The 2026 legislative session in photos


A tumultuous year in Minnesota resulted in a 2026 legislative session of response. The assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, the Annunciation school shooting, fraud cases involving public programs and immigration enforcement operations fueled lawmakers to act. With these major events came a host of fallout issues that legislators navigated across party lines, especially in the tied House. They also worked on plenty of bread-and-butter bills like state-federal tax conformity that must be passed to keep things running. The following images share some of what our Capitol looked like while lawmakers called it home from February to May.

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The Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. The legislative session began with snow on the ground.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, arrives to the Senate for the first time after his attempted assassination on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Minnesota State Capitol. Hoffman was shot by a gunman posing as a police officer on the same day that House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman were assassinated in June.
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Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, left, applauds as Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, enters the Senate for the first time after his attempted assassination on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Roses are left at the memorialized seat of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman on the first day of the legislative session at the Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Rep. Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman were assassinated by a gunman posing as a police officer in June.
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Lawmakers attend a floor session in the House chambers at the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, April 20, 2026.
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Brittany Haeg, mother of 6-year-old David Haeg who survived being shot in the Annunciation school shooting, testifies during a meeting of the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee at the Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. The hearing considered a semiautomatic military-style assault weapons ban, a ban on possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines and heightened criminal penalties for certain gun charges.
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Onlookers watch a floor session in the House chambers from the gallery at the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, April 20, 2026.
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A gavel sits on the Speaker of the House’s desk at the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
A bill receives bipartisan support on the roll call board at the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Alison Young, a long-distance backpacker, attends a rally to call for the protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness at the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Sherri Brown chants in favor of holding a vote on gun violence prevention legislation outside the House chambers at the Minnesota State Capitol on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
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A person waves across the rotunda at the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, April 20, 2026.
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Gov. Tim Walz holds a news conference to announce he will not seek reelection in 2026 on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
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Gov. Tim Walz speaks during his final State of the State address at the Minnesota State Capitol, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
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Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, crouches to greet Adriana Goblirsch and her sons Ollie, 1, and Theo, 2, at the Minnesota State Capitol on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Goblirsch brought her sons to the Capitol to urge House lawmakers to vote on a gun violence prevention omnibus bill before the session adjourns. “I want them to be safe and I’m tired of politicians not prioritizing the safety of our kids,” Goblirsch said. “I think the package that has been brought forth is common sense.”
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A note from a child constituent sits on the desk of Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, on the House floor Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega, DFL-St. Paul, center, and Rep. Dan Wolgamott, DFL-St. Cloud, right, chant “hold the vote” in the House of Representatives on Thursday, May 14, 2026. DFL lawmakers and community members urged the House to vote on a gun violence prevention omnibus bill, which was passed in the Senate, before the session adjourned. No House vote was held.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
People pass the Senate chambers at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
A girl leans back in a House representative’s chair at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
House GOP Leader Harry Niska speaks during a news conference at the Minnesota State Capitol on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
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A handwritten note sits on the desk of Rep. Mike Wiener, R-Long Prairie, on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the Minnesota State Capitol.
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The Senate holds a floor session at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Rep. Mohamed Noor, DFL-Minneapolis, left, and Rep. Joe Schomacker, R-Luverne, congratulate each other after collaborating on a tax bill while a unanimous vote features all-green lights on the roll call board in front of them at the Minnesota State Capitol on the final day of passing bills during session, Sunday, May 17, 2026. Credit: Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, looks on after adjourning the House of Representatives at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
House DFL Leader Zach Stephenson applauds as the legislative session adjourns at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Sen. Erin Maye-Quade cries in front of the late Rep. Melissa Hortman’s desk in the House chamber at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
Ellen Schmidt/MinnPost/CatchLight Local/Report for America
The Minnesota State Capitol is seen on the final day to pass bills during the legislative session, Sunday, May 17, 2026.



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A toolkit can go a long way toward helping you stock up on essentials. All of the major tool brands offer different kinds, including the longstanding power and hand tool favorite, Craftsman. Its products can be found in many online stores, and Amazon is currently holding a major sale. At the time of publication, a 262-piece Craftsman hand tool set is on a massive markdown of 40% off, saving you $100 at checkout.

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How online buyers feel about this Craftsman tool kit

On Amazon, the response to this specific Craftsman tool kit has been resoundingly positive. There are currently close to 300 reviews discussing this specific variant and over 10,000 for the overall product, and the vast majority gave it five stars. Most found the quality of the tools and sockets more than up to par, the VersaStack toolbox sturdy and great for organization and protection, and the price adequate. Still, it’s often said this is more of a beginner or around-the-house kind of kit, so if you want it for professional use, it’s not considered the strongest option on the market.

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