91st Minnesota Legislature

The Ninety-first Minnesota Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota from January 8, 2019 to January 4, 2021. It is composed of the Senate and House of Representatives, based on the results of the 2016 Senate election and 2018 House election. It first convened and held its regular session in Saint Paul from January 8 to May 20, 2019, and from February 11 to May 18, 2020. A special session was held from May 24 to 25, 2019, to pass bills enacting the state budget following an agreement between the governor and legislative leaders during the final weekend of the regular session in 2019.

Another special session was held from June 12 to 20, 2020, which was required by state law as Governor Tim Walz extended Minnesota's peacetime emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent protests. Walz and several legislators said they intended to use the special session to address concerns raised by Floyd's murder related to racial inequities in policing, on which the House and Senate were unable to reach an agreement. They were also unable to reach agreements on a public works borrowing bill, appropriating money from the CARES Act to local governments, and assistance for Minneapolis and Saint Paul for damage caused by riots in those cities. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka had said at the beginning of the special session Republicans would adjourn the Senate by June 19 regardless of whatever legislation had or had not been passed by the Legislature, which House Speaker Melissa Hortman said was an arbitrary deadline. Gazelka said at the end of the special session a deadline was needed to force discussions and that he was willing to return for another special session when there were agreements on these issues.

On July 10, 2020, Walz called a third special session that was held from July 13 to 21, 2020, as he again extended the peacetime emergency. The Legislature passed a bill on police reform, but was unable to reach an agreement on a public works borrowing bill. Five more special sessions were called by the Governor throughout the remainder of the year, all of which were to approve the extension of the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. In total, seven special sessions were held this term, the most of any term in state history.

Major events

 * April 3, 2019: Governor Tim Walz delivered his first State of the State Address.
 * May 9, 2019: A joint convention of the Senate and House of Representatives was held to elect regents of the University of Minnesota.
 * April 5, 2020: Walz delivered his second State of the State Address. Originally scheduled to be held on March 23 in the House chamber, it was postponed and moved to the governor's residence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enacted

 * April 12, 2019: Hands-free cell phone use while driving act
 * May 2, 2019: Voluntary relationship defense for criminal sexual conduct repeal act
 * May 22, 2019: Assisted living act
 * May 22, 2019: Opioid addiction prevention and treatment act
 * Omnibus appropriations acts:
 * May 22, 2019: Omnibus higher education act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus agriculture, housing, and rural development act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus transportation act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus environment and natural resources act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus judiciary and public safety act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus jobs, economic development, and energy act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus health and human services act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus state government act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus education act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus legacy act
 * May 30, 2019: Omnibus tax act
 * March 10, 2020: COVID-19 pandemic response act
 * March 17, 2020: COVID-19 pandemic response act
 * March 28, 2020: COVID-19 pandemic response act
 * April 7, 2020: COVID-19 first responders workers' compensation act
 * April 15, 2020: Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act
 * April 15, 2020: COVID-19 pandemic response act
 * May 12, 2020: 2020 elections special procedures act
 * May 27, 2020: Outdoor heritage fund appropriations act
 * July 23, 2020: Police reform act
 * October 21, 2020: Omnibus capital investment "bonding" act

Proposed

 * Boldface indicates the bill was passed by its house of origin.


 * Clean Energy First Act (/)
 * Energy Conservation and Optimization Act of 2020 (/)
 * Extreme risk protection order bill (/)
 * Family leave insurance bill (/)
 * Firearm transfer background check bill (/)
 * Omnibus environment and natural resources bill  ('/')
 * Proposed constitutional amendment establishing a fundamental right to a quality public education bill (/)
 * Recreational cannabis bill (/)
 * Voting rights restoration for felons bill (/)

Political composition

 * Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section below.

Senate
[[File:91MNSenateStructure.svg|thumb|300px|Senate composition

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House of Representatives
[[File:91MNHouseStructure.svg|thumb|300px|House composition by caucus

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Senate

 * President:
 * Jeremy Miller (R) (until November 12, 2020)
 * David Tomassoni (I) (from November 12, 2020)
 * President pro tempore: Mary Kiffmeyer (R)

Majority (Republican) leadership

 * Majority Leader: Paul Gazelka
 * Deputy Majority Leader: Michelle Benson
 * Assistant Majority Leaders:
 * Gary Dahms
 * Karin Housley
 * John Jasinski
 * Warren Limmer
 * Eric Pratt
 * Majority Whips:
 * John Jasinski
 * Eric Pratt

Minority (DFL) leadership

 * Minority Leader:
 * Tom Bakk (until February 1, 2020)
 * Susan Kent (from February 1, 2020)
 * Assistant Minority Leaders:
 * Nick Frentz (from February 7, 2020)
 * Jeff Hayden
 * Susan Kent (until February 1, 2020)
 * Carolyn Laine
 * Erik Simonson (from February 7, 2020)
 * Minority Whips:
 * Ann Rest
 * Kent Eken
 * John Hoffman

House of Representatives



 * Speaker: Melissa Hortman (DFL)
 * Speakers pro tempore:
 * Gene Pelowski (DFL)
 * Paul Marquart (DFL)
 * Jeanne Poppe (DFL)
 * Liz Olson (DFL)
 * Laurie Halverson (DFL)
 * Tony Albright (R)

Majority (DFL) leadership

 * Majority Leader: Ryan Winkler
 * Majority Whip: Liz Olson
 * Assistant Majority Leaders:
 * Jamie Becker-Finn
 * Hodan Hassan
 * Mary Kunesh-Podein
 * Fue Lee
 * Jamie Long
 * Julie Sandstede

Minority (Republican) leadership

 * Minority Leader: Kurt Daudt
 * Deputy Minority Leader: Anne Neu
 * Minority Whip: Dan Fabian
 * Assistant Minority Leaders:
 * Tony Albright
 * Peggy Bennett
 * Josh Heintzeman
 * Jon Koznick
 * Jim Nash
 * Peggy Scott

House of Representatives
On December 8, 2018, four Republican members of the House (Reps. Steve Drazkowski of Mazeppa, Cal Bahr of East Bethel, Tim Miller of Prinsburg, Jeremy Munson of Lake Crystal) announced that they would not join the Republican caucus in the 91st Legislature and instead would form a new caucus, called the "New Republican Caucus." They cited displeasure with "the attitudes and actions by [Leader Daudt] and some of his supporters" and said they still consider themselves to be members of the Republican Party.

Religious composition
Over half of the 91st legislature identify as Christian, 3% identify as Jewish, and 42% refused to state their affiliation. The single largest religious denomination are Lutherans with 39 members; 21 in the house (15.6%), and 18 in the senate (26.9%).

Minority composition
22 legislators identified themselves or were identified in a newspaper or book as a member of a minority group.

Senate

 * Secretary: Cal Ludeman
 * First Assistant Secretary: Colleen Pacheco
 * Second Assistant Secretary: Mike Linn
 * Engrossing Secretary: Melissa Mapes
 * Sergeant at Arms: Sven Lindquist
 * Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Marilyn Logan
 * Chaplain: Mike Smith

House of Representatives

 * Chief Clerk: Patrick Murphy
 * First Assistant Chief Clerk: Tim Johnson
 * Second Assistant Chief Clerk: Gail Romanowski
 * Chief Sergeant at Arms: Bob Meyerson
 * Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Erica Brynildson
 * Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Andrew Olson
 * Index Clerk: Carl Hamre