The Minnesota Legislature returned for the second half of the 94th biennium this week. The work will continue until mid-May.

There are five new members elected to the House and Senate since the conclusion of the 2025 session. Those members are as follows:

• Senator Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (Woodbury) was elected following the resignation of Nicole Mitchell. She is a former House member who was the co-vice chair of the Veterans and Military Affairs Division.
• Senator Michael Holstrom (Buffalo) succeeds Bruce Anderson who passed away last June. He will serve on the Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development committee.
• Rep. Shelley Buck (Maplewood) succeeded Hemmingsen-Jaeger after she prevailed in a November special election.
• Rep. Xp Lee (Brooklyn Park) was elected to the seat held by former Speaker Melissa Hortman who was assassinated last summer. He will sit on the Veterans and Military Affairs Division.
• Rep. Meg Luger-Nicolai (St. Paul) succeeds Kaohly Her who resigned her seat after being elected mayor of St. Paul.

The House Veterans and Military Affairs Division met on Wednesday morning and heard two presentations. MDVA presented an update and findings of the Veterans of Special Guerilla Units and Irregular Forces Advisory Task Force. The Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum was also on hand to share progress on its new building that will open later this year.

The Senate Subcommittee on Veterans will meet this coming Monday and hear updates from MDVA on the Veteran suicide prevention plan, from the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum and from the Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers.

Finally, Senator Jeff Howe will replace Bruce Anderson as the ranking member on the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans.