91st Minnesota Legislature

rdf:langString 91st Minnesota Legislature

rdf:langString Paul Gazelka

rdf:langString Kurt Daudt

rdf:langString Ryan Winkler

rdf:langString Melissa Hortman

rdf:langString The Ninety-first Minnesota Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota from January 8, 2019 to January 4, 2021. It is composed of the Senate and House of Representatives, based on the results of the 2016 Senate election and 2018 House election. It first convened and held its regular session in Saint Paul from January 8 to May 20, 2019, and from February 11 to May 18, 2020. A special session was held from May 24 to 25, 2019, to pass bills enacting the state budget following an agreement between the governor and legislative leaders during the final weekend of the regular session in 2019. Another special session was held from June 12 to 20, 2020, which was required by state law as Governor Tim Walz extended Minnesota's peacetime emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also the followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent protests. Walz and several legislators said they intended to use the special session to address concerns raised by Floyd's murder related to racial inequities in policing, on which the House and Senate were unable to reach an agreement. They were also unable to reach agreements on a public works borrowing bill, appropriating money from the CARES Act to local governments, and assistance for Minneapolis and Saint Paul for damage caused by riots in those cities. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka had said at the beginning of the special session Republicans would adjourn the Senate by June 19 regardless of whatever legislation had or had not been passed by the Legislature, which House Speaker Melissa Hortman said was an arbitrary deadline. Gazelka said at the end of the special session a deadline was needed to force discussions and was willing to return for another special session when there were agreements on these issues. On July 10, 2020, Walz called a third special session that was held from July 13 to 21, 2020, as he again extended the peacetime emergency. The Legislature passed a bill on police reform, but was unable to reach an agreement on a public works borrowing bill. Five more special sessions were called by the Governor throughout the remainder of the year, all of which were to approve the extension of the COVID-19 peacetime emergency. In total, seven special sessions were held this term, the most of any term in state history.