Lawmakers Draw up Plan to Downsize Minnesota’s Legislature

ST. PAUL (AP) -- A pair of Minnesota lawmakers thinks the Legislature is too large. They want to see if voters agree.

Rep. Nick Zerwas and Sen. Scott Jensen introduced a constitutional amendment Thursday that would decrease the size of the Legislature from its current 201 members to 147. Both lawmakers are Republicans

If the bill is approved by the Legislature, the question would go to voters in November. Voter approval would make the change effective starting in 2022.

With 67 state senators and 134 representatives, Minnesota's Legislature is currently among the largest in the country. Only New York, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire are larger.

Zerwas says it's the perfect time to downsize the Legislature. The state will draw new congressional and state legislative district lines to take effect in 2022.