The vacant seat in House District 40B has now been filled, resolving the story of which party controls the Minnesota House. The special election for the seat was held on March 11, and the DFL candidate, David Gottfried, won 70.15% to Republican candidate Paul Wikstrom’s 29.75%. Last week he was sworn in, restoring the body to a 67-67 tie.
This development significantly changes the landscape for the rest of the legislative session, as a power-sharing agreement is now in place. This means that committees will be co-chaired by a Democrat and Republican with equal members from each party serving on the committee. Until last week, Republicans had been controlling committees with a one-vote advantage. The tie will put legislators’ ability to work together in a bipartisan manner to the test, particularly as they begin to craft the state budget for the upcoming biennium — because now bills will need bi-partisan votes to advance.
The power-sharing agreements also confirmed that Rep. Lisa Demuth (R) will continue to serve as Speaker of the House for the next two years and Republicans will maintain the majority on a new anti-fraud committee for two years.
SENATE DISTRICT 6 SPECIAL ELECTION
Just when things seemed to get back to normal after the House special election, an unexpected shakeup unfolded in the Senate last week. State Senator Justin Eichorn was arrested on March 17 during a police sting operation in Bloomington for solicitation of a minor. Facing bipartisan calls for his resignation and potential expulsion from the Senate, Eichorn resigned on March 20. Senate Democrats now hold a 34-32 majority in the Senate until a special election takes place. The governor has called a special election for April 29 with a primary on April 15. As of March 27, six people had filed to run — five Republicans and one DFLer. Filings opened March 26 and will close April 1.
GOVERNOR’S BUDGET PROPOSALS
Gov. Tim Walz released his new budget recommendations for the upcoming biennium on March 21, revising his previous recommendations to align with the more negative financial outlook in the February budget forecast. The proposal includes an additional $409 million reduction in spending over four years. It proposes additional cuts of $162 million for 2026-27 and $247 million for 2028-29, primarily in the education budget. The proposed cuts are on top of his budget recommendations released in January.
DEADLINES
Deadlines help narrow the number of active bills. Traditionally, a bill must clear all policy committees to meet the first deadline. The second deadline requires bills to clear all policy committees in both chambers. This year the legislature agreed to a combined first and second deadline, set for Friday, April 4.
The third deadline is set for when finance committees must pass their budget bills. That deadline is scheduled for April 11.
KEY LEGISLATIVE DATES
March 29-31, 2025 – Eid Recess
April 1, 2025 – Legislature Resumes
April 4, 2025 – First and Second Committee Deadlines
April 11-21, 2025 – Passover/Easter Break
April 11, 2025 – Third Committee Deadline
April 23, 2025 – Gov. Walz’s State of the State Address
April 29, 2025 – Senate District 6 Special Election
May 19, 2025 – Last Day of the 2025 Minnesota Legislature (Adjournment)
THE IMPACT OF CITIZEN TESTIMONY
Testifying before a legislative committee is a powerful way to influence policy and ensure your voice is heard. However, the process can seem intimidating, especially if you’re new to it. So, Ewald’s Government Relations Team has created a video to walk you through the steps of preparing and delivering effective testimony. A recent blog post shares real stories about the impact of citizen testimony.
