Minnesota Senate Republicans voted to deny the Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) Commissioner Nancy Leppink confirmation on the Senate floor Tuesday, August 12 on a party-line vote of 34 "no" votes and 32 "yes" votes. With the vote to reject her confirmation, Leppink immediately vacates the position of commissioner. 

Earlier in the year, Leppink received a hearing in the Senate Jobs & Economic Growth Finance & Policy Committee and was moved out of committee with no recommendation. 

At the end of the floor session, Sen. Paul Gazelka suggested there would be additional hearings on commissioners in the coming weeks. Potential candidates include the commissioners of Commerce, the Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 

In other big-ticket commissioner news, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) Commissioner Myron Frans is leaving his position to take a role at the University of Minnesota. However, former MMB Commissioner Jim Schowalter returns to the role and will replace Frans, which will help the administration navigate what looks to be a sizable budget deficit heading into the next legislative session.