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Frequently Asked Questions About the Minnesota Legislature

According to the Minnesota Constitution, Article 4, sec. 12, the Legislature may not meet after the first Monday following the third Saturday in May. Also, at the end of a biennial session (the even-numbered year), the Legislature may not pass bills on the final Monday.

Though Minnesota Statutes 3.012 defines a legislative day as one that begins at 7 a.m. and extends to 7 a.m. on the next calendar day, the Legislature uses midnight on the last day of the biennium to be their hard and fast deadline to enact new laws in the even-numbered year.

At the end of session in the even-numbered year, there are also special procedures for the governor regarding bills that passed during the last three days of a session. Making Laws includes details and a helpful flow chart.

See also:

Last reviewed: 09/14/2026