Legislative session starts Monday

The Minnesota House and Senate will be gavelled into session at noon on Monday, Jan. 31 and adjourn in mid to late May. Traditionally referred to as the “short session” of the legislative biennium, the primary focus during the second year is often on assembling a statewide capital investment bill. This session will be unique for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the more than $7 billion budget surplus available to spend. While a supplemental budget bill will certainly be talked about by both the Republican-led Senate and the DFL-controlled House, there is no statutory requirement that any spending bill be passed during this “short” 2022 session.

Earlier this week, legislative “deadlines” were released by the Speaker of the House. These are the dates agreed to between the two chambers to provide a roadmap for moving bills though the session with some level of efficiency. For the 2022 regular session, these dates are:

• 1^st Deadline – March 25
  • The date by which committees must act favorably upon a bill in the house of origin.
• 2^nd Deadline – April 1
  • The date by which committees must act favorably on bills, or companion bills, that met the first deadline in the other house.
• 3^rd Deadline – April 8
  • The date by which committees must act favorably on major finance or appropriation bills.

The deadlines do not apply to the House committees on Capital Investment, Ways and Means, Taxes, or Rules and Legislative Administration, nor to the Senate committees on Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Administration.