Minnesota Legislature Enters Last Week of Session
With just a week remaining before the Minnesota Legislature’s constitutional deadline to adjourn, both chambers continue to process significant policy and appropriation proposals. The path to an orderly end of session remains elusive as the Senate has assembled omnibus policy and supplemental finance bills while the House of Representatives has generally moved stand-alone proposals. This creates uncertainty around end-of-session strategy (conference committees vs. mega-omnibus) and how priorities and disagreement will be resolved.
Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders continue discussions on a final deal ahead of the May 18 deadline to adjourn. These discussions have generally focused on big ticket items, including financial relief for Hennepin County Medical Center, federal tax conformity, gun violence prevention and school safety, program integrity and fraud prevention, and state infrastructure and capital investment. With so much still in play, decisions will have to be made quickly on how they will wrap up the 2026 legislative session on time.
Senate Passes Firearm Legislation
On May 4, 2026, the Minnesota Senate narrowly passed a significant gun control proposal that would ban dealers from selling weapons like the AR-15 and magazines containing over 17 rounds. Current owners of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines would need to certify their firearms and magazines with the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and renew their certification every three years. The package also reinstates a struck-down ban on binary triggers, which doubles a firearm’s rate of fire and would make it a felony to sell so-called “ghost guns” or firearms without serial numbers. Having passed the Senate on a 34-33 party line vote, it remains uncertain whether the proposal will receive sufficient support to pass out of the evenly split House of Representatives.
Capitol Security Funding Bill Progresses
On May 6, 2026, the Minnesota House of Representatives took up and passed H.F. 3230 which would appropriate $24.17 million over the next two years to fund State Capitol, legislative, and judicial security programs. Sponsored by Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL-Shoreview), H.F. 3230 differs from the Senate proposal which would appropriate $47.32 million. A large portion of the funds appropriate in H.F. 3230 would fund additional resources for screening at the entrance of the Capitol. This has been an important issue for many to address due to the political violence over the past year. Rep. Moller and the Senate author, Sen. Ron. Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), will head to a conference committee to negotiate the differences.
House Passes Independent Inspector General Legislation
On Thursday, May 7, 2026, the House of Representatives took up and passed H.F. 1338/S.F. 856, a proposal that would establish a statewide independent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) by a 127-5 vote. Sponsored by Rep. Matt Norris (DFL-Blaine), the proposal would establish the Office of the Inspector General within the executive branch and give it authority to inspect, evaluate, and investigate state agencies and programs to identify fraud and recommend changes to ensuring proper use of public funds. The proposal costs $7.29 million in the FY 26-7 biennium and $23 million in the FY 28-29 biennium. The Senate passed a different version of the OIG proposal last session and the bill authors are likely to head to conference committee to negotiate the differences.
Important Dates
Congress returns to Washington this week facing an increasingly volatile political and geopolitical environment. The Senate is back in session today, while the House returns Tuesday following recess amid renewed focus on redistricting, voting rights, appropriations, border funding, and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
President Trump is expected to travel to China this week for high-level meetings with President Xi Jinping focused on trade, economic stability, and the escalating situation in the Middle East. Discussions are also expected to include maritime security and continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, which has contributed to rising global energy prices and renewed inflation concerns domestically.
On Capitol Hill, Speaker Mike Johnson enters the work period with renewed momentum following major court decisions impacting congressional redistricting and Voting Rights Act litigation. Republican leaders believe the recent rulings in Washington and Virginia may improve the GOP’s outlook heading into the 2026 midterms by opening the door to additional favorable congressional maps in several southern states, including Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. House Republicans view the developments as an opportunity to stabilize their narrow majority despite continued political headwinds surrounding inflation, healthcare access, ethics investigations involving several members, and public concerns over the administration’s handling of Iran.
At the same time, House Republicans are preparing for a demanding legislative stretch that includes negotiations on the farm bill, FY2027 appropriations, transportation reauthorization, and proposals to increase long-term funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection. Internal debates continue over broader federal spending priorities and security-related infrastructure requests.
For House Democrats, the recent legal decisions have intensified concerns about the party’s electoral positioning and the future makeup of the Congressional Black Caucus. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been engaged in discussions with Virginia Democratic leaders following the Virginia Supreme Court ruling, although no immediate legislative response has emerged. Democrats are expected to shift significant resources toward defending vulnerable districts and maintaining competitiveness in newly impacted maps.
The evolving legal landscape surrounding redistricting and Voting Rights Act enforcement is expected to remain a central political issue throughout the remainder of the year and could significantly influence House control heading into the next election cycle.
LHPA will continue monitoring congressional activity, appropriations developments, geopolitical events, and emerging policy matters important to our clients, and we will keep you updated on significant developments.
