The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, 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. 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 85,000 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 are subject to the Senate's advice and consent. 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 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 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 served as president of the Senate. 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, 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 YearsParty(Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantDemocratic–Farmer–LaborRepublicanIndependent2001–200341 25 0 67 02003–200735 31 0 67 02007–201144 23 0 67 02011–2013 3037 0 67 02013–201739 28 0 67 02017-2021 3334 0 67 02021–202331342 67 02023–202734 33 0 67 0

Current composition 94th Minnesota Legislature (2025-2027)

Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total VacantRepublicanIndependentDemocratic–Farmer–Labor End of the previous Legislature34131661 Begin 2023330 34 67 0 December 27, 2024 33661 February 3, 2025 34 67 0 March 20, 2025 32 66 1 May 6, 2025 33 67 0 July 21, 2025 32 66 1 July 25, 2025 33 65 2 November 18, 2025 33 34 67 0 Latest voting share

Current members

DistrictNamePartyResidenceStart1RepublicanEast Grand Forks20162RepublicanFosston20223DFLHermantown20224DFLMoorhead20225RepublicanPark Rapids20166RepublicanNisswa20257RepublicanHibbing20228DFLDuluth20209RepublicanFergus Falls202210RepublicanLittle Falls202211RepublicanPine City201912RepublicanAlexandria201213RepublicanRockville201814DFLSt. Cloud202015RepublicanRedwood Falls201016RepublicanOlivia201617RepublicanGlencoe202218DFLNorth Mankato201619RepublicanFaribault201620RepublicanMazeppa202221RepublicanLuverne201222RepublicanMadison Lake201623RepublicanHayfield202024RepublicanRochester201025DFLRochester202226RepublicanWinona201027RepublicanMilaca201628RepublicanNorth Branch201629RepublicanBuffalo202530RepublicanSaint Michael202231RepublicanEast Bethel202232RepublicanBlaine202233RepublicanStillwater201234DFLChamplin201235RepublicanAnoka201636DFLVadnais Heights202237RepublicanMaple Grove199538DFLBrooklyn Park202239DFLNew Brighton202040DFLRoseville198641DFLAfton202242DFLPlymouth202243DFLNew Hope200044DFLMaplewood202245DFLMinnetonka202446DFLSt. Louis Park200647DFLWoodbury202548RepublicanChanhassen202049DFLEden Prairie201650DFLEdina202251DFLBloomington201252DFLEagan201253DFLMendota Heights201654RepublicanPrior Lake201255DFLBurnsville202056DFLApple Valley202257RepublicanLakeville202058RepublicanLonsdale202259DFLMinneapolis201260DFLMinneapolis202561DFLMinneapolis200262DFLMinneapolis202063DFLMinneapolis202264DFLSaint Paul202065DFLSaint Paul199066DFLSaint Paul202267DFLSaint Paul2012

Committees +Minnesota Senate Committee Assignments, 94th LegislatureCommitteeChairVice ChairRanking Minority MemberAgriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural DevelopmentAric PutnamRob KupecTorrey WestromAgriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans CommitteeAric PutnamNoneNoneCapital InvestmentSandy PappasSusan PhaKarin HousleyCommerce and Consumer ProtectionMatt KleinJudy SeebergerGary DahmsEducation Finance Mary KuneshHeather GustafsonJason RarickEducation Policy  Steve CwodzinskiErin Maye QuadeJulia ColemanElectionsJim CarlsonBonnie WestlinMark KoranEnergy, Utilities, Environment, and ClimateNick FrentzTou XiongAndrew MathewsEnvironment, Climate, and LegacyFoung HawjJen McEwenSteve GreenFinanceJohn MartyNick FrentzEric PrattHealth and Human Services Melissa WiklundAlice MannPaul UtkeHigher EducationOmar FatehAric PutnamZach DuckworthHousing and Homelessness PreventionLindsey PortLiz BoldonEric LuceroHuman ServicesJohn HoffmanOmar FatehJordan RasmussonJobs and Economic DevelopmentBobby Joe ChampionZaynab MohamedRich DraheimJudiciary and Public SafetyRon LatzClare Oumou VerbetenWarren LimmerLaborJen McEwenGrant HauschildGene DorninkRules and AdministrationErin MurphyAnn RestMark JohnsonState and Local GovernmentTou XiongHeather Gustafson, Erin Maye QuadeAndrew LangTaxesAnn RestMatt KleinBill WeberTransportationScott DibbleAnn Johnson StewartJohn Jasinski

See also Minnesota House of Representatives Minnesota Legislature Past composition of the Senate Political party strength in Minnesota List of Minnesota state legislatures

Notes

References

External links Official website