 With a quorum for the first time, the House officially began the 2025-26 session Thursday after a more than three-week DFL boycott.
A power-sharing agreement between Republican and DFL leaders Wednesday evening has spelled out how the two parties would operate for the next two years with or without a membership tie.
The session was largely ceremonial and organizational with Rep. Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) elected speaker of the House for the biennium. The first female Republican and first Black person to hold the position, she prevailed over House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) by a 67-65 party-line vote.
Operating under a “new normal”
How will this House session look different from sessions past?
For at least the next month or so, it will bear a close resemblance to instances when one party has had a narrow majority. Republicans will hold the speakership and the gavels for all 26 House committees. All but one committee will have a one-vote Republican advantage.
The new House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee will continue to be chaired by a Republican and have a 5-3 Republican majority.
However, if the House returns to a 67-67 tie following a March 11 special election in House District 40B, new rules will come in to play. If that’s the case, then all committees except fraud prevention will be evenly divided by party and each will have a co-chair and a co-vice chair from each party. It would be up to co-chairs to determine rules on how to share power in their committees. Read more
WATCH ▶️ Minnesota House elects Rep. Lisa Demuth as House Speaker
WATCH ▶️ Thursday morning's House DFL news conference
WATCH ▶️ Thursday morning's House Republican news conference
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Session Daily is an online news service updated every day during session and when news from the House warrants.
   
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