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91st Minnesota Legislature

91st Minnesota Legislature
←90th 92nd→
Overview
TermJanuary 8, 2019 (2019-01-08) – January 4, 2021 (2021-01-04)
Senate
Members67 senators
PresidentJeremy Miller (R)
until November 12, 2020
David Tomassoni (Independent)
from November 12, 2020
Majority LeaderPaul Gazelka (R)
Minority LeaderTom Bakk (DFL)
until February 1, 2020
Susan Kent (DFL)
from February 1, 2020
House of Representatives
Members134 representatives
SpeakerMelissa Hortman (DFL)
Majority LeaderRyan Winkler (DFL)
Minority LeaderKurt Daudt (R)
Sessions
2019January 8, 2019 (2019-01-08) – May 20, 2019 (2019-05-20)
2020February 11, 2020 (2020-02-11) – May 18, 2020 (2020-05-18)
Special sessions
2019, 1stMay 24, 2019 (2019-05-24) – May 25, 2019 (2019-05-25)
2020, 1stJune 12, 2020 (2020-06-12) – June 20, 2020 (2020-06-20)
2020, 2ndJuly 13, 2020 (2020-07-13) – July 21, 2020 (2020-07-21)
2020, 3rdAugust 12, 2020
2020, 4thSeptember 11, 2020
2020, 5thOctober 12, 2020 (2020-10-12) – October 15, 2020 (2020-10-15)
2020, 6thNovember 12, 2020

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.[1]

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,[2] on which the House and Senate were unable to reach an agreement.[3][4][5] 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.[5][6] 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.[7] 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.[5]

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.[8] The Legislature passed a bill on police reform, but was unable to reach an agreement on a public works borrowing bill.[9][10] 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.[11][12][13][14][15][16]

  1. ^ Van Oot, Torey; Van Berkel, Jessie (May 25, 2019). "Minnesota lawmakers approve $48 billion budget after all-night special session". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Van Berkel, Jessie (June 12, 2020). "Police reform shadows Minnesota Legislature's special session". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Van Berkel, Jessie; Bierschbach, Briana (June 21, 2020). "Police reform efforts collapse in divided Minnesota Legislature". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  4. ^ Orenstein, Walker (June 20, 2020). "Minnesota Legislature ends special session without deal on policing reforms". MinnPost. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Bakst, Brian (June 19, 2020). "Special session ends without deal on policing, bonding". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  6. ^ Bierschbach, Briana; Van Berkel, Jessie; Condon, Patrick (June 20, 2020). "Minnesota Legislature adjourns without agreement on key issues". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  7. ^ Pugmire, Tim (June 12, 2020). "Special session begins with debate over COVID-19 emergency, police powers". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  8. ^ Bakst, Brian (July 10, 2020). "Special session, part 2, planned for Monday". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  9. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (July 21, 2020). "Minnesota lawmakers pass sweeping package of police accountability measures". Star Tribune. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  10. ^ Bakst, Brian (July 21, 2020). "Legislature passes policing bill, ends special session". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  11. ^ Jackson, Zoë (August 8, 2020). "Gov. Tim Walz to convene third special session of the summer starting Wednesday". Star Tribune. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  12. ^ Callaghan, Peter (August 11, 2020). "Don't expect much to get done during the Minnesota Legislature's latest special session". MinnPost. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  13. ^ Van Oot, Torey (September 9, 2020). "Gov. Tim Walz calls Legislature back for fourth special session". Star Tribune. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  14. ^ Van Oot, Torey (October 7, 2020). "Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz extends state of emergency for coronavirus response". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  15. ^ Van Oot, Torey (November 9, 2020). "Gov. Tim Walz extends pandemic state of emergency, prompting Legislature's return". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  16. ^ "Special sessions of the Minnesota Legislature, 1858-present - Minnesota Legislative Reference Library".

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