Minnesota lawmakers are facing a range of challenges as they prepare to take office, with one significant hurdle being the lack of office space for some due to an ongoing construction project near the Capitol. The 2025 legislative session, which begins Tuesday, will see House members working out of temporary cubicles located down the street from their usual office spaces. This arrangement will likely last for at least two years and may extend longer.

Instead of private offices, lawmakers will find themselves in open-office environments at the Centennial Office Building, a stark contrast to the more personalized spaces they are used to. For Rep. Melissa Hortman, the House’s top Democrat, this marks a big change after 20 years in the House. “I think that the staff and the members will be a lot closer together,” Hortman said, walking through the fifth-floor cubicles. “There’ll be less of a separation between staff and members, which I think is great.”

With renovations taking place at the State Office Building, lawmakers have been displaced. The renovations are part of a $500 million project to improve the building’s ventilation and make it more accessible. While Democrats supported the expansive updates, Republicans have raised concerns over the high cost. House Republican Leader Lisa Demuth commented on the cost, saying, “The excess of what was spent over there, and we know that’s the floor, more dollars will be spent in that, because usually projects run over.”

Lawmakers accustomed to more private spaces now face the challenge of adapting to their new cubicles. While these workspaces are functional, they lack the comfort of their old offices, where personal items, like taxidermy and photographs, helped create a more personalized environment.

Security measures at the Centennial Office Building also mean constituents and interest groups must now schedule appointments in advance and check in at the front door, a departure from the more relaxed atmosphere of the State Office Building. “Visitors will confirm their appointment with a representative and get escorted up to meet them on their designated floor,” explained Keith Boser, the deputy chief sergeant at arms for the House.

Due to recent security concerns and increased threats to lawmakers, Rep. Hortman is supportive of the tighter restrictions. She sees it as a necessary step to protect lawmakers. "We've been doing more than our fair share in our very crowded, old building that wasn’t ADA accessible or fire safe or safe from terroristic threats,” she said, adding that it’s now the Senate's turn to share in hosting more constituent events.

As for the transition to the new office layout, some growing pains are expected. Hortman noted that some legislators have used shower curtains to create more privacy in their cubicles, and staff have brought in white noise machines to block out distracting sounds. “The non-partisan staff has brought in white noise machines so that they don’t have to hear, like pretty much every word or every bite that the neighbor takes,” she remarked.

While the shift to more open spaces may present challenges in terms of privacy, Demuth expressed concerns over the lack of confidentiality for private conversations. Additionally, some members with mobility limitations are finding it difficult to navigate the tunnels leading to the Capitol.

Despite these difficulties, both leaders acknowledged that the new space will likely require adjustments, but it may also foster more collaboration and focus during the legislative session. The changes may lead lawmakers and visitors to spend more time at the Capitol, which could have the added benefit of allowing them to better appreciate the building’s recent renovations.