become the chamber’s 67th member, which would restore a 34-33 advantage for the DFL.

That being said, the current “power sharing agreement” that allows both Republican and Democrat members equal power to preside over committee hearings could extend into February as a judge recently denied Senator Mitchell’s request to delay her trial until the end of the legislative session. Senator Mitchell currently faces felony burglary charges stemming from an incident last spring. Her trial was scheduled to begin January 27. 

AASPMN’s priority legislation is currently in process to be introduced in both the House and Senate. We anticipate introduction of our bill and potential bill hearings once calmer heads prevail and everyone returns to the Capitol to get to work on passing the state’s two year budget. If you have not already done so, please reach out to Linden Wicklund to sign up for AASPMN’s 2025 Day at the Capitol event which is scheduled for February 26.

Want more? Check out the February 2025 issue of AASP-MN News!