2023 Minnesota Legislative Session

Gov. Tim Walz signed a marijuana legalization bill, which begins to roll out in a few months in phases. Full retail sales could be a year or more away.

In just a couple of months, Minnesotans will be able to grow their own cannabis plants and local businesses are eager to help them get started. But there is one thing they can’t sell — cannabis seed.

The Minnesota Legislature has adjourned, but some of what transpired in St. Paul during the last five months lives on in this audio recap.

MPR News host Mike Mulcahy talks to Gov. Tim Walz and President of the Minnesota Senate, Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis.  

Bike retailers around Minnesota say e-bike sales have surged in recent years. And they expect further growth now that Minnesota has joined the increasing number of states and cities to pass e-bike rebate programs.

Gov. Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would set a minimum wage and work rules for ride service drivers, saying it was not the right bill.

Minnesota joins about a dozen states with a guarantee to partially paid time off to bond with a new child, to care for a seriously ill relative or to deal with one’s own health problems. The leave benefit won’t kick in until 2026.

Rebates are expected to go out via direct deposit and checks starting this fall.

At a made-for-a-TV commercial rally, Gov. Tim Walz and DFL allies claim victory for a slate of progressive policies they say will improve Minnesota despite doubts raised by Republicans. 

The bill gives state regulators stronger authority to crack down on violators who pump more water than they're permitted. Farmers worry they could face hefty fines if they overdraw to keep their crops alive during a drought.