The Minnesota Senate is the

upper house An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...

of the

Legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

. At 67 members, half as many as the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are held in the west wing of the State Capitol in

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

. Committee hearings, as well as offices for senators and staff, are located north of the State Capitol in the Minnesota Senate Building. Each member of the Minnesota Senate represents approximately 80,000 constituents.

History

The Minnesota Senate held its first regular session on December 2, 1857.

Powers

In addition to its legislative powers, certain appointments by the

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

are subject to the Senate's

advice and consent Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in List of enacting formulae, enacting formulae of bill (proposed law), bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts. It describes either of two situations: where a weak executive ...

. As state law provides for hundreds of executive appointments, the vast majority of appointees serve without being confirmed by the Senate; only in rare instances does the Senate reject appointees. It has rejected only nine executive appointments since 2000.

Elections

Each Senate district is split between an ''A'' and ''B'' House district (e.g., Senate District 41 contains House districts 41A and 41B). The

Minnesota Constitution The Constitution of the State of Minnesota was initially approved by the residents of Minnesota Territory in a special election held on October 13, 1857, and was ratified by the United States Senate on May 11, 1858, marking the admittance of Min ...

forbids House districts that are within more than one Senate district. To account for decennial redistricting, members run for one two-year term and two four-year terms each decade. Senators are elected to four-year terms in years ending in 2 and 6, and to two-year terms in years ending in 0. Districts are redrawn after the decennial

United States Census The United States census (plural censuses or census) is a census that is legally mandated by the Constitution of the United States. It takes place every ten years. The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790 United States ce ...

in time for the primary and general elections in years ending in 2. The most recent election was held on November 8, 2022.

Leadership

From statehood through 1972, the

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

served as

president of the Senate President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the Speaker (politics), speaker in some other assemblies. The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's Order of succession, succes ...

. In 1972, voters approved a constitutional amendment that provided for the Senate to elect its own president beginning January 1973. The president, who presides over official Senate proceedings, also acts as the parliamentarian and oversees the secretary of the senate. The majority leader is responsible for managing and scheduling the business of the Senate and oversees partisan and nonpartisan staff. The current majority leader is

Erin Murphy Erin Margaret Murphy (born June 17, 1964) is an American actress, who is best known for her role as young Tabitha Stephens in the television sitcom ''Bewitched'', in 103 episodes from the show's third season (in 1966) to the last original episo ...

, a Democrat from Saint Paul. The current minority leader is Mark Johnson, a Republican from East Grand Forks. Each caucus also selects its own leaders and deputy leaders.

Minnesota Senate Building

Committee hearings mostly take place in the Minnesota Senate Building, a office building that opened in January 2016. The $90 million office building, which is north of the State Capitol across University Avenue, includes three committee hearing rooms, offices for all senators and staff, a raised terrace overlooking the State Capitol, and a 264-space underground parking facility. The 2016 session was held in the newly constructed Minnesota Senate Building due to an extensive restoration at the State Capitol. It was the first time the Senate held a regular session outside the Capitol since it opened in 1905.

Composition

Historical composition

Current composition

:''

94th Minnesota Legislature The Ninety-fourth Minnesota Legislature is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the state of Minnesota, composed of the Minnesota Senate and the Minnesota House of Representatives. It convened in Saint Paul on January 14, 2025, fol ...

(2025-2027)''

Current members

2022 Minnesota Senate seats won by party

Committees

Notes

References

External links

Official website

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

State upper houses in the United States