CapWatch
As the legislature works towards the first round of committee deadlines, high profile issues including gun violence, fraud, and immigration enforcement continue to be the themes of the session.
Three weeks into the 2026 legislative session and halfway to the first round of committee deadlines, the Minnesota Legislature has been operating at a rapid pace with committees already taking up significant legislative proposals and receiving updates from state agencies.
With the Minnesota Legislature starting later in the year during the second year of the biennium, the condensed calendar has legislators and staff looking towards committee deadlines even as they enter the third week of the legislative session.
On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the Minnesota Legislature gaveled in and kicked off the 2026 legislative session.
The Minnesota Legislature officially begins the 2026 legislative session at noon today.
The 2026 session of the Minnesota Legislature begins at noon on February 17, 2026.
On February 3, 2026, Minnesota’s major political parties held precinct caucuses, officially kicking off the 2026 election calendar.
On January 29, 2026, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar officially announced her campaign for governor of Minnesota.
With the Department of Homeland Security having dispatched nearly 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Minnesota in recent weeks, tensions remain high, particularly across the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Last week, Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Department of Homeland Security would be dispatching approximately 2,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to Minnesota.
This morning, Gov. Tim Walz announced that he no longer intends to run for governor in 2026, citing a need to be present as governor and not spend his time campaigning.
