Legislative Committee Deadlines Set for 2025 Session

Much of the legislation involving cities is subject to committee deadlines, so it’s important for city officials to take note of them.

Minnesota House and Senate Leadership recently announced the committee deadline calendar for the 2025 legislative session. The Legislature establishes committee deadlines to focus activity on legislation that has general support in the committee process.

Importance of committee deadlines to cities

Much of the legislation involving cities is subject to committee deadlines. Therefore, it is important for these bills to receive hearings in committee prior to their respective deadlines to have a chance at final passage this year. This requires consistent monitoring and input from the League as well as from city officials.

First deadline and second deadline set together

The first and second committee deadlines have been combined this year and are on April 4, 2025. Legislation is subject to both sets of rules that apply to those deadlines.

First deadline rules

A bill, or its companion bill in the other body, must be reported out of all committees in the house of origin by this date.

The deadline generally applies to legislation before policy committees, but specifically does not apply to the House committees on Capital Investment, Ways and Means, Taxes, or Rules and Legislative Administration, nor to the Senate committees on Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Administration.

Second deadline rules

The second committee deadline requires that committees act favorably on bills, or companion bills, that met the first deadline in the other body. The second deadline also does not apply to the House committees on Capital Investment, Ways and Means, Taxes, or Rules and Legislative Administration, nor to the Senate committees on Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Administration.

Third deadline set

The third committee deadline is April 11 at 5 p.m. The House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills by that date.

Legislative Eid and Easter/Passover break

The Legislature will be in recess on March 29 until March 31 in observance of Eid. Committees and legislative activities may resume on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

The Legislature will be in recess for the Easter/Passover holidays starting at noon on April 11 until noon on April 21. At that time, legislators will likely be back in their home districts making it a great time for city officials to meet with and advocate for issues impacting their city.

Adjournment

By law, the Legislature must adjourn by the first Monday after the third Saturday in May, which will be May 19.

For more League advocacy resources, see the League’s Advocacy hub.

Read more news articles