ST PAUL, Minnesota — After a busy and historic Minnesota legislative session last year, things could feel a bit more normal this time.
Minnesota lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday for the start of the 2024 legislative session with bonding projects considered a top priority.
"This is the second year of the legislative session. The first year was a bonanza year in which the DFL majority and the DFL governor spent $17.6 billion. It's more than 40% of the last record. So this session is not about spending," said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
The state projects a surplus of $2.4 billion in the two-year budget period that runs through June 2025. But after that, there is a potential $2.3 billion shortfall.
"The focus will be on what's known as bonding which is borrowing money to invest in roads, bridges and clean water," Jacobs said.
Last month, Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan proposed the state spend nearly $1 billion this year on infrastructure, with almost half going toward maintaining and rebuilding already existing, taxpayer-funded facilities.
"That will be the main focus is what are the projects around the state that are going to improve people's lives," Jacobs said.
Passing a bonding bill requires bipartisan support with at least a three-fifths majority in both chambers. Democrats have only a four-vote majority in the House and a one-seat edge in the Senate. Republican House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said the price for the needed GOP votes will be a package that equitably distributes projects across the state. Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, said "the jury is out" on using cash to beef up the plan, as the governor proposed.
Another main focus will be potentially fixing new laws.
On Monday, lawmakers are set to discuss the debate over a school resource officer (SRO) law. A new bill will be introduced to clarify and enhance a law passed last year, that prohibited officers from using certain restraints on students. That led to several SROs being pulled from school buildings across the state.
There is also talk about revisiting the state's new recreational marijuana law and closing a loophole, as reported by MinnPost.
Sports betting will also once again be in front of legislators. Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, sponsored a bill to legalize sports betting, bringing Minnesota even with neighboring states.
Meanwhile, a House committee has already kicked off the debate over allowing physician-assisted suicide for adult patients with less than six months to live.
Democrats are planning an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution that will likely include protections for abortion rights, as well as gender identity and expression
"There's a big debate about the impact of a constitutional amendment to put the right to abortion in the Constitution. There's some DFLers who say this will mobilize support, there are others who say it may mobilize more of the pro-life opponents of abortion," Jacobs said.
But Hortman told MinnPost last week that it seems more likely to appear on the 2026 ballot, instead of 2024.
"I think we're going to see this as an issue. DFLers are really going to go at it," Jacobs said.
There is also a new Senate majority leader. It was announced last week that Democratic Sen. Erin Murphy, of St. Paul, is taking over after Sen. Kari Dziedzic, of Minneapolis, said she had to step down from the position after learning her cancer had returned.
The new session comes as all 134 House seats are up for election.
"The Republicans want to use the session to drive home their main attack on the DFL that they are out of control when it comes to spending," Jacobs said. "They're going to use every opportunity to take advantage of that attack."
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