Northern MN House committee assignments and why they matter

ST. PAUL — A month before the 2025 legislative session begins, state House leaders have released most committee assignments.

While it’s a routine announcement, where Northern Minnesota lawmakers have landed can signal where constituents might see the most impact.

That’s because the path for a bill to become law runs through committees. Generally speaking, for a bill to advance to the floor and be voted on by lawmakers, it must first be recommended by a committee.

When bills are first introduced in the Minnesota House or Senate, they must be referred to at least one committee.

If the committee decides to take up a bill, it has a hearing and invites public testimony. The committee then has a few options: reject it, lay it aside to be included in an omnibus bill or return it with recommendations for action, such as suggested amendments. No matter the decision, the committee must vote on it.

A committee chair can also essentially kill a bill by simply not giving it a hearing.

While lawmakers don’t necessarily get to choose their committees, they do get to submit preferences to leadership.

Most aim to promote the interests of their constituents, like Reps. Steve Gander, R-East Grand Forks, and John Burkel, R-Badger, on the Agriculture Finance and Policy committee. Others try to use experience from personal backgrounds, like Rep. Jeff Dotseth, R-Kettle River, who owns a real estate agency and is the vice chair of the Housing Finance and Policy committee.

This year, state House committee assignments are extra interesting given the apparent even split in the chamber between DFLers and Republicans. Assuming that split stands amid pending court challenges, each committee will have DFL and Republican co-chairs and an equal number of members from each party.

That means both parties must agree to give a bill a hearing, and votes from both will be needed to move legislation forward.

This session, there are 24 House committees, and all but the Education Policy committee have at least one Northern Minnesota representative.

There are also four house committee chairs from rural Northern Minnesota: Ron Kresha of Education Finance, Josh Heintzeman of Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, Spencer Igo of Housing Finance and Policy and Matt Bliss of Veterans and Military Affairs.

It’s a bit of oversimplification — but not a stretch — to say these are the areas we can expect the most productive legislation for the region because of the power structure.

Minnesota House 2025-26 committee assignments

• Rep. John Burkel, R-Badger: Agriculture Finance and Policy, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy (vice chair), Legacy Finance 
• Rep. Steve Gander, R-East Grand Forks: Agriculture Finance and Policy, Human Services Finance and Policy 
• Rep. Bidal Duran Jr., R-Bemidji: Judiciary Finance and Civil Law, Public Safety Finance and Policy, Veterans and Military Affairs Division 
• Rep. Matt Bliss, R-Pennington: Higher Education Finance and Policy, Judiciary Finance and Civil Law, Public Safety Finance and Policy, Veterans and Military Affairs Division (co-chair) 
• Rep. Roger Skraba, R-Ely: Capital Investment, Housing Finance and Policy, Legacy Finance, Transportation Finance and Policy 
• Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar, R-Fredenberg Township: Children and Families Finance and Policy, Health Finance and Policy, Labor and Workforce Development Finance and Policy 
• Rep. Krista Knudsen, R-Lake Shore: Education Finance, Health Finance and Policy, Human Services Finance and Policy 
• Rep. Mike Wiener, R-Long Prairie: Energy Finance and Policy, Taxes 
• Rep. Ben Davis, R-Mission Township: Elections Finance and Government Operations, State Government Finance and Policy (vice chair), Veterans and Military Affairs Division 
• Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa: Commerce Finance and Policy, Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy (co-chair), Legacy Finance, Ways and Means 
• Rep. Spencer Igo, R-Wabana Township: Energy Finance and Policy, Housing Finance and Policy (co-chair), Ways and Means 
• Rep. Cal Warwas, R-Eveleth: Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, Taxes 
• Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls: Commerce Finance and Policy, Education Finance (co-chair), Ways and Means 
• Rep. Jeff Dotseth, R-Kettle River: Commerce Finance and Policy, Housing Finance and Policy (vice chair)