Minnsights Blog

Last week, we convened a bipartisan group of legislative leaders and coalition members from labor, agriculture and business to introduce a bill that would streamline and improve Minnesota’s permitting process.

Last week, the U.S. District Court ruled on a legal challenge to a Minnesota law passed in 2023. In a landmark decision, the court permanently blocked the so-called Foreign-Influenced Corporation Law, affirming core free speech rights for Minnesota businesses. As a result, the law can no longer be enforced.

Learn more about this year's class of Leadership Minnesota participants.

We are closely watching significant developments in St. Paul this week, as a new power-sharing agreement is taking shape. This agreement should allow the House of Representatives to fully return to work in the near future and begin making progress on key issues for the state—particularly in this critical budget year. Beyond the budget, we are eager to see movement on other priorities we’ve discussed in previous podcasts. The business community, with the Minnesota Chamber leading the way, is actively engaged at the Capitol to ensure businesses are heard, protected, and positioned for a more competitive and prosperous future.

Minnesota experienced significant shifts in immigration patterns this decade. Following a sharp decline in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, international migration rebounded strongly in subsequent years. Recent U.S. Census Bureau data reveals a notable surge in international migration to Minnesota, with nearly 30,000 new arrivals recorded between July 2023 and July 2024—two and a half times the average annual levels of the previous decade. From 2020 to 2024, over 81,000 new Americans moved to Minnesota, making immigration the primary driver of population change and contributing to 94% of the state’s net growth during this period.