State lawmakers work late into night in final week of legislative session
With less than a week left in the legislative session and a lot still on the table, Minnesota lawmakers are kicking things into high gear.
Legislators didn’t leave the House floor until just before midnight on Monday after passing a bill to create a Minnesota Voting Rights Act and add penalties for using deepfakes to influence elections.
However, lawmakers tabled the proposal legislation for the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment, which would include protections against discrimination based on race, color, disability, gender identity and pregnancy. While the state already has a non-discrimination law, the amendment — if approved by Minnesota voters — would protect certain rights for those who come from out of state, like those seeking an abortion or gender-affirming care, from being repealed in the future.
If the amendment is approved, it’d go before voters in 2026. If approved by voters, it would then take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.