New Legislative Session Kicks Off in St. Paul

January 5, 2023

In a mostly ceremonial session, the 93rd Minnesota Legislature kicked-off in St. Paul on January 3 with all 201 legislators being sworn in at the Capitol. It’s the first time since 2014 that the DFL has had majorities in both chambers. 

The events at the Capitol were preceded by the swearing in of Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan the day before. At the event, Walz previewed the upcoming session saying “Minnesotans spoke clearly this last election, and they expect all of us to get things done. The era of gridlock in St. Paul is over.” Walz should see an easier road for his priorities following an end to years of split-government in Minnesota and a record-setting projected $17.6 billion budget surplus announced in December. 

On the campaign trail, Walz and other DFL leaders promised to protect Minnesotans’ reproductive rights, and legislation to codify the right to abortion in Minnesota statute has been introduced as HF 1/SF 1. Additional early items included federal tax conformity and a bonding bill left unpassed from last session. Other top DFL priorities such as healthcare payment reform, firearm control, paid family and medical leave, and other major budgetary issues, will play out over the coming months. 

While Democrats control both bodies, they will still need to work with the Republicans in both bodies. “DFLers will need to be careful not to over promise,” said Chad Fahning, MMA’s manager of state legislative affairs. “With a slim 70-64 majority in the House and a 34-33 majority in the Senate, it would take only a few members to swing the vote on any issue.” A challenge for leadership will be to ensure members are aligned before bringing issues to a vote.  

Following the election of Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) to her third term as Speaker of the House, Hortman acknowledged the historical diversity of the newly sworn in legislature. “Today, we make history, having sworn in the most diverse group of legislators Minnesota has ever seen,” she said. She noted the Minnesota House swore in 35 legislators of color, including Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring), who became the first woman and person of color to lead the minority caucus in the House. 

In the Senate, DFLers elected Sen. Kari Dziedzic (DFL-Minneapolis) as Majority Leader and Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Minneapolis) as Senate President. Dziedzic will be the first woman to serve as Senate DFL Majority Leader and Champion will be the first Black person to serve as president of the Senate. Sen. Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) was selected as Senate Minority Leader. 

Three physicians – Sen. Matt Klein, MD, (DFL-Mendota Heights), Sen. Kelly Morrison, MD, (DFL-Deephaven), and Sen. Alice Mann, MD, (DFL-Bloomington) were sworn in to serve in the Minnesota Senate. Klein was also selected to chair the Senate Commerce Committee, and Morrison and Mann were both assigned to sit on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, where Mann will serve as vice chair.