As our state legislature gets closer to special session, the Minnesota Academy of Family Physician’s (MAFP) lobbyist Megan Verdeja breaks down what’s happening at the Minnesota State Capitol and provides a recap of the 2025 session.
Conclusion of the 2025 Regular Legislative Session
The 2025 Minnesota legislative session ended May 19 amid acrimony and fatigue. Lawmakers were navigating the fallout of a high-stakes election year and a tight fiscal environment. The regular session closed with a flurry of last-minute activity following months of public hearings, partisan clashes and closed-door negotiations. Legislative leaders failed to pass a full budget before the deadline, delaying final agreement on several key elements.
As of this update, House and Senate leadership, Governor Walz’s office and his administration are still negotiating unresolved issues. These include health care, jobs and labor, K-12 education, energy, higher education, taxes, transportation and bonding. Sticking points remaining include reinsurance, paid family and medical leave and whether undocumented residents can qualify for MinnesotaCare.
MAFP Priorities
Many of the MAFP’s legislative priorities remain active in ongoing health care negotiations. We are hopeful they will be included in a final agreement.
- Medical Assistance Rate Reimbursement – Aligning primary care reimbursement rates under Medical Assistance with Medicare rates.
- Mid-Year Formulary Changes – Limiting the ability of insurers to make coverage changes mid-year.
- Audio-Only Telehealth – Ensuring audio-only telehealth visits remain a reimbursable option.
- Interpreter Access Working Group – Establishing a group to identify and address barriers to interpreter services.
Once all budget areas are finalized, the governor is expected to call a special session. Lawmakers must pass a full budget before June 30 to avoid a government shutdown. We anticipate this will happen before mid-June.
