The Eighty-ninth Minnesota Legislature was the

legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

from January 6, 2015, to January 2, 2017. It was composed of the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

and the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

, based on the results of the 2012 Senate election and the 2014 House election. The seats were apportioned based on the 2010 United States census. It first convened in

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

on January 6, 2015, and last met on May 23, 2016. It held its regular session from January 6 to May 18, 2015, and from March 8 to May 23, 2016. A special session to complete unfinished business was held from June 12 to 13, 2015.

Major events

* March 4, 2015: Joint session to elect regents of the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

. * April 9, 2015: 2015 State of the State Address * March 9, 2016: 2016 State of the State Address

Major legislation

Enacted

* March 17, 2015: Child protection act () * May 5, 2015: Right to Try Act () * May 22, 2015: Omnibus public safety act () * May 22, 2015: Omnibus higher education act () * May 22, 2015: Omnibus health and human services act () * May 22, 2015: Omnibus transportation act () * May 22, 2015: Environment and natural resources trust fund appropriations act () * May 23, 2015: Omnibus state government act () * June 13, 2015: Omnibus jobs, economic development, and energy act () * June 13, 2015: Omnibus legacy act (, see also ) * June 13, 2015: Omnibus education act () * June 13, 2015: Omnibus agriculture, environment, and natural resources act () * June 13, 2015: Omnibus capital investment (bonding) act () * May 19, 2016: Nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images and sexual solicitation act () * May 22, 2016: Controlled substances act () * May 22, 2016: Presidential primary election act () * May 31, 2016: Portable recording systems act () * May 31, 2016: Outdoor heritage fund appropriations act () * May 31, 2016: Environment and natural resources trust fund appropriations act () ** Seven appropriations line-item vetoed. * June 1, 2016: Omnibus supplemental appropriations act ()

Proposed

:''Boldface indicates the bill was passed by its house of origin.'' * Background checks for firearm transfers bill (/) * Compassionate Care Act (/) * Family leave insurance bill (/) * Gender-specific accommodations bill (/) * Minimum wage modification for tipped employees bill (/) * MNsure governance bill (/) * Omnibus agriculture, environment, natural resources, jobs, economic development, and energy bill (/) * Omnibus agriculture, environment, natural resources, jobs, economic development, and energy bill () * Omnibus capital investment (bonding) bill (/) * Omnibus capital investment (bonding) bill (/) * Omnibus education policy bill (/) * Omnibus education policy bill (/) * Omnibus health, human services, state government, and public safety bill (/) * Omnibus jobs, economic development, and energy bill (/) * Omnibus transportation bill (/) * Real ID implementation bill (/) * Teacher licensure and employment bill (/) * Transportation finance bill (/)

Vetoed

* May 21, 2015: Omnibus education bill (/) * May 23, 2015: Omnibus jobs, economic development, and energy bill () * May 23, 2015: Omnibus agriculture, environment, and natural resources bill (/) * June 7, 2016: Omnibus tax bill (

pocket veto A pocket veto is a legislative maneuver that allows a president or other official with veto power to exercise that power over a bill by taking no action ("keeping it in their pocket"), thus effectively killing the bill without affirmatively vetoin ...

) (/)

Summary of actions

In this Legislature, all acts were approved (signed) by

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Mark Dayton Mark Brandt Dayton (born January 26, 1947) is an American politician who served as the List of governors of Minnesota, 40th governor of Minnesota from 2011 to 2019. He served as a United States Senate, United States Senator representing Minneso ...

, with the exceptions of H.F. No. 844, an omnibus education bill; H.F. No. 846, an omnibus agriculture, environment, and natural resources bill; H.F. No. 1437, an omnibus jobs, economic development, and energy bill; and , an omnibus bill modifying state and local government employee retirement statutes, all of which were

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...

ed. In chapter 186, an environment and natural resources appropriations act, seven appropriations were line-item vetoed. H.F. No. 848, the omnibus tax bill, was

ed. No bills or items were enacted by the Legislature over the governor's veto.

Political composition

:''Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section below.''

Senate

House of Representatives

Leadership

Senate

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

: Sandy Pappas (DFL) * President pro tempore: Ann Rest (DFL)

Majority (DFL) leadership

* Majority Leader:

Tom Bakk Thomas M. Bakk ( ; born June 8, 1954) is a Minnesota politician. He served in the Minnesota Legislature from 1995 to 2023 and is a former majority leader and minority leader. Early life, education, and career Bakk was born and raised in Cook, ...

* Assistant Majority Leader:

Katie Sieben Katie Sieben (born March 23, 1977) is an American politician who currently serves as Chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Sieben was appointed to the commission by Governor Mark Dayton in January 2017, and promoted to chair in Apri ...

* Deputy Majority Leader: Jeff Hayden * Majority Whips: ** Chris Eaton **

Lyle Koenen Lyle J. Koenen (born June 16, 1956) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 17, which included portions of Chippewa, Kandiyo ...

Minority (Republican) leadership

* Minority Leader:

David Hann David W. Hann (born April 16, 1952) is an American politician and a former minority leader of the Minnesota Senate. A Republican, he represented District 48, which consisted of the cities of Eden Prairie and Minnetonka, from 2003-2017. He was t ...

* Assistant Minority Leaders: ** Michelle Benson **

Gary Dahms Gary H. Dahms ( ; born January 14, 1947) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 15, which includes all or portions of Brown, Lac qui Parle, Lyon, Redwood ...

Paul Gazelka Paul E. Gazelka ( ; born October 1, 1959) is an American politician and small business owner from Minnesota. A Republican, Gazelka was a member of the Minnesota Senate and was previously a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. In the ...

** Bill Ingebrigtsen ** Warren Limmer ** Carrie Ruud * Minority Whip:

David Osmek David Joseph Osmek ( ; born October 11, 1964) is an American politician and businessman who is a former member of the Minnesota Senate. From 2022 to 2023, he served as the 16th President of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Republican Party of ...

House of Representatives

Speaker Speaker most commonly refers to: * Speaker, a person who produces speech * Loudspeaker, a device that produces sound ** Computer speakers Speaker, Speakers, or The Speaker may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Speaker" (song), by David ...

Kurt Daudt Kurt Louis Daudt (born September 26, 1973) is an American politician and former Minority Leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives. He is also a former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party o ...

(R) * Speaker pro tempore: Tim O'Driscoll (R)

Majority (Republican) leadership

* Majority Leader: Joyce Peppin * Majority Whip:

Dan Fabian Dan Fabian (born June 28, 1954) is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 1A from 2015 to 2019 and as Minority Whip from 2019 to 2021. He represented all of Kittson, Rose ...

* Assistant Majority Leaders: ** Dave Baker **

Deb Kiel Debra L. Kiel ( ; born August 31, 1957) is an American politician who served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2011 to 2025. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Kiel represented District 1B in northwest Minnesota, which i ...

** Ron Kresha ** Kathy Lohmer ** Tim Sanders ** Chris Swedzinski

Minority (DFL) leadership

* Minority Leader:

Paul Thissen Paul Thissen (born December 10, 1966) is an American politician and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He previously served as the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives and DFL Minority Leader. Thiss ...

* Deputy Minority Leaders: **

Melissa Hortman Melissa Anne Hortman (née Haluptzok; May27, 1970June14, 2025) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 61st Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party ...

** Paul Marquart **

Erin Murphy Erin Margaret Murphy (born June 17, 1964) is an American actress, who is best known for her role as young Tabitha Stephens in the television sitcom ''Bewitched'', in 103 episodes from the show's third season (in 1966) to the last original episo ...

Members

Senate

: :

House of Representatives

: :

Changes in membership

Senate

House of Representatives

Committees

Senate

House of Representatives

Administrative officers

Senate

* Secretary: JoAnne Zoff * First Assistant Secretary: Colleen Pacheco * Second Assistant Secretary: Mike Linn * Third Assistant Secretary: Jessica Tupper * Engrossing Secretary: Melissa Mapes * Sergeant at Arms: Sven Lindquist * Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Marilyn Logan Hall * Chaplain: Rev. Dennis Morreim

House of Representatives

* Chief Clerk: Patrick Murphy * First Assistant Chief Clerk: Tim Johnson * Second Assistant Chief Clerk: Gail Romanowski * Desk Clerk: Marilee Davis * Legislative Clerk: David Surdez * Chief Sergeant at Arms: Bob Meyerson (from January 29, 2015) * Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Erica Brynildson * Assistant Sergeant at Arms: Andrew Olson * Index Clerk: Carl Hamre

Notes

References

External links

* Legislature
2015 Regular Session Laws
*
2015, 1st Special Session Laws
*
2016 Regular Session Laws
* Senate
List of bill summaries
prepared by the Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis Office * House of Representatives
List of somewhat to very well-known bills
compiled by the House Chief Clerk's Office *
List of bill summaries
prepared by the House Research Department *
List of act summaries
prepared by the House Research Department {{Minnesota Legislatures Minnesota legislative sessions 2015 in Minnesota 2016 in Minnesota 2015 U.S. legislative sessions 2016 U.S. legislative sessions