Minnesota Legislature
Stable budget outlook projects $3.7 billion surplus now, no deficit in next biennium
The projected surplus for Fiscal Years 2026-27 is now higher than it was in the November estimate, and no deficit is projected for the next biennium.
“Minnesota’s budget outlook has improved amid significant near-term economic and fiscal uncertainty,” according to the February forecast released Friday by Minnesota Management and Budget.
The 2026-27 biennium projected balance is now $3.7 billion, $1.3 billion higher than November estimates. “A slightly improved economic outlook drives a higher revenue forecast largely driven by more volatile sources of revenue,” according to MMB.
However, spending growth is forecast to outpace revenue growth in the projections through Fiscal Year 2029. The projected General Fund balance for the 2028-29 biennium is now $377 million, but “a significant structural imbalance remains. Shifting policies at the federal level and missing or incomplete data due to recent federal government shutdowns introduce significant uncertainty to the projections,” according to MMB.
Read more at Session Daily.
Session Daily
Week in Review: March 9-13 (3/13/2026 12:59:00 PM) House passes bill to rename community solar program in Hortman's honor (3/12/2026 5:53:00 PM) Bill to expand crossbow hunting heads to House Floor (3/12/2026 5:12:00 PM) Lawmakers support their access to full Optum report, but not the public (3/12/2026 5:01:00 PM) Bill would extend in-state tuition to families relocating for full-time jobs (3/12/2026 4:54:00 PM) Briefings highlight workforce strengths, areas of possible concern (3/12/2026 3:00:00 PM) Bill to ban corporate campaign donations stalls in commerce committee (3/12/2026 2:45:00 PM) 'Melissa Hortman State Office Building' gets overwhelming committee approval (3/12/2026 2:18:00 PM) Will livestreamed government proceedings be coming to your Facebook feed? (3/12/2026 1:52:00 PM) Tax panel considers expanding refunds for big property tax hikes (3/12/2026 12:54:00 PM) Public safety committee rejects bill to increase penalties for misconduct by public officials (3/11/2026 7:16:00 PM)
Photography
This week's slideshow,
photo gallery and
Capitol area images
Live Video
Event Schedule
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF4222 (Gottfried) State parks added to and deleted from, and sales and conveyances of surplus state lands authorized.
HF4224 (Fischer) Notice requirements for water discharges modified.
HF3643 (Fischer) Melissa and Mark Hortman Memorial State Park established, report required, and money appropriated.
HF3426 (Jordan) Funding provided from environment and natural resources trust fund, and prior appropriations extended.
House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
Chair remarks (if necessary).
HF4266 (Allen) Lowest recognized family responsibility amount modified for purposes of determining state grant awards.
University of Minnesota bonding request presentation.
House Education Finance Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
Office of School Trust Lands presentation and update.
Minnesota State Board of Investment: Permanent School Fund Task Force Report.
HF3900 (Igo) Permanent school fund modified to calculate distributable earnings, and constitutional amendment proposed.
House Energy Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
Form Energy presentation.
HF4059 (Luger-Nikolai) Additional financing mechanisms to support Minnesota Climate Innovation Financing Authority activities provided.
HF76 (Greenman) Rate recovery of executive pay limited for certain public utilities.
House Housing Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 3:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF4141 (Johnson, W.) Criminal penalty provided for assaulting housing and redevelopment authority employees.
HF3951 (Igo) Submetered utility service final billing for vacating tenants provided, and provisions related to the payment of rent by tenants modified.
House Education Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 3:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
Department of Education presentation: Charter authorizers and schools.
HF3487 (Rehrauer) Anonymous threat reporting systems required, and report required.
HF3421 (Clardy) Early literacy field experience required for teacher candidates providing early literacy instruction, rulemaking required, and money appropriated.
House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 3:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF3771 (Johnson, P.) Reporting date on the disaster assistance contingency account.
HF3658 (Frazier) Processes for applying for, securing, and enforcing extreme risk protection orders modified.
HF3453 (Hanson) Legal age to possess kratom established as 21 years of age or older.
HF3358 (Finke) Detention and transport of suspects in vehicles that are not designed for detaining humans and designated as law enforcement vehicles prohibited.
HF1775 (Pinto) Criminal case information reporting required, and money appropriated.
House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 3:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF4277 (West) Requirements for child care centers to use video security cameras modified.
HF3819 (West) Licensing inspection requirements for child care providers modified, program integrity requirements for child care assistance program established, and report required.
HF3489 (Bennett) Field trip policy established, reporting to licensing boards required, and criminal offense of grooming established.
Safe Passage presentation: Child Fatalities in Minnesota.
HF4408 (Nelson) Public disclosure of information related to child fatalities and near fatalities required, and child mortality review panel annual report requirements modified.
HF3901 (Johnson, W.) Investigative powers added to the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson.
HF4316 (Olson) Child care background study notification requirements modified, child care leadership made responsible for maltreatment at centers, and maltreatment notification requirements modified.
House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday, March 17 2026 3/17/2026 5:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF3919 (Cha) Benefits available to veterans of the Secret War in Laos modified, commissioner of veterans affairs directed to establish an eligibility process, and technical changes made.
HF3791 (Greene) Security and protective services of certain state officials provided, report required, and money appropriated.
HF1781 (Tabke) Various policy changes made, including authorizing aircraft electronic attestation, defining terms, modifying injury crash reporting, modifying legislative routes, and updating yellow traffic signal indications.
HF3908 (Kraft) Ignition interlock program license revocation requirements modified, driver's license indicators classified as private data, and technical corrections made.
HF4233 (Kraft) Requirements governing the excavation notice system, including to require electronic positive response modified.
HF3966 (Jones) Transit and bicycle related parking enforcement through use of transit obstruction camera systems authorized, penalty established, data practices provided, and money appropriated.
HF3430 (Kraft) Surcharges for all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles modified, and vehicle weight surcharge established.
WEDNESDAY: Session Daily Update
Wednesday, March 18 2026 3/18/2026 12:10 PM
Watch: Live Event
Updates from the House.
WEDNESDAY: House Floor Session
Wednesday, March 18 2026 3/18/2026 12:15 PM
Watch: Live Event
House Floor Session.
MONDAY: House Floor Session*
Monday, March 23 2026 3/23/2026 3:30 PM
Watch: Live Event
* Time of convening has not yet been set.
CALENDAR FOR THE DAY.
HF3741 (Hill) Educational assistance for veterans' children and spouses modified, and money appropriated.
HF3731 (Greenman) Class A installer license eliminated from the electrical code.
HF3802 (Hollins) Exemptions to the certificate of need requirement for transmission.
HF3241 (Stier) Display of dynamic electronic content while operating a motor vehicle limitations modified.
SF3623 (Allen) Vehicles approaching school buses required to stop for flashing red lights.
News and Notes
Bill Introductions: HF4290-HF4417
2026 Legislative Session
The 2026 legislative session must conclude by May 18.
Committee deadlines
First and second: March 27 at 5 p.m.: Committees must act favorably on bills in the house of origin and committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other body.
Third: April 17 at 5 p.m.: Committees must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.
Members not seeking re-election
The Legislative Reference Library maintains a list of members who are retiring or seeking other offices.
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