Republicans affirm Daudt, Peppin leadership; DFL chooses Hortman

Current House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) and Majority Leader Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) retained their leadership positions Friday for the 90^th legislative session scheduled to begin Jan. 3, 2017.

Addressing unfinished business from the previous session – taxes bonding and transportation - will be part of the majority’s legislative agenda, Daudt said. But the first proposal to be formally introduced will most likely deal with health care reform.

Rep. Kurt Daudt

“My guess is it wouldn’t be a surprise that HF1 will be some sort of health insurance, health care reform that helps people get more access and more choices and lower cost health insurance coverage,” he said.

Republicans retained control of the Minnesota House of Representatives on Election Day, enlarging their majority by three seats to 76-57. The coming weeks will be spent reorganizing the committee structure, including naming committee chairs and member appointments.

WATCH Current House Speaker Kurt Daudt talks about House Republican priorities for 2017 legislative session

“Obviously a few retiring members have left some committee chairs open, so we will look at that,” Peppin noted. The new leadership, according to House rules, will need to provide a list of the standing committees and divisions proposed for the session at least 30 days before the start of session.

While the legislative committees dealing with the state budget will take center stage this session, Daudt said there may be some committee structure changes allowing for more emphasis on specific issue areas.

“We may have a committee that deals more specifically with mining and pipeline issues, those have become more prevalent and are certainly important to our state’s economy,” he said.

Daudt, while named speaker-designate by his caucus, will now face election to the position by the full House. The DFL will put forward a name for consideration.

DFL chooses Hortman

Rep. Melissa Hortman

Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) will assume the role House Minority Leader during the upcoming session following a House DFL vote late Thursday night.

Hortman replaces Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Mpls), who announced Thursday he would not seek re-election as leader of the caucus. Thissen, who was re-elected to his eighth term in the House, had previously served as minority leader from 2011-2013 before holding the gavel as House speaker from 2013-2015.

Hortman, an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney, was re-elected to her seventh term in the House on Tuesday, and served the past two years as deputy minority leader.

“Where we can work with the House Republican majority to better the lives of Minnesotans, we will,” Hortman said in a written statement. “Where their ideas are wrong for Minnesota, we will make that clear. We are ready to get to work to improve the lives of Minnesotans.”

Jonathan Avise contributed to this story.