AASPMN is planning to host another Day at the Capitol event with members on March 3. We anticipate having a hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee on that same day on our priority piece of legislation, Senate File 2209. This event will be most impactful with a strong presence from our membership, so please consider attending if you are able to join us. Please reach out to Linden Wicklund at linden@aaspmn.org or Sam Richie at srichie@larkinhoffman.com for more information. 

Governor Walz Drops Reelection Bid

Minnesota has been in the national news as of late for multiple reasons. First, Governor Tim Walz announced in early January that he will not seek reelection in 2026, immediately changing the political dynamic for the race for the Governor’s seat. Speculation is intensifying that Senator Amy Klobuchar may consider a run for Governor, which would provide the DFL with as strong a candidate as possible given her electoral track record in statewide races. While Klobuchar has not made any public announcement, the volume of political and donor chatter around this possibility has increased notably, and it is beginning to shape early strategic conversations around the 2026 statewide landscape.

We will continue monitoring how these dynamics evolve and what they mean for Minnesota’s delegation, federal funding priorities and the broader political environment.

Federal Government Orders ICE Presence in Minnesota 

Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Department of Homeland Security would be dispatching approximately 2,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to Minnesota. The influx of ICE operations in Minnesota was quickly met with concern and opposition from Gov. Tim Walz and multiple local elected officials. That tension turned tragic when, on the morning of January 7, 2026, news broke of an ICE officer shooting and killing a Minneapolis resident, Renee Good.

The incident, which was recorded by numerous individuals, has been a lightning rod for an ongoing political debate and has touched off protests locally and across the country. Gov. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are urging restraint in the hope of avoiding a civil unrest. However, the tension shows no sign of decreasing as Secretary Noem and other Trump Administration officials continue to demonize immigrant communities and shift the focus of the shooting from the officer involved to the victim herself and protesters in general.

How this issue resolves remains to be seen, but the political fallout has been wide ranging and will continue to impact the 2026 legislative session in ways we cannot yet predict. 

Legislative Calendar Set; Deadlines and Recesses Announced

State legislative leaders announced the committee deadlines for the upcoming 2026 legislative session. As with previous sessions, there are three deadlines for legislation to meet specific milestones, with the first and second being on the same day. Deadlines are as follows:

• Friday, March 27 at 5pm: Committees must act favorably on bills in both the house of origin and committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other body.
• Friday, April 17 at 5pm: Committees must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.

These deadlines do not apply to the capital investment, tax or Ways & Means/Finance committees.

Legislative leaders also announced the schedule for legislative breaks, including:

• The Eid break begins on Thursday, March 19 at 8am and the legislature will resume activities on Friday, March 20 at 8am.
• The Easter/Passover break is scheduled to begin on March 27 at 5pm. The Legislature will resume activities on Tuesday, April 7 at 8am.



The 2026 legislative session begins February 17, 2026 and the legislature will adjourn no later than May 18, 2026.