Minnesota Legislature convenes with historic diversity, Democrats in full control

The most diverse group of Minnesota legislators ever raised their right hands Tuesday on the floor of the House and Senate, many making history as they took the oath of office.

Proud spouses and squirming children packed the two chambers, creating an unfamiliar scene after years of pandemic restrictions. Lawmakers greeted each other with hugs and handshakes, welcoming newcomers who included the first three Black women to serve in the Senate and the first transgender and nonbinary representatives in the House.

"Minnesota state government is increasingly reflective of the people of Minnesota," said DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman, noting that there are 35 legislators of color and that several leadership roles will be held by women and people of color for the first time.

Tuesday also marked the first day in nearly a decade that Democrats controlled the House, Senate and governor's office. The DFL trifecta will craft Minnesota's next two-year budget over the next five months, including deciding how to spend a record-breaking $17.6 billion surplus.

Requests for money and policy changes began before legislators were even sworn in. Amid the first-day fanfare, advocates held rallies to call for gun violence protection, driver's licenses for undocumented people and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Many activists hope bills that have languished under divided government — such as a paid family and medical leave program and marijuana legalization — will become law this year.

Now in the minority in both chambers, leading Republicans expressed interest in finding common ground with Democrats while also vowing to keep them in check.

"Our first task is to build relationships and figure out where we can align on issues," said Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks. "Where we can do that, we are going to spend a lot of time trying to work together. Where we can't, we're going to try to hold the Democrats accountable."

DFL lawmakers plan to debut their top spending and policy priorities Wednesday. And on Thursday, the House will hold its first public hearing on a bill that would codify abortion rights in state law.

Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders will have plenty of money available this year with the state's budget surplus. Democrats will have to stay united to push their priorities across the finish line; they hold narrow majorities of six seats in the House and one seat in the Senate.

But on day one, it was all about the pomp.

Legislators in the House and Senate flashed smiles at their family members as they took the oath of office, dozens of them for the first time. The 201 people who make up the House and Senate include a record-breaking number of women, people of color and LGBTQ Minnesotans.

"It is a little anxiety-inducing but it's also very, very exciting," DFL state Rep. Leigh Finke, Minnesota's first transgender legislator, said before being sworn in.

Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, is the first person of color and first woman to lead the House GOP Caucus. Sen. Kari Dziedzic, of Minneapolis, is the first woman to lead a Senate DFL majority and Senate President Bobby Joe Champion is the first Black man to preside over that chamber.

"Whenever you have a cross-section of … people who have different world experiences come together, it only enriches your life because you learn more about something you didn't know about," Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, said of the new Legislature.

After three years of remote and hybrid meetings amid COVID-19, this session could resemble pre-pandemic times.

Rules allowing committees to meet and members to vote remotely sunset last year. Lawmakers may change that to allow some virtual participation. But, at least in the initial days of this session, Zoom meetings are not allowed.

Lawmakers and their family members packed the House and Senate chambers during their floor sessions, while advocates for ranked-choice voting and other causes chanted outside.

Walz and First Lady Gwen Walz were in high spirits as they handed out pumpkin blondies to legislators and mingled with advocates. So was Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who stopped to dance briefly with Indigenous community members in the Capitol rotunda.

"This engagement, I get energy from it and I know the lieutenant governor gets energy from it," Walz said, hailing the return to normalcy. "These people came out in a snowstorm ... There needs to be some validation. They need to see us show up there to say, 'you're doing the hard work.' "

The governor said he heard from both chambers that a bill conforming the state tax code with federal law — a largely technical measure that got hung up last year — could be on his desk next week. He said he hopes lawmakers pass other measures early in the session to build momentum.

A House committee will hold a hearing on the tax conformity bill Wednesday, Hortman said, and both that measure and the "Protect Reproductive Options Act" codifying abortion will be the first two to move through the legislative process.

In the Senate, Dziedzic said she's already told DFL committee leaders to schedule confirmation hearings for Walz's commissioners.

The governor's proposal to send direct tax rebate checks to Minnesotans will "need some more discussion," Dziedzic said, as will recreational marijuana legalization.

"That [marijuana] bill is going to have to go through a lot of committees," Dziedzic said. "In the end, we want the product to be safe."

Supporters of marijuana legalization were at the Capitol bright and early Tuesday, holding a news conference calling for lawmakers to act on the issue this year. They urged the Legislature to create an "equitably regulated, reasonably taxed" market that prioritizes Minnesota businesses over out-of-state corporations.

Advocates with Minnesotans Against Marijuana Legalization held their own news conference and said they don't believe it is a done deal. Group member John Hausladen said they have talked to many legislators who have "huge public safety concerns."

Hortman said her caucus will "proceed very carefully with adult use cannabis." But, she said, "Minnesota is ready. It is time."

As legislators gathered on the House and Senate floors, a group advocating for the state to let undocumented people have driver's licenses packed a room in the basement of the Capitol.

"Our community carries ... a huge pain for not having access to a driver's license. Immigrant parents cannot take their children to recreational and educational activities, and the result is that our youth are being left behind," said Jovita Morales, founder of the Minnesota Immigrant Movement.

Upstairs, supporters of the Equal Rights Amendment held their annual start of session gathering. After years of work, they hope DFL leaders will support altering Minnesota's constitution to address gender equality. Attorney General Keith Ellison led a chant at the rally.

"What do we do in response to unequal pay? Pass the ERA! What do we do in the face of domestic violence? Pass the ERA!" Ellison said. "We have got to pass the ERA."