The Minnesota Legislature now finds itself divided down the middle with a 67-67 split in the State House, following DFLer David Gottfried’s special election victory in House District 40B. The GOP continues to hold the Speaker of the House position and a majority on a committee focused on reducing fraud and abuse in government programs. Other committees will now have joint leadership with equal representation from both parties and co-chairs overseeing them.
DFL Rep. Melissa Hortman stressed the importance of leaving partisan games behind and working together towards a shared budget agreement, rather than engaging in divisive tactics that only lead to deadlocked debates. The power-sharing agreement will see committees co-chaired by members from both parties, with agenda-setting responsibilities alternating based on leadership. While gavel-switching between parties may lead to a slower legislative process, Hortman is optimistic that a special session won’t be necessary given the current surplus in both the current and budgeted biennium, urging legislators to focus on bipartisan policy initiatives that benefit the people of Minnesota.
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