2021 session opens at MN Capitol; some Republican lawmakers refuse to wear masks

A wintry mix of freezing rain and light snow is on the way tonight for southwestern Minnesota. It'll be cloudy and foggy for other areas overnight into tomorrow morning. Lows will be in the teens north to the 20s southwest tonight. Chance of snow tomorrow and light freezing rain west and south. Highs Wednesday will be in the upper 20s and lower 30s. Find more on the Updraft .

Minnesota lawmakers gathered for an unprecedented opening of a legislative session, most of them away from the Capitol and even sworn in online amid the ongoing pandemic.

Top Republican Sen. Paul Gazelka urged colleagues to pull together in the session expected to be defined by COVID-19 and budget debates, but clashes started quickly. At least eight senators came to the floor without face coverings on the opening day, even as they paid tribute to a colleague, Sen. Jerry Relph, who died of COVID-19 last month.

Cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota continue to ebb, as do testing numbers. But vaccinations continue to inch up gradually in state data.

New cases fell to 1,612 in Minnesota's latest COVID-19 data. That's only about two thirds of the average over the last week. There were 18 additional deaths reported, making it the second straight day with a toll fewer than 20. At the same time, the state reported only about 2,500 new vaccinations, putting the total just over 80,000, and keeping vaccinations well behind the number of doses available across the state.

Gov. Tim Walz will announce changes to restaurant and bar restrictions tomorrow afternoon. An address will touch on hospitality restrictions that were first put into place in November. Watch or listen to the governor's announcement live tomorrow on MPR News.