Historical Information

Mini-Sessions

Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

From 1985 to 1997, the Minnesota House of Representatives held extensive hearings and forums away from the State Capitol. Occurring mainly in odd-numbered years, these "mini-sessions" were held to expand legislators' horizons and to give citizens living outside of St. Paul more access to legislative proceedings. Mini-sessions were often centered in a specific city with hearings held in cities and towns in the surrounding region.

While those mini-sessions are well-documented and remembered, they were not the first legislative mini-sessions in Minnesota. The earliest mention found (so far) refers to an October 1968 Senate mini-session. In addition, news articles reference mini-sessions held in various years between 1970 and 1979.

Legislative mini-sessions held during the 1973 interim have a unique history. The first biennial session of the Minnesota Legislature occurred during 1973/1974, following approval of a 1972 constitutional amendment that allowed flexible, biennial sessions. For the first time in state history, bills were carried over through an interim period between sessions - and could be acted upon. The Legislature quickly seized the opportunity, holding a series of mini-sessions between July and December 1973.

Between 1998 and 2018, there were no formal mini-sessions but hearings were occasionally held around the state. Rather than mini-sessions on a variety of topics, committee hearings were selected based on topics of interest to citizens in the chosen city and region. The mini-session tradition was revived in 2019 with meetings in Winona on October 2-4, the 30th anniversary of the 1989 Winona/Rochester mini-session.

October 2-4, 2019 - Winona
October 15-17, 1997 - Willmar
October 24-26, 1995 - Southern Minnesota (Austin/Albert Lea)
September 19-21, 1995 - Headwaters (Bemidji/Park Rapids)
October 27-29, 1993 - Minnesota Plains (Fergus Falls/St. Cloud)
September 20-22, 1993 - Minnesota Valley (New Ulm/St. Peter)
October 28-30, 1991 - Suburban Twin Cities
September 4-6, 1991 - Brainerd Lakes/Cuyuna Country
November 14-17, 1989 - Moorhead

October 17-20, 1989 - Worthington
September 13-16, 1989 - Winona/Rochester
January 13-15, 1988 - Eveleth
November 16-18, 1987 - Alexandria
October 14-16, 1987 - St. Paul
September 8-11, 1987 - Mankato
September 17-20, 1985 - St. Paul
Prior to 1985

October 2-4, 2019 - Winona

Documents and Reports

Minnesota House Lawmakers Announce October 2019 Mini-Session in Winona, July 31, 2019.
Cook, Mike. "Legislative Road Trip: House Headed to SE Minnesota," Session Daily, September 27, 2019.
Van Berkel, Jessie. "Minnesota House Heads South for First 'Mini-Session' in 22 Years," Star Tribune, October 1, 2019.
House of Representatives Mini-Session Itinerary and Agenda, October 2-4, 2019.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
10/2/2019	House	Government Operations - Subcommittee on Elections	Listen
10/2/2019	House	Ways and Means - Health and Human Services Finance Division	Listen
10/2/2019	House	Ways and Means - Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division
10/3/2019	House	Health and Human Services Policy
10/3/2019	House	Taxes / Taxes - Property and Local Tax Division (9:00am)	Listen
10/3/2019	House	Taxes / Taxes - Property and Local Tax Division (3:00pm)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Education Finance Division - Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division
10/3/2019	House	Environment and Natural Resources Policy / Ways and Means - Legacy Finance Division / Ways and Means - Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division	Listen
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Greater Minnesota Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division (8:30am)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Greater Minnesota Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division (2:15pm)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Higher Education Finance and Policy Division (1:30pm)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Higher Education Finance and Policy Division (3:30pm)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division (8:30am)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division (1:30pm)
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division
10/3/2019	House	Ways and Means - Transportation Finance and Policy Division	Listen
10/4/2019	House	Ways and Means	Listen

October 15-17, 1997 - Willmar

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, October 31, 1997.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
10/15/1997	House	Capital Investment	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Tourism Subcommittee	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Economic Development and International Trade - Economic Development Finance Division	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division: Government Efficiency and Oversight	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Education - Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Division	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Education - Higher Education Finance Division	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Judiciary - Civil and Family Law Division	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Labor-Management Relations	Listen
10/15/1997	House	Transportation and Transit - Transportation and Transit Finance Division	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Capital Investment	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Tourism Subcommittee	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Economic Development and International Trade - Economic Development Finance Division	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division: Government Efficiency and Oversight	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Education - Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Division	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Education - Higher Education Finance Division	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Judiciary - Civil and Family Law Division	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Labor-Management Relations	Listen
10/16/1997	House	Transportation and Transit - Transportation and Transit Finance Division	Listen

October 24-26, 1995 - Southern Minnesota (Austin/Albert Lea)

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, November 10, 1995.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
10/24/95	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Consumer Affairs	Listen
10/24/95	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division	Listen
10/24/95	House	Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
10/24/95	House	Health and Human Services - Health and Human Services Finance Division	Listen
10/24/95	House	Judiciary	Listen
10/24/95	House	Labor-Management Relations	Listen
10/24/95	House	Transportation and Transit	Listen
10/25/95	House	Agriculture	Listen
10/25/95	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Business Regulation Division	Listen
10/25/95	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Economic Equality	Listen
10/25/95	House	Education - Higher Education Finance Division	Listen
10/25/95	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections - Elections Division	Listen
10/25/95	House	Health and Human Services - Health and Human Services Finance Division	Listen
10/25/95	House	International Trade and Economic Development	Listen
10/25/95	House	Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs & Taxes - Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division	Listen
10/25/95	House	Ways and Means - Task Force to Monitor Federal Budget Action	Listen
10/26/95	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Tourism	Listen
10/26/95	House	Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance	Listen
10/26/95	House	Governmental Operations - State Government Finance Division	Listen
10/26/95	House	Health and Human Services - MinnesotaCare Finance Division	Listen
10/26/95	House	Housing	Listen
10/26/95	House	Taxes - Sales and Income Tax Division	Listen

September 19-21, 1995 - Headwaters (Bemidji/Park Rapids)

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, October 3, 1995.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
9/19/95	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Business Regulation Division	Listen
9/19/95	House	Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
9/19/95	House	Taxes - Property Tax and Tax Increment Financing Division	Listen
9/20/95	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division	Listen
9/20/95	House	Environment and Natural Resources Finance	Listen
9/20/95	House	Housing	Listen
9/20/95	House	Regulated Industries and Energy	Listen
9/20/95	House	Taxes - School Funding and Property Tax Reform Task Force	Listen
9/21/95	House	Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs - Tourism	Listen
9/21/95	House	Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance	Listen
9/21/95	House	Education - Higher Education Finance Division & University of Minnesota Finance Division	Listen
9/21/95	House	Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
9/21/95	House	Governmental Operations - State Government Finance Division	Listen
9/21/95	House	International Trade and Economic Development	Listen
9/21/95	House	Taxes - Sales and Income Tax Division	Listen

October 27-29, 1993 - Minnesota Plains (Fergus Falls/St. Cloud)

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, November 30, 1993.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
10/27/93	House	Agriculture	Listen
10/27/93	House	Ethics	Listen
10/27/93	House	Financial Institutions and Insurance - Insurance	Listen
10/27/93	House	Housing	Listen
10/28/93	House	Agriculture	Listen
10/28/93	House	Education - Higher Education Finance Division	Listen
10/28/93	House	Judiciary	Listen
10/28/93	House	Labor-Management Relations	Listen
10/29/93	House	Commerce and Economic Development	Listen
10/29/93	House	Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance	Listen
10/29/93	House	Environment and Natural Resources & Environment and Natural Resources Finance	Listen
10/29/93	House	Housing	Listen
10/29/93	House	Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs	Listen

September 20-22, 1993 - Minnesota Valley (New Ulm/St. Peter)

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, September 30, 1993.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
9/20/93	House	Agriculture, Commerce and Economic Development, & Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
9/21/93	House	Commerce and Economic Development - Economic Equality	Listen
9/21/93	House	Economic Development, Infrastructure and Regulation Finance	Listen
9/21/93	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division	Listen
9/21/93	House	Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
9/21/93	House	Health and Human Services	Listen
9/21/93	House	Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs	Listen
9/21/93	House	Transportation and Transit - Transit	Listen
9/22/93	House	Agriculture - Agriculture Finance and Rural Development	Listen
9/22/93	House	Capital Investment	Listen
9/22/93	House	Education - K-12 Education Finance Division	Listen
9/22/93	House	Governmental Operations and Gambling - State Government Finance Division	Listen

October 28-30, 1991 - Suburban Twin Cities

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, October 17, 1991.
Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, November 7, 1991.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
10/28/91	House	Appropriations - Economic Development, Infrastructure, and Regulation Division	Listen
10/28/91	House	Appropriations - Education Division	Listen
10/28/91	House	Education - Curriculum	Listen
10/28/91	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs, and Gaming	Listen
10/28/91	House	Governmental Operations - Government Structures Division: Licensing	Listen
10/28/91	House	Housing	Listen
10/28/91	House	Judiciary	Listen
10/28/91	House	Senior Issues Forum	Listen
10/29/91	House	Economic Development	Listen
10/29/91	House	Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
10/29/91	House	Finance - State Departments Division	Listen
10/29/91	House	Judiciary	Listen
10/29/91	House	Transportation	Listen
10/30/91	House	Education - Education Finance Division	Listen
10/30/91	House	Judiciary	Listen
10/30/91	House	Labor-Management Relations	Listen
10/30/91	House	Redistricting	Listen
10/30/91	House	Transportation	Listen

September 4-6, 1991 - Brainerd Lakes/Cuyuna Country

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, August 29, 1991.
Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, September 18, 1991.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee	Audio
9/4/91	House	Agriculture	Listen
9/4/91	House	Education - Curriculum	Listen
9/4/91	House	Education - Education Finance Division	Listen
9/4/91	House	Education - Higher Education Division	Listen
9/4/91	House	Financial Institutions and Insurance	Listen
9/4/91	House	Governmental Operations - Pensions	Listen
9/4/91	House	Health and Human Services	Listen
9/4/91	House	Judiciary	Listen
9/4/91	House	Regulated Industries	Listen
9/5/91	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs, and Gaming	Listen
9/5/91	House	Judiciary - Family Law	Listen
9/5/91	House	Labor-Management Relations	Listen
9/6/91	House	Environment and Natural Resources	Listen
9/6/91	House	Housing	Listen
9/6/91	House	Judiciary - Data Privacy	Listen

November 14-17, 1989 - Moorhead

Documents and Reports

Interim Report, House Public Information, November 9, 1989.
Interim Report, House Public Information, November 24, 1989.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
11/14/1989	House	Education - Education Finance Division (Roseau)
11/14/1989	House	Judiciary - Criminal Justice Division (St. Paul)
11/14/1989	House	Transportation (Detroit Lakes)
11/15/1989	House	Education - Education Finance Division (Lancaster)
11/15/1989	House	Education - Education Finance Division & Appropriations - Telecommunications and Computers (Moorhead)
11/15/1989	House	Environment and Natural Resources (Moorhead)
11/15/1989	House	Judiciary - Marriage and Dissolution (Moorhead)
11/16/1989	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (Moorhead)
11/16/1989	House	Economic Development - Community Stabilization and Development Division (Moorhead)
11/16/1989	House	Education (Barnesville)
11/16/1989	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs, and Gaming (Moorhead)
11/16/1989	House	Financial Institutions and Housing (Moorhead)
11/16/1989	House	Insurance (Moorhead)
11/16/1989	House	Labor-Management Relations (Moorhead)
11/17/1989	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs, and Gaming (Moorhead)
11/17/1989	House	Health and Human Services (Moorhead)

October 17-20, 1989 - Worthington

Documents and Reports

Interim Report, House Public Information, October 13, 1989.
Interim Report, House Public Information, October 27, 1989.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
10/18/1989	House	Economic Development - Community Stabilization and Development Division (Slayton)
10/18/1989	House	Education (Jackson)
10/18/1989	House	General Legislation - Veterans Affairs & Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division(Luverne)
10/18/1989	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division & General Legislation - Veterans Affairs (Luverne)
10/18/1989	House	Judiciary - Criminal Justice Division (Worthington)
10/18/1989	House	Labor-Management Relations (Worthington)
10/19/1989	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (Windom)
10/19/1989	House	General Legislation, Veterans, and Gaming - Elections Division (Worthington)
10/19/1989	House	Environment and Natural Resources (Worthington)
10/19/1989	House	Governmental Operations (Worthington)
10/19/1989	House	Insurance (Luverne)
10/19/1989	House	Transportation (Windom)
10/20/1989	House	Health and Human Services (Pipestone)
10/20/1989	House	Transportation (Luverne)

September 13-16, 1989 - Winona/Rochester

Documents and Reports

Interim Report, House Public Information, September 8, 1989.
Interim Report, House Public Information, September 22, 1989.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
9/13/1989	House	Education (Winona)
9/13/1989	House	Education - Education Finance Division (Winona)
9/13/1989	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming - Elections Division (Winona)
9/13/1989	House	Judiciary - Privacy (Winona)
9/13/1989	House	Labor-Management Relations (Winona)
9/13/1989	House	Transportation (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Economic Development - Community Stabilization and Development Division (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Environment and Natural Resources (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Financial Institutions and Housing (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	General Legislation, Veterans Affairs, and Gaming (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Governmental Operations (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Health and Human Services (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Judiciary - Criminal Justice Division (Winona)
9/14/1989	House	Taxes (Winona)
9/15/1989	House	Governmental Operations (Rochester)
9/15/1989	House	Health and Human Services & Judiciary (Rochester)
9/15/1989	House	Health and Human Services & Judiciary (Rochester)
9/15/1989	House	Insurance (Rochester)
9/16/1989	House	Taxes - Property Tax (Rochester)

January 13-15, 1988 - Eveleth

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, January 8, 1988.
Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, January 25, 1988.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
1/13/1988	House	Economic Development and Housing Committee & House Appropriations Committee - State Departments Division (Biwabik)
1/13/1998	House	Education Committee (Chisholm)
1/13/1988	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division & Health and Human Services (Eveleth)
1/13/1988	House	Higher Education (Virginia)
1/13/1988	House	Judiciary (Hibbing)
1/13/1988	House	Labor-Management Relations (Aurora)
1/13/1988	House	Taxes (Eveleth)
1/15/1988	House	Environment and Natural Resources (Babbitt)
1/15/1988	House	Government Operations (Buhl)

November 16-18, 1987 - Alexandria

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, November 10, 1987.
Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, November 25, 1987.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
11/16/1987	House	Agriculture (Albany)
11/16/1987	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (Fergus Falls)
11/16/1987	House	Commerce (Alexandria)
11/16/1987	House	Economic Development and Housing (Alexandria)
11/16/1987	House	Education (St. Cloud)
11/16/1987	House	Taxes (Alexandria)
11/17/1987	House	Agriculture (Alexandria)
11/17/1987	House	Government Operations (Alexandria)
11/17/1987	House	Health and Human Services (Alexandria)
11/17/1987	House	Health and Human Services (Hoffman)
11/17/1987	House	Labor-Management Relations (Alexandria)
11/17/1987	House	Transportation (Barrett)
11/18/1987	House	Economic Development and Housing - Housing and Community Development Subcommittee & Commerce - House Consumer Affairs Subcommittee (Alexandria)
11/18/1987	House	Environment and Natural Resources (Alexandria)

October 14-16, 1987 - St. Paul

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, October 23, 1987.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
10/14/1987	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (St. Paul)
10/14/1987	House	Commerce (St. Paul)
10/14/1987	House	Economic Development and Housing & Future and Technology (St. Paul)
10/14/1987	House	Health and Human Services (St. Paul)
10/14/1987	House	Higher Education (Anoka)
10/14/1987	House	Taxes (St. Paul)
10/15/1987	House	Agriculture (St. Paul)
10/15/1987	House	Environment and Natural Resources (St. Paul)
10/15/1987	House	Government Operations (St. Paul)
10/15/1987	House	Labor-Management Relations (St. Paul)
10/15/1987	House	Transportation (Cambridge)
10/15/1987	House	Regulated Industries (St. Paul)
10/16/1987	House	Select Committee on Housing (St. Paul)
10/16/1987	House	Transportation (St. Paul)

September 8-11, 1987 - Mankato

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, September 4, 1987.
Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, September 18, 1987.

Committee Hearings

Date	Body	Committee
9/9/1987	House	Economic Development and Housing (Mankato)
9/9/1987	House	Government Operations (Mankato)
9/9/1987	House	Regulated Industries (Mankato)
9/9/1987	House	Taxes (Mankato)
9/10/1987	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (Mankato)
9/10/1987	House	Commerce (Mankato)
9/10/1987	House	Environment (Mankato)
9/10/1987	House	Labor-Management Relations (Mankato)
9/10/1987	House	Transportation (Mapleton)
9/11/1987	House	Agriculture (Waseca)
9/11/1987	House	Appropriations - Health and Human Services Division (New Ulm)
9/11/1987	House	Appropriations - Higher Education and Education Division (Austin)
9/11/1987	House	Appropriations - Higher Education and Education Division (Mankato)
9/11/1987	House	Select Committee on Housing (Mankato)

September 17-20, 1985 - St. Paul

Documents and Reports

Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, September 13, 1985.
Mini-Session Report, House Public Information, September 27, 1985.

September - December 1979 - Various locations

Four mini-sessions were held in 1979 during the interim. Meetings were scheduled to be held: September 19-20, October 17-18, November 14-15, December 12-13.

Documents and Reports

"Interim House Budgets Okayed." Hibbing Daily Tribune, June 7, 1979.

August 1975 - January 1976 - Various locations

Six mini-sessions were held in 1975 and January of 1976 during the interim.

Documents and Reports

"House Office Disputes Cost Estimates for Mini-Sessions." Pioneer Press, November 20, 1975.
"House to Hold 'Mini-Sessions’ During Interim." Minneapolis Star, July 1, 1975.

July - December 1973 - Various locations

Six mini-sessions were held in 1973 during the interim. Meetings were held during the weeks of July 16, August 20, September 17, October 8, November 12, and December 10.

Documents and Reports

"First of Six Mini-Sessions Slated." Winona Daily News, July 16, 1973.
"Legislators are Returning to Capitol this Week as First Mini-Session Begins." Minneapolis Tribune, July 16, 1973.
Berg, Tom. "Breakout Session: Changing Time Spent Governing," in Minnesota's Miracle, p. 107-109, 2012.

January 26-30, 1970 - Capitol

The mini-session was a meeting of the Senate.

Documents and Reports

"'Mini-Session' and Legislative Reform." Star Tribune, January 29, 1970.
"Senate to Have 'Mini-Session.'" The Minneapolis Star, December 18, 1969.

July - December 1968 - Unknown location

This article mentions that the January 1970 mini-session is patterned after a Senate mini-session in October of 1968.

Documents and Reports

"Senate to Have 'Mini-Session.'" The Minneapolis Star, December 18, 1969.

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 321 State Capitol, Saint Paul, MN 55155