Minnsights Blog

We are closely watching significant developments in St. Paul this week, as a new power-sharing agreement is taking shape. This agreement should allow the House of Representatives to fully return to work in the near future and begin making progress on key issues for the state—particularly in this critical budget year. Beyond the budget, we are eager to see movement on other priorities we’ve discussed in previous podcasts. The business community, with the Minnesota Chamber leading the way, is actively engaged at the Capitol to ensure businesses are heard, protected, and positioned for a more competitive and prosperous future.

Minnesota experienced significant shifts in immigration patterns this decade. Following a sharp decline in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, international migration rebounded strongly in subsequent years. Recent U.S. Census Bureau data reveals a notable surge in international migration to Minnesota, with nearly 30,000 new arrivals recorded between July 2023 and July 2024—two and a half times the average annual levels of the previous decade. From 2020 to 2024, over 81,000 new Americans moved to Minnesota, making immigration the primary driver of population change and contributing to 94% of the state’s net growth during this period.

Last Friday, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a quorum in the Minnesota House is 68 members, not the 67 that House Republicans had been operating under since the session began on January 14. This decision means that the first few weeks of hearings, bill introductions, and legislative work now appear to be invalidated by the courts.

Manufacturing companies have thin margins and are sensitive to costs. Facility and equipment, talent and training, inputs and supplies are all part of the cost equation. But so are costs imposed by government which manufacturers typically have very little control over.

We at the Chamber are keeping a close eye on the legislative session currently underway. This week, the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee heard testimony from the Minnesota Chamber and the Minnesota Chamber Foundation.