Minnesota DFL, GOP lawmakers have dueling priorities for 2026 legislative session

The second week of the Minnesota Legislature starts Monday and two major priorities are on a collision course.

The GOP is promoting an aggressive anti-fraud agenda while the DFL is hammering hard on the immigration crackdown and the continuing fallout.

Whether legislative compromises can be reached on either of those remains unclear. 

The Minnesota House is tied, once again, 67-67, with GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth presiding. On the Senate side, there’s a DFL majority by a whisker. There are 34 DFLers and 33 Republicans.

With the violent clashes of the surge still fresh, the DFL is proposing several changes, including requiring that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigate federal officer-involved shootings, requiring all law enforcement to wear identification and not wear masks, and requiring agents to render aid.

After Renee Good and Alex Pretti were shot, the agents did not render immediate aid. 

DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, who is also a registered nurse, wants there to be civil liability in these cases.

“I think it is met with disbelief that we have to move a law. When I think about and listen and watch the video from that day, I am still stunned there was no effort to render aid, CPR to Pretti or to Good, and there were physicians there in both cases that were denied access,” Murphy said.

Meanwhile, GOP House Majority Leader Harry Niska says Democrats are to blame for the fraud crisis in social programs and he is proposing a “fraud isn’t free” bill, which would require the firings of those in state government who oversaw fraudulent activity.

One Department of Human Services assistant commissioner was fired last September. Republicans say there should have been more. 

“Oh absolutely,” Niska said when asked if he thinks more people should have been fired by now. “Minnesota and Minnesota taxpayers are outraged by the waste and fraud that has happened, that no one has been held accountable.”

Niska and Murphy both support the creation of an independent Office of Inspector General. While the Senate passed it 60-7 last session, the measure stalled last week in the House. Both sides say they expect eventual approval once details are worked out.

All Minnesota House members and senators are up for reelection, so the debates over these issues will continue through November.

You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy and Adam Del Rosso every Sunday at 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.