The 2024 Legislative Session began on February 12, 2024 and concluded on May 20, 2024 The 2024 Legislative Session began with modest aspirations and a focus on the traditional even-numbered year passage of a significant capital bonding bill.  The February Forecast projected a current biennium surplus of $3.7 billion in the general fund and a deficit for the next biennium of $1.5 billion.         

The Minnesota Transportation Alliance worked to have legislation introduced and heard in committee that would have provided $200 million in GO bonds funds for the Local Road Improvement Program and the Local Bridge Replacement Program.    The Transportation Alliance also worked with legislators on a proposal to speed up the statutory dedication of the sales tax from auto repair parts.    The Transportation Committees in the House and Senate worked to develop and pass an omnibus policy bill and an omnibus supplemental budget bill.  The amount of additional funding allocated to transportation was extremely small - $4 million in general fund dollars.    The Transportation supplemental budget bill was included in the omnibus tax and budget bill passed on May 19th - the last day of the session for bills to be passed.    The Capital Investment Committees held many hours of hearings learning more about  needed projects and program funding.  Unfortunately, agreement could not be reached    and the session ended without the passage of a capital bonding bill.