After last year’s historic legislative session, Minnesota’s lawmakers returned to the capitol on Feb. 12 for the 2024 session. As the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party controls the trifecta—the governorship, the House of Representatives and the Senate—they look to advance many of their bills.
In 2023, the Democrat-controlled legislature enacted a sweeping number of changes, including the legalization of recreational cannabis, universal free lunches for K-12 students, driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status, protection of reproductive freedom and a statewide paid family and medical leave program. The onslaught of new laws increased the state budget to $72 billion, which will fund Minnesota’s government until 2025, with a predicted $2.5 billion budget surplus.
As Minnesota runs on a biennial (two-year) budget cycle, this session will focus on bonding and bills that are not associated with increased spending. House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) said of the financial forecast this year, “Minnesota doesn’t have a revenue problem. We have high taxes. Minnesota has a spending problem. And House Republicans are willing to stand up and say, ‘No new spending.’”
Sophomore Cutler Crook hopes the Minnesota legislature will prioritize sustainability this session: “I would like them to focus on environmental regulation in Minnesota, especially in the boundary waters where mining is damaging the ecosystem,” he said.
One bill has already stirred controversy this session—an updated version of a 2023 law that seeks to improve language around school resource officers’ (SROs) use of force on students. The 2023 bill permitted SROs to perform prone restraints—the same type of restrictive hold that killed George Floyd—only in situations of imminent bodily harm. After the bill passed, some law enforcement agencies removed their officers from schools, worrying about legal repercussions due to vague language. Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope) introduced a new bill this year to create a uniform policy around SROs’ training and clarify in what situations they can perform prone restraints on students. The bill has already passed the House Education and Public Safety Committees, so it is expected to be voted on in the House on Mar. 4.

The legislature will also be working on a public infrastructure bill (otherwise known as a bonding bill) and they will address sports betting, legalizing medically assisted suicide and an equal rights amendment. The equal rights amendment would codify into the state constitution that no individual can be discriminated against based on their identity, including race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation and more. This bill was discussed in 2023 but did not pass the House; this session, the list of protected freedoms under the amendment has been expanded to include pregnancy outcomes and reproductive freedom. If passed by the House and Senate, the amendment will also appear on the ballot and must be approved by a majority of voters in order to be added to the Minnesota Constitution.
Freshman Eli Perry tries to stay up-to-date with local politics, both because his parents know their legislator and for personal reasons: “I’m a trans kid. My rights are on the line during a lot of votes,” he said. “I really hope the [Equal Rights Amendment] passes because … it could be a really great step towards equality for everyone.”
The Senate also has a new leader for this session: Senator Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul). She outlined her expectations for the 2024 session: “We passed a powerful agenda last year … but that doesn’t mean we’ve run out of good ideas.”
As 2024 is an election year for state representatives, this session will be a chance for legislators to advocate for their constituents, providing an opportunity for Republican legislators to take back control of the House. At least 16 representatives—an equal number of Democrats and Republicans—have already announced that they will not be seeking re-election. The 2024 legislative session will run until May 20.