This month saw Democratic lawmakers boycott the Minnesota House of Representatives to deny their Republican colleagues a quorum.

Although Republicans attempted to hold a legislative session without them, the state's Supreme Court just reversed that plan. 

Sixty-eight lawmakers must be present

According to the Minnesota Reformer, the state's highest judicial body ruled on Friday that the legislature must have a minimum of 68 House members present in order to conduct business.

The justices, all of whom are Democrats, thus concluded that the 67 Republican lawmakers would have to wait until their Democratic counterparts show up before any bills can be passed.

"We further hold that under Article IV, Section 13, of the Minnesota Constitution, which requires that ‘[a] majority of each house constitutes a quorum to transact business,’ a quorum requires a majority of the total number of seats of each house," the court stated.

"Vacancies do not reduce the number required for a majority of each house to constitute a quorum," it went on to specify.

The justices concluded by stating that their "resolution as to the meaning of the Minnesota Constitution’s quorum clause should be sufficient to resolve the issues raised by the petitions."

Democratic leader says Republicans must negotiate

The Reformer noted how Friday's ruling was quickly welcomed by Minnesota Democratic House Leader Melissa Hortman.

"Republicans tried to seize power that the voters did not give them," the left-wing lawmaker was quoted as saying in a statement.

"Now that it is clear Republicans must work with Democrats for the House to operate, I am hopeful we will be able to shortly negotiate an acceptable path forward," she continued.

Hortman went on to declare that Democrats are "ready to roll up our sleeves and return to the negotiating table immediately."

Republicans: Democrats "are disrespecting" voters

Meanwhile, Republican House Leader Lisa Demuth responded to the state Supreme Court's ruling by taking aim at Democrats in a statement of her own.

In a major victory for Minnesota House Democrats, the state Supreme Court ruled that 68 House members must be present for a quorum, which means the lower chamber has had no official proceedings during a Democratic boycott. https://t.co/zW7RwTtJhy

— Michelle Griffith (@michellemgriff) January 24, 2025

"This decision drives home the fact that House Democrats are disrespecting not just their own constituents, but the entire state of Minnesota by refusing to do their jobs," Demuth alleged.

"House Republicans will be showing up to work on Monday — it’s time for the Democrats’ walkout to end and for the Legislature to get on with its work," she complained.