Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. The journal from the previous day was approved, and House Files 5486 through 5488 were introduced and given first reading. The main business of the day was a series of recognitions and retirement speeches, beginning with a resolution honoring Paul J. Hicks for 41 years of service in the chief clerk’s office. The resolution highlighted his long career, promotions to front office supervisor, and his reputation for professionalism and support of the legislative process; it was adopted with applause. Members then delivered retirement remarks reflecting on their service and the institution. Representative Wans spoke about his path to the legislature, thanked staff and colleagues, and emphasized the importance of civility, family support, and remembering the work behind the scenes. Representative Hassan gave an emotional farewell focused on her personal history, including growing up amid addiction and homelessness, and said her experience motivated her work on issues such as school meals, representation, and hope for marginalized communities. She also thanked leadership, staff, and colleagues across the aisle, stressing relationship-building and the sacrifices involved in public service. Representative Prior reflected on her years in the House, thanking family, seatmates, legislative assistants, partisan and nonpartisan staff, and the sergeant-at-arms. She described the legislature as a place where ideas become law through staff work, amendments, and the signing of bills, and said she would miss being part of that process. Representative Brindley began her farewell remarks at the end of the transcript, indicating the retirement speeches were continuing in order of seniority.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Urdahl gave a lengthy farewell speech marking his retirement after 22 years in the House. He reflected on his path into public service, his background as a teacher and history enthusiast, and his early political experiences, including losses before first being elected. He also shared personal anecdotes about family, colleagues, campaign work, and his teaching career, using humor and a history rap to illustrate his style. The speech focused heavily on his legislative priorities and philosophy. Urdahl said he was most proud of work on capital investment and bonding, including helping restore the Capitol, and he cited other accomplishments such as a lockdown bill, livestock tax credits, and civics education requirements. He emphasized his view that legislators should be guided by conscience, constituents, and caucus, criticized increasing partisanship, and described himself as a center-right conservative and one of the last Eisenhower Republicans. He thanked House speakers, staff, and fellow members from both parties, especially those he worked with on bonding and the Nutrition Commission. He closed by saying he was retiring to spend more time with his wife, Karen, children, and grandchildren, and offered advice to newer members to build relationships, keep their word, and be brief in speeches.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Edelson delivered a personal floor speech reflecting on her upbringing in Minneapolis amid family addiction, homelessness, food insecurity, and the stigma tied to poverty and her mother’s criminal record. She said those experiences shaped her commitment to public service, including efforts to ensure children have lunch and to advocate for people facing similar struggles. She also noted that her mother’s addiction is a disease many Minnesotans face and described her own anxiety and childhood hardship as part of what drives her work. Edelson broadened the message to emphasize that legislators from both parties are motivated by formative life experiences and shared a desire to serve the public. She urged members to look for common ground, saying that despite the visible back-and-forth in the chamber, committee work often involves collaboration and respect. She thanked colleagues for their bravery, constituent service, and sacrifices, and acknowledged the support of her husband Brett and their three sons. The speech did not address a specific bill or policy vote, and no formal action was taken. It ended with appreciation for the difficulty of legislative work and a call to keep doing the hard work that matters.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Olson delivered a farewell floor speech marking the end of her eight years in office. She thanked the 40,000 constituents she represented, her family, friends, spouse Tom, daughter Florence, her legislative staff, House staff, and Speaker Melissa Hortman for their support and trust. She also reflected on the work of the DFL caucus and colleagues from both parties, saying the legislature had helped advance policies to feed children, protect workers, and expand access to democracy. A major theme of the speech was the importance of shared humanity and bipartisan relationships in legislative work. Olson said she had made lifelong friends across the aisle and urged members to do better in resisting dehumanization based on immigration status, gender identity, or other differences. She described the job as difficult and often stressful, but said she would miss the opportunity to make life a little easier, the state a little more just, and the institution a little more compassionate. No bills were debated and no votes were taken in this segment. The only action was the conclusion of her remarks, followed by applause.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The meeting featured back-to-back press availabilities from Minnesota House and Senate Republican leaders, followed by Democratic leaders defending the end-of-session process. Republicans Lisa Demuth, Mark Johnson, and Paul Torkelson said Democrats rushed through a very large, last-minute omnibus package they described as roughly 2,800 pages, unavailable for full review, and argued the minority was shut out of debate and parliamentary motions. They said Republicans were not filibustering but were trying to force fuller discussion, and they criticized the process as nontransparent, abusive of rules, and harmful to taxpayers, schools, businesses, and state finances. Johnson also said he filed an ethics complaint against Speaker Melissa Hortman over limiting debate and preventing motions, and Republicans said they would consider legal review of possible single-subject issues while opposing any special session unless it were transparent and necessary. Republicans also said a bonding or cash bill failed because it came too late to pass before midnight, and they blamed Democrats for not completing work earlier in the biennium. They said the majority had two years to act and accused it of using conference committees and end-of-session tactics to force through priorities. In response to questions, Johnson defended his members’ floor conduct as a reaction to being ignored, and Republicans said they would use the episode to argue for a change in control in the next election. Democratic leaders countered that the majority had a productive session and that the final bills reflected priorities Minnesotans sent them to enact, including gun violence prevention, children and families investments, permitting reform, medical debt reform, an expanded child tax credit, and rideshare driver protections. Speaker Melissa Hortman said Republicans had ample opportunity to debate and that the conference committee reports contained items already heard and negotiated, while Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said the minority’s lengthy delays and repetitive debate were themselves barriers to completing work. Democrats said they had tried to negotiate in good faith, that the late bonding bill failed because of the midnight deadline, and that the session’s results would help people afford their lives and improve civil rights and climate policy.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Minnesota House and Senate Republican leaders Lisa Demuth and Mark Johnson reacted to the end of session by criticizing the Democratic majority for advancing large omnibus legislation in the final minutes, saying members did not have adequate time to review a roughly 2,800-page bill and that the minority was shut out of the process. They argued the majority controlled the calendar, limited debate and testimony during the session, and combined multiple conference committee reports into one late bill that was not transparent to legislators or the public. The leaders also said the final hours featured unusual procedural moves and heightened conflict on the House and Senate floors, including the use of the previous question in the Senate and the filing of points of order and motions that they said were ignored. Johnson said the Senate passed the large bill and another bill late, while also noting a separate cash/bonding bill passed the House but did not make it through the Senate before midnight. Both leaders said they were considering or had filed ethics complaints and protests over how the presiding officers handled debate. On policy, they said the final package did not include sports betting and that they were not fully aware of the contents of the large bill. They also said an ERA-related proposal was not transparent and did not advance. Looking ahead, they rejected the idea of a special session unless the governor called one, and said they wanted voters to restore balance in 2025, reduce spending, address waste and fraud, ease mandates on schools and businesses, and pursue permitting reform.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Becker-Finn delivered a farewell floor speech focused on gratitude, reflecting on staff, caucus colleagues, and institutional relationships rather than on legislation. She thanked legislative staff, leadership staff, and fellow members, especially a close colleague, and urged members to get to know staff personally and value their work. She also spoke about the importance of doing the right thing, listening to one’s instincts, and remembering that legislators work for constituents rather than lobbyists or special interests. A major theme of the speech was the need to protect personal well-being in a demanding legislative job. Becker-Finn said the work can strain marriages, friendships, and family life, and encouraged members to set boundaries, take breaks, eat, drink water, and not normalize overwork. She also emphasized the importance of trust and solidarity within the POSY and queer caucuses, saying their collective power comes from working together and that attempts to divide them should be resisted. She closed with personal reflections on her family and Native identity, including the support of her spouse and mother, the example of her father and grandmother, and the progress she sees for Native legislators and women. She said she was ready to leave the Legislature to spend more time with her family, noted that she would not seek another job involving all-nighters, and ended by thanking colleagues and expressing confidence that the caucuses and the body would continue the work.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Petersburg delivered a farewell speech announcing his retirement after 12 years in the legislature. He reflected on personal reasons for stepping down, including the death of his late wife and his remarriage, and used the speech to thank colleagues, staff, and family for their support. He also described his approach to legislating as one grounded in fairness, listening, and building relationships across party lines. Much of the address was devoted to recognizing members from both parties who had influenced him over the years, including former and current committee chairs and colleagues in transportation, tax, education, and other areas. He emphasized that bills are passed through cooperation rather than by any one person, and said he had learned to see opposing viewpoints as sincere expressions of values rather than hostility. He also praised his wife Deb for supporting him through the past year. Petersburg briefly criticized what he described as a historic and troubling development the previous night, saying a party that had claimed to represent the oppressed had become the oppressor, though he did not identify a specific bill or action. He closed with a story about a highway patrol stop that illustrated how assumptions can be wrong, using it to urge members to listen carefully, question their own perspectives, and treat one another with grace and love. No votes or formal legislative actions were taken in this segment.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Pryor delivered a farewell-style floor speech reflecting on her years in the House and thanking colleagues, staff, and family. She highlighted the importance of seatmates and bipartisan relationships over multiple terms, naming several members and describing how they helped her learn the chamber’s norms and work effectively. She also thanked legislative assistants, partisan staff, nonpartisan staff, and sergeants-at-arms for their behind-the-scenes work, and praised House leaders for their courage and leadership. A major theme of the speech was the legislative process itself: Pryor described how bills are shaped through drafting, amendments, and floor debate, and said she valued being able to turn constituent concerns into legislation. She recounted an early “pimp the freshman” experience as a cautionary tale about yielding to questions on the floor, using it to emphasize the need to be prepared and to speak intentionally. She also noted that the chamber’s work is a conversation across time, with statutes being revised to improve them and create a legacy for the future. Pryor said she would miss the ability to introduce and sign bills for her district, describing that as a rare honor, and she closed by expressing confidence that the remaining members would continue the work as “bridge builders and peacemakers and dreamers.” No votes or formal actions were taken in the speech itself.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: This was a farewell-style floor speech by Representative Anne Neu Brindley of Shakopee reflecting on her eight years in the Minnesota House rather than debating legislation. She said she did not want to focus on politics or policy, but she briefly referenced work she had been involved in, including Little Allen’s Law, ALS research funding, and caregiver issues. Much of the speech centered on her entry into the legislature after her husband John’s death in 2016, which she said was connected to her decision to run in the special election that followed. She thanked colleagues and mentors across both parties, especially Representative Paul Tolson for helping keep her grounded in her first years and Speaker Kurt Daudt for appointing her deputy leader after Republicans entered the minority in 2018. She also praised staff, research aides, media writers, and others who helped her navigate the institution, and recalled personal moments from her first term, including homeschooling her children while serving and bringing her daughter to the Capitol. The speech ended with broad appreciation for the legislature as an institution and a call for members to treat one another as good and decent people despite political differences. There were no bills considered, no formal votes taken, and no legislative action beyond the speech itself, which drew laughter, applause, and emotional reactions from the chamber.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: Representative Hassan of Hennepin delivered an emotional farewell address as her final remarks as an elected official. She thanked colleagues, staff, advocates, and her family, reflecting on the difficulty and importance of legislative work and emphasizing the value of relationships, even with those she has disagreed with. She spoke about carrying the hopes of people who are often unseen and unheard, and about the challenges she has faced as a Somali Muslim Black woman wearing a hijab, including the need to constantly prove herself in the chamber and to her constituents. She highlighted the importance of representation, saying she stayed in office so young hijabi girls across the state could see someone who looks like them and believe they can serve too. Hassan also noted that she was only the second Muslim woman to serve in the body and expressed pride in serving under a female Speaker. She thanked specific colleagues for their support and collaboration, including work on the “right chair” issue, and said some of her hardest fights were tied to issues that mattered to people whose voices are rarely heard. Hassan closed by recalling her South Minneapolis district, the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and the destruction in the area, and the long effort to secure funding for local businesses. She urged members to continue the work, saying she was leaving the job but not the relationships or foundation built there, and shared that her father would have been proud to see his daughter serve in the House under the portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House took House File 4746 off the table and then proceeded to debate an amendment, coded A31, offered by Representative Garofalo to remove a section requiring transportation network companies to contract with a driver advocacy organization. Supporters of the amendment argued that the bill would improperly mandate a private company to pay for and contract with a specific nonprofit, creating a dangerous precedent and effectively forcing companies to fund a labor-union-like entity for independent contractors. Several members also raised concerns about the nonprofit’s ties to the Feeding Our Future scandal and warned that the language could create conflicts, favoritism, or a monopoly-like arrangement. Opponents of the amendment, including Representative Hassan, said the provision was needed because many drivers do not speak English well or know how to navigate deactivations and other system issues, and that Uber and Lyft already have private contracts with nonprofits providing these services. They emphasized that the advocacy groups would provide support at no cost to drivers and that the bill did not appropriate state money for the purpose. Some members said the amendment would remove a section that could help drivers and would undermine the agreement reached on the broader Uber-Lyft legislation. The debate also included extended discussion of the Feeding Our Future fraud case, with members citing news articles and alleged connections between nonprofits and that scandal as a reason to strip the language. The transcript does not include the final vote on the amendment or final disposition of the bill beyond the motion to take it from the table and the ensuing debate.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House took up House File 4746, the second engrossment as amended, and debated a series of amendments related to ride-sharing regulation, local preemption, disability and transit access, enforcement, and funding. The first major amendment, A25, sought broader preemption so local governments could not revoke a transportation network company’s license for refusing to contract with certain driver advocacy organizations; supporters argued this would prevent local bullying and protect private businesses, while opponents said local control should remain. That amendment failed on a roll call, 61 yeas to 70 nays. Several amendments then passed with unanimous or near-unanimous support. A27 delayed enactment until the Department of Human Services could ensure the bill would not reduce mobility access for people with disabilities, and A26 similarly conditioned enactment on state commissioners determining the bill would not reduce access for transit-dependent populations. Another amendment, A28, conditioned enactment on the Education commissioner determining the bill would not reduce access to schools and education for children, with supporters citing students, homeless youth, and the bus driver shortage. The body also adopted a technical enforcement amendment, RA 24-11, clarifying cooperation between the Departments of Human Rights and Labor and Industry on the bill’s nondiscrimination provisions, and then adopted RA 24-12, which added language barring the Department of Human Rights from maintaining a database of protected speech or offering rewards for reporting it. The chamber also adopted an amendment from Representative Scott, A13, by 127 yeas to 0 nays, and later adopted A42, which barred board members or employees of the contracted driver advocacy nonprofit from donating to state legislators. That amendment prompted a point of order and a brief exchange over whether the bill was being handled in conference committee, but the amendment still passed 130 to 0. Another amendment, A44, proposed requiring 25% of funds under the division to go to sexual assault prevention training for TNC drivers, with the author citing reported assaults involving Uber and Lyft; the transcript cuts off before the vote on that amendment is completed.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House took up House File 4746, a transportation network company labor bill, and first adopted Representative Hassan’s A24 amendment. Hassan said the amendment reflected a negotiated agreement among driver advocates, the House, Senate, and Governor’s office, setting minimum rates at $1.27 per mile and 31 cents per minute and incorporating agreed language on insurance, deactivation, and pay transparency. The amendment was adopted without objection. Members then debated several Republican amendments tied to fuel costs and clean fuel or clean car standards. Representative Tolson offered JT-A27 to remove clean fuel standards, arguing they would raise costs for transportation and Uber drivers. The Speaker ruled the amendment not germane, and the House upheld that ruling on a roll call vote, 70-60. Representative Schultz then offered A29, described as giving the Department of Public Safety and the commissioner additional oversight to keep roads safe; Hassan accepted it as a friendly amendment, Schultz withdrew his roll call request, and the amendment was adopted. Schultz next offered JT-A26, which would remove California-based clean car standards from state law. He argued the standards would increase fuel and vehicle costs for TNC drivers and customers. The Speaker again ruled the amendment not germane, but Schultz appealed. Several members argued the amendment was germane because fuel costs are part of the bill’s economic structure and driver compensation. After debate, the House appears to have continued consideration of the appeal, but the excerpt ends before a final vote on JT-A26 is shown.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House took up Senate File 4942, third reading as amended by conference, and members debated the conference report largely through floor remarks focused on agriculture policy. Representative Harder spoke in support of agriculture-friendly legislation and said the bill should benefit farmers of all sizes, while also objecting to divisive comments made in committee about older farmers and emphasizing the struggles faced by family farms, renters, and producers affected by hail and other losses. He thanked conferees for preserving the AFREC fee for its intended use and urged continued cooperation on agricultural legislation. Representative Olson then spoke at length about the challenges facing beginning and family farmers, arguing that state support for solar and conservation conversions is reducing available farmland, raising land prices, and pricing out younger farmers. He said he supports the extension of the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council fee because the money is used for farmer-benefiting research, but warned against government policies that pick winners and losers in the land market. He also described the long-term changes in farm technology and expressed concern that smaller farms may not be able to keep up with expensive equipment. Representative Franson raised a separate concern about food labeling, saying she had offered but not adopted an amendment to require labeling of lab-grown meat and insect-based products so consumers know what they are buying. She contrasted that with support for honey labeling and warned that future food policy may include pressure to reduce animal products in favor of lab-grown foods or insects. She also criticized the bill’s solar-related provisions, including a $50 million solar production incentive, arguing that the program relies on ratepayer dollars, is tied to labor abuses overseas, and takes prime farmland out of production. The transcript does not show a final vote result beyond the bill being read and debated after conference amendment.