Sports betting, medical debt, and other hot issues at the Minnesota Capitol this year
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ERA supporter rally at the State Capitol. Photo: Torey Van Oot/Axios
The Minnesota Legislature gavels in for the 2024 session on Monday, Feb. 12. Here's a look at some of the hottest issues under the dome this year:
👮 SROs: A new law governing the use of restraints by school resource officers will likely get clarified, after concerns about the language prompted some law agencies to pause the partnerships.
🗳️ A revised Equal Rights Amendment would ask voters to add protections for abortion, gender, and LGBTQ+ rights to the state constitution. A previous version passed the Senate last year.
- House Speaker Melissa Hortman told Axios she thinks it will get done, but end up on the 2026 ballot.
🏈 Legal sports betting: It's in the cards but will likely require bipartisan support. The political crux remains striking a deal that the Native American tribes and the horse race tracks can live with.
- Hortman puts the odds of passage at 50/50.
⚕️ Medical aid in dying: A bill that would allow health care providers to prescribe life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients already got its first hearing.
- Yes, but: The legislation will likely require bipartisan support due to opposition from several DFLers. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said it might take more than this session.
🔒 Guns: Groups pushing for tougher gun laws say their priorities include passing new statewide firearm storage requirements and banning guns at polling places.
- A key Senate chair has said he's not sure safe storage will have the votes this year.
🚗 Rideshare driver pay: A group of Lyft and Uber drivers are pushing for pay minimums and other protections after Gov. Tim Walz vetoed a similar bill last year. Legislative action could depend on what Minneapolis does (or doesn't do).
🏳️ State flag: Several Republicans have vowed to introduce legislation aimed at pulling down the new state flag by putting it up for a public vote Hortman, who already has the new design on her office door, said she's not interested in that.
- Yes, but: she said they may consider a bill allowing local governments and law enforcement to keep using the old seal until their current equipment needs replacing.
⚖️ Immigration: A newly introduced bill to make Minnesota a "sanctuary state" by prohibiting local and state governments from cooperating with federal immigration authorities on deportations fueled headlines and backlash from Republicans last week.
- Hortman said she doesn't see it passing this year.
💰 Medical debt: A proposal aimed at easing the burden and adding protections for patients facing big hospital bills has the backing of Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
- Its authors didn't say on Friday whether they have the votes in their respective caucuses to pass the legislation.