Programs! Get your programs here! Special Session Monday, June 9
The Minnesota House and Senate will meet in Special Session on Monday, June 9, at 10:00 a.m. The Governor and legislative leaders signed an agreement listing the bills they would like to pass and put some ground rules on paper to contain the session.
- The agenda is wholly contained in the list of bills below.
- The leaders will not support any amendments.
- The Leaders will support waiving the day rule to get all bills passed in one day.
- The legislature will adjourn before 7:00 a.m. on June 10.
Generally, the legislature adheres to these agreements. However, it is worth noting that the House has a particularly large crop of first and second-term members who have little experience with such agreements. The Governor can call a Special Session, but he cannot declare it over. He can drag them in, but he cannot kick them out.
Members traditionally have had to come in from their districts for Special Session, and it is expected most will. However, since the pandemic, members have been able to vote remotely. With razor-thin margins for the DFL in the Senate and a tie in the House, this will be especially dicey for legislative leaders to know where their votes are on each bill.
The Capital investment bill will require 81 votes in the House and 41 votes in the Senate. The remainder of the bills will need 68 votes and 34 votes, respectively. To suspend the rules (to declare an emergency to allow a one-day session) requires 90 House votes and 45 Senate.
Significantly, the first bill is the most controversial. This bill restricts MNCare from illegal aliens over 18 years of age. This provision caused democrats to protest a press conference held in the Governor’s Reception Room and derailed the session-ending deal. In order to pass, this bill must have bipartisan support in each body. The agreement does not state that the legislative leaders will put up the votes to pass each bill, or that they all will be signed by the Governor. However, that generally is what is understood. The May 16 agreement was essentially vetoed by DFL members who would not support it.
The most controversial bills are those that have not been previously passed. These include the prohibition on MNCare for adult undocumented aliens (first bill), The Capital Investment bill (sometimes called the bonding bill), which borrows money for construction projects, and a reinsurance bill to augment a fund that supports insurance carriers to keep down the cost of premiums.
The following is the agenda listed in the agreement posted on June 6. It would be reasonable to assume that this reflects the order of bills.
HOUSE FILES
25-0702 MNCare Adult illegal alien prohibition
No spreadsheet -No agreement
25-05697 Health
Spreadsheet/agreement https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/2025%20Health%20and%20Human%20Services%20Detailed%20Spreadsheet,%206.6.25%20902am.pdf
25-05685 Commerce
Bill https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Commerce%20Bill.pdf
Spreadsheet https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Spreadsheet%20-%20Commerce%20(5.22.25).pdf
25-05696 Human Services
25-05713 K-12 Education
25-05709 Transportation
Bill https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/25-05709.pdf
25-05718 Capital Investment
No information posted
25-05695 Taxes
Bill https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Tax%20Bill%20Draft%20(25-05695).pdf
Spreadsheet/agreement https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Taxes%20Budget%20Bill%20Agreement%20Spreadsheet_5.29.2025.pdf
SENATE FILES
25-05671 Environment
Spreadsheet https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Omnibus-Environment-Budget-and-ENRTF-II.pdf
Agreement https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Summary-of-Environment-Omnibus-Agreement.pdf
25-05711 Jobs and Labor
Bill https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Jobs-and-Labor-17253171050015642774.pdf
Spreadsheet https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Workforce%20Detailed%20Spreadsheet%206.2.25.pdf
Agreements:
https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Spreadsheet%20-%20Jobs%20Signed.pdf
25-05669 Higher education
agreement/spreadsheet: https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Higher%20Education%20Signed%20CC%20Agreement%20Spreadsheet%20(5.19.25).pdf
25-05688 (Energy)
Spreadsheet https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Energy%20Budget%20Special%20Session%206.3.pdf
Agreement https://assets.senate.mn/working_group/2025-2026/2025_1/Energy%20signed%20agreement.pdf
25-05682 (corrections)
This bill is a mistake-catching and clarification bill which is technical in nature and avoids anything that could create policy or substantial fiscal changes. It is always the last bill passed.