The Minnesota Legislature will convene for 90 days this year as the state’s gubernatorial election looms in November. Minnesota Bankers Association Senior Government Relations Manager Therese Kuvaas expects 40 legislators to not run for their current seats. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is not seeking a third term in office, after his administration faced blowback from fraud investigations that embroiled the state’s social services programs. Although Kuvaas does not expect DFL and Republican candidates to be finalized until August, three new commissioners will take office in 2027, regardless of election results.
Safety-related topics will be on the agenda following last summer’s assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, Kuvaas said. “It is going to be a crazy year,” she added.
North Dakota was expected to have a special legislative session in January to address the state’s first $500 million tranche of federal dollars through the “One Big Beautiful Bill” package President Donald Trump signed on the Fourth of July.
The session was considered important for community bankers as it pertained to providing meal assistance in rural communities and investing in rural hospitals/health care systems, said North Dakota Bankers Association President/CEO Rick Clayburgh.
The Iowa Bankers Association is focusing on keeping public deposits local due to the recent outflow of deposits to investment trusts that divert funds out of the state, said Sharon Presnall, senior vice president of government relations for the Iowa Bankers Association. Local governments in Iowa hold an estimated $2.5 billion outside of Iowa depository institutions, said President/CEO Adam Gregg. Holding those funds in local banks would unlock an estimated $2 billion in lending to support small businesses.
Nebraska Bankers Association President/CEO Richard Baier sees the state’s $400 million shortfall as its largest issue. Still, NBA supports lowering the state’s corporate and individual income tax. The association wants to stop the exodus of skilled young professionals from the state by creating higher-paying positions.
The top legislative issues in Wyoming depend on the actions the legislature took in January during a relatively limited, 20-day session, said Scott Meier, president/CEO of the Wyoming Bankers Association. The limited timeframe means bills need to pass with at least two-thirds support, compared to 50 percent in odd-numbered years.
