MN House lawmakers reach power-sharing agreement to end standoff

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota House lawmakers have reached an agreement to break the three-plus week standoff that has stalemated progress in the Minnesota Legislature.

MN House agreement

What we know:

GOP and DFL house leaders held back-to-back press conferences Thursday morning following the announcement that a power-sharing agreement had been reached the night prior.

As part of the agreement, Republicans will control House committees while they have a 67-66 advantage, until a special election for District 40B can be held.

During that time, both parties will chair the committees and have a one-seat voting advantage.

If the House returns to a 67-67 tie after the special election in Roseville, committees will be co-chaired by both parties, with an equal number of lawmakers on each committee. At that point, a bipartisan vote will be required to advance a bill.

As part of the agreement, a Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee will consist of five GOP members and three DLF members appointed by their party. That committee will be chaired by Rep. Kristen Robbins (GOP-Maple Grove), according to GOP leaders. 

As part of the deal, House lawmakers will make Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) speaker for the entire two-year session, when it convenes later on Thursday.

The deal will be effective as of Thursday, when the House is set to convene with both sides of the aisle present, and expire when either party obtains an organizational majority of 68 members.

The full text of the agreement can be found here: 

What they're saying:

During the Thursday morning press conference, leaders from both the GOP and DFL offered comments on the agreement, and what led up to it being needed.

"This agreement honors and protects the will of the voters, both in Shakopee and statewide. That is what Democrats have been asking for from the beginning, and I'm pleased that this agreement does that," said Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park). "Given this situation, we faced with Republicans looking to engage in an illegitimate power grab, Democrats made the difficult decision to deny quorum to protect the will of the voters. And we succeeded."

"We are happy to tell you that there is an agreement between Democrats and Republicans to organize the House of Representatives and get to work for the people of Minnesota… I think enough started to shift that they decided they needed to become a little bit more serious in their offer," said Rep. Demuth. "The best negotiation is not when everyone walks out completely happy. But the compromises that were made… is a huge win for Republicans. It is a huge win for the state of Minnesota."

A video of the entire press conference can be watched in the player below.

MN House standoff background

Amid a power struggle, DFL members have boycotted the House, leaving GOP members without a quorum – the minimum number of members needed to conduct business.

The backstory:

The Minnesota House is expected to be evenly split after a March special election to fill an open seat in District 40B – a seat that was vacated in December after a court decision. With the empty seat, the DFL is down a representative, giving Republicans a 67 to 66 advantage.

The DFL has called on Republicans to agree with a power-sharing agreement. Republicans, however, called on the DFL to return to work and allow them to operate with their temporary majority – which would have allowed them to set up leadership and committee assignments that the DFL couldn't overturn.

DFL members have not appeared on the House floor amid the power struggle. Republicans attempted to operate as business as normal with the DFL, arguing that 67 members were enough for a quorum. The GOP actions were undone, however, when the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a quorum must consider the entire legislative body, meaning 68 lawmakers need to be present on the House floor for lawmakers to conduct business.

That decision has left the House chambers empty, while leaders worked to hammer out a deal.

Tuesday, the Minnesota GOP announced plans to move forward with petitions to recall House Democrat members who aren't showing up for work. A court hearing was also set in the Minnesota Supreme Court on Thursday on the power-sharing dispute.

What's next:

The announcement Wednesday night came on the heels of Gov. Tim Walz issuing a writ of special election, setting the dates to fill the empty District 40B seat. A primary is set for Tuesday, Feb. 25, with the special election set to be held two weeks later, on March 11, 2025.

The District 40B seat, which represents Roseville and Shoreview, has been historically held by Democrats. The DFL easily won the seat in November until a judge vacated the seat after a successful residency challenge.

If the DFL wins the special election, the House will again be evened up, 67 to 67.