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On Monday, March 18, 2024, Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan released their 2024 Supplemental Budget. This budget proposal, totaling $226 million over the next two biennia (the next four years), would mean additional spending over the $72 billion budget that was passed in the last legislative session.
The governor recognized possible budget challenges ahead and took a scaled-back approach in developing this supplemental budget, focusing on proposals that impact public safety, clean water and water quality, and children and families. In his remarks, the governor said the focus this year is not on a budget — which was passed last year — but on a capital investment or bonding bill. Highlights from the governor’s supplemental budget include:
- Child Tax Credit Payment Protection Pilot – $45 million
- Implements of a guaranteed minimum amount of 50% of the prior year’s child tax credit, administering advanced, periodic child tax credit payments beginning tax year 2025.
- Crime Victim Services – $10 million
- Funding for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to provide grants for direct services and advocacy for victims of crime.
- Emergency Ambulance Service Aid – $10 million
- Establishes an aid program for licensed ambulance service providers.
- Addressing Food Security for Minnesotans – $5 million
- One-time funding for food security resources to Minnesota food banks, the Minnesota Food Shelf Program, and the American Indian Food Sovereignty Program.
- $42.1 million allocation from the voluntary prekindergarten reserve to provide an additional 5,200 voluntary prekindergarten seats in 2025.
- Extends availability of the David J. Tomassoni ALS Research Grant Program appropriation from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2029.
The governor’s budget proposal leaves $2 billion on the table for the 26/27 biennium that could be used to address the budget imbalance identified during the February forecast.
The House and the Senate will use the next four weeks — until the second committee deadline on April 19 — building their budget proposals. The governor’s supplemental budget will need to be introduced in the legislature. Unlike the biennial budget, which the legislature is required by law to pass, the legislature is not required to pass a supplemental budget.
The full summary for the Governor’s Supplemental Budget can be found here.
A more detailed description of the proposals in the Governor’s Supplemental Budget can be found here.
You can watch the press conference with Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan announcing their 2024 Supplemental Budget here.
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FIRST COMMITTEE DEADLINE
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Friday, March 22 is the first committee deadline. This is a deadline for policy bills, meaning committees in both bodies must act favorably on any bill that is not a major appropriation or finance bill.
Policy Committees have developed major policy omnibus bills. The omnibus policy bills will need to pass the House and Senate in identical form to be sent to the governor for signature. Any bills with differences between the House and Senate will need to go to a conference committee to work out the differences.
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DATES TO REMEMBER
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Coming Soon
- Friday, March 22 — First Committee Deadline
- Wednesday, March 27 at 5 p.m. through April 2 at 12 noon — Easter Recess
Committee Deadlines
The House and Senate have adopted committee deadlines. The second committee deadline is Friday, April 19: Committees in both bodies must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.
Legislative Recess
The legislature will recess for the observance of Easter, Eid, and Passover during the 2024 regular session. Both the Senate and House will remain open — but no committee meetings or floor sessions will take place during these times.
- Easter recess
- Begins on Wednesday, March 27 at 5 p.m.
- Legislative activities resume on Tuesday, April 2 at 12 Noon
- Eid recess (may change based on religious practice and the lunar calendar)
- Begins on Tuesday, April 9 at 5 p.m.
- Legislative activities resume on Thursday, April 11 at 12 Noon
- Passover recess
- All day on Monday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 23
- Legislative activities resume on Wednesday, April 24 at 12 Noon
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LEGISLATIVE RETIREMENTS
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For an up-to-date list of legislative retirements, please visit the Legislative Reference Library’s list of retirements.
Notable retirements include:
- Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, current House Judiciary and Public Safety Chair
- Rep. Pat Garofalo, current minority lead, House Ways and Means
- Rep. Deb Kiel, current minority lead, House Human Services Policy
- Rep. Liz Olson, current House Ways and Means Chair
- Rep. Gene Pelowski, current Higher Education Chair and most senior House member
- Rep. Laurie Pryor, current House Education Policy Committee Chair
- Rep. Frank Hornstein, current House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee Chair
- Rep. Dean Urdahl, current minority lead, House Capital Investment Committee
Two members have left the legislature since the 2023 Legislative Session adjourned in May 2023:
- Rep. Ruth Richardson (DFL-Mendota Heights) resigned Sept. 1, 2023. This seat was won by Rep. Bianca Virnig (DFL-Eagan) who was seated on Jan. 12, 2024.
- Former Speaker and House Minority Leader Rep. Kurt Daudt resigned Feb. 11, 2024. Gov. Walz set the date for a special election to fill this seat on Tuesday, March 19 — and GOP candidate Bryan Lawrence defeated DFLer Brad Brown. Rep.-elect Lawrence will be sworn in soon.
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