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Frequently Asked Questions About the Minnesota Legislature

Is there a timeline for the governor to sign bills?

Most of the time, the governor has three calendar days (excepting Sundays) from presentment to sign a bill or to veto it. If the governor takes no action within three days of presentment, the bill will become law.

However, the timeline is different for bills passed in the last three days of a biennial session, in the even-numbered year. The governor has 14 days (including Sundays) after the adjournment of the legislature to sign or veto a bill. If the governor takes no action within these 14 days, the bill will not become law. This is known as a pocket veto.

Presentment is the action that the legislature takes to present the enrolled act to the governor for review. There is not usually a delay in this process, but the constitution does establish limits. If the act was passed before the last three days of a biennial session, the legislature must present the bill to the governor before the legislature adjourns sine die. If the act was passed during the last three days of the biennial session, the legislature has three calendar days after adjournment sine die to present the bill to the governor.

For a more detailed description of vetoes, please see The Veto Process and Powers of the Governor. For more details about presentment and vetoes, please see Making Laws: Review by the Governor.

See the FAQ: What are line-item and pocket vetoes?