Transcript Highlights:

• Pete Johnson, Representative out of District 8A, which is Central and Western Duluth.
• And my day job up in Duluth, I'm a firefighter for the city up there, and have been lobbying for improving
• need to sell from your asset base about 3.6% of that asset base to be able to cover the pension promises
• <01:08:19.839> I<01:08:20.000> want<01:08:20.159> to pension promises and payments
• I want to pension promises and payments.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also are able to get $10 million to the Duluth airport.
• are balancing the transportation budget on the backs of transit riders, and that's what that broken promise
• what that of transit riders and that's what that um<00:03:34.400> broken<00:03:34.799> promise
• > it<00:03:36.000> it<00:03:36.400> really<00:03:36.879> um um broken promise
• did is it it really um um broken promise did is it it really um shifted<00:03:37.760> a<00:03

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I was at a tour of Cirrus Aircraft up in Duluth, and we started talking about these gentlemen who
• 00:23:19.880> in at a a tour of Cirrus Aircraft up in at a a tour of Cirrus Aircraft up in Duluth
• 20.480> we<00:23:20.560> started<00:23:20.840> talking<00:23:21.120> about Duluth
• and we started talking about Duluth and we started talking about these<00:23:21.480> gentlemen

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Julia from our Duluth campus is a full-time student who pays her own tuition in order to fund her education
• But in order for the school to fulfill its promise to make sure that those who learn in central Minnesota
• But in order for the school to fulfill its promise to make sure that those who learn in central Minnesota
• <00:37:36.440> to<00:37:36.560> make school to fulfill its promise to make school to
• fulfill its promise to make sure<00:37:36.920> that<00:37:37.359> those<00:37:37.520><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Amber Sadowski, the executive director of LifeHouse up in Duluth, and we're also a member of the
• c><00:46:57.560> run Duluth neighborhoods, buses only run Duluth neighborhoods, buses only run
• We do this across eight locations throughout Minnesota, going from Duluth, Virginia, Brainerd, St.
• <00:52:42.680> Cloud, Duluth, Virginia Brainerd, St.
• Cloud, Duluth, Virginia Brainerd, St.

Bills: HF1767, HF2068, HF4725, HF4637, HF4638

Keywords: human services, community support, integrated care, disability services, stakeholder consultation, homeless youth, grants, funding, Minnesota, mental health, substance use disorder, education, workforce development, licensure, direct care services, healthcare, long-term care, personal care assistants, employment support, medical assistance

Summary: The Human Services Finance and Policy Committee approved the April 8, 2026 minutes and then heard House File 1767, as amended by the DE4 amendment. Representative Garande explained that the bill, originally intended to codify Integrated Community Supports (ICS), was being redirected because of concerns about fraud vulnerability and program integrity. The DE4 would create a smaller legislative study group to redesign ICS, pause DHS changes for about six months while the group develops a transition plan, continue DHS fraud investigations and enforcement, and ultimately terminate ICS as currently structured. Testimony in support came from Mr. Buck and Zania Harut of the Residential Providers Association of Minnesota, both of whom argued that ICS is unstable, inconsistently implemented, and in need of a new statutory foundation. They said the current system mixes different service models under one rate framework, lacks clear codification, and has shifting policy guidance that creates compliance problems for providers and risks to people receiving services. They emphasized that the bill would preserve oversight and enforcement while allowing time to build a replacement service with clearer rules, documentation standards, and guardrails. Members asked about effects on counties, providers, data, audits, and fraud enforcement. Representative Curran and Mr. Berg said the bill would not change funding structures or DHS’s existing authority to audit, request documentation, investigate fraud, or sanction bad actors, and that the study group would use existing data to identify where problems are concentrated. Vice Chair Gillman supported the study-group approach as a bipartisan, public process and raised concerns about whether the bill would prevent DHS from acting on known fraud; Curran responded that the language was intended to preserve those enforcement actions. The discussion ended without a final vote on the bill in the portion provided, beyond adoption of the DE4 amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth public works departments who best understands their complicated street
• Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth public works departments who best understands their complicated street
• Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth public works departments who best understands their complicated street
• Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth public works departments who best understands their complicated street
• Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth public works departments who best understands their complicated street

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• About an hour from Duluth, so it's Iron Range territory.
• The promise for us is to continue to work on this bill.

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding

Transcript Highlights:

• We asked folks to tighten their belts in 2018, and we made a promise to our public employees, our police
• <00:10:15.040> to<00:10:15.360> our in 2018 and we made a promise to our in 2018 and
• we made a promise to our public<00:10:16.079> employees,<00:10:16.959> our<00:10:17.279
• work that we promised that we would<00:10:49.360> do.
• Then the other night on the floor, we found $77 million on a train to Duluth.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Federal and private financing for infrastructure built under the promise of service territories.
• Federal and private financing for infrastructure built under the promise of service territories.
• Federal and private financing for infrastructure built under the promise of service territories.
• I do government affairs for Minnesota Power, based up in Duluth, Minnesota. Good. How are you?
• I do government affairs for Minnesota Power, based up in Duluth, Minnesota.

Bills: HF3458, HF3777, HF3778, HF3912

Keywords: electric utilities, service areas, Tribal lands, Minnesota statute, energy regulation, utility rates, public utilities, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, ratepayer, consumer protection, affordable energy, energy affordability, ability to pay, just and reasonable rates, rate regulation, electric rates, natural gas rates, energy conservation, renewable energy

Summary: The committee approved the March 5, 2026 minutes and then took up House File 3458, as amended, which would exempt tribes from utility exclusive rights and assigned service areas. The bill’s author and the Upper Sioux community chairman said the measure was prompted by a dispute over a solar project at the tribal casino and argued the issue is really about tribal sovereignty, not solar, citing tribal civil regulatory authority and prior court cases. The amendment A1 was adopted before testimony. Testimony was split. Chairman Kevin Jensel of the Upper Sioux community strongly supported the bill, saying the tribe should not be forced to follow utility service territories and that the state should correct a long-standing omission in law. Derek Mo of the Minnesota Rural Electric Association opposed the bill, warning it would undermine the regulatory compact, reliability, long-term planning, and financing for electric service, especially in tribal areas. Justin Johns of East Central Energy also opposed the bill, but emphasized that many cooperatives have productive tribal partnerships and said his co-op has worked successfully with the Mille Lacs Band on solar, resilience, and workforce efforts; he cautioned that removing service obligations could leave difficult-to-serve areas underinvested. Members discussed whether the Public Utilities Commission process already underway should be allowed to resolve the dispute and whether the bill’s scope could extend beyond the current solar issue. The chair responded that the bill was a legislative approach to a problem that had not been resolved and said the amendment addressed concerns about removing the obligation to serve. A roll call was requested, and the committee voted to re-refer House File 3458, as amended, to the General Register.

Transcript Highlights:

• Expert hydrologists have even found that the project will not reduce flooding as it originally promised
• Promised documents have been withheld, and the meetings proceeded without proper engagement. investments
• Promised<01:13:14.400> documents<01:13:14.960> have<01:13:15.199> been<01:13:15.440
• got 90% of your property right now that is non-taxable and I know that the Northwest Angle and the Duluth
• got 90% of your property right now that is non-taxable and I know that the Northwest Angle and the Duluth

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, quite frankly, so I serve on the Duluth Indigenous Commission.
• commission, I work with our education subcommittee, and then also I'm an uncle raising my nephew in the Duluth
• my<00:48:41.200> nephew<00:48:42.240> in<00:48:42.480> the<00:48:42.600> Duluth
• <00:48:43.000> public my nephew in the Duluth public my nephew in the Duluth public middle

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Duluth, my district, my beloved hometown, is the home to the Duluth Curling Club and Team USA's silver
• Duluth,<01:03:23.440> my<01:03:23.560> district,<01:03:24.160> my<01:03:24.280><
• c> beloved Duluth, my district, my beloved Duluth, my district, my beloved hometown,<01:03:25.440
• the<01:03:25.760> home<01:03:26.120> to<01:03:26.280> the<01:03:26.400> Duluth
• hometown, is the home to the Duluth hometown, is the home to the Duluth Curling<01:03:27.040>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• July, I've spent time traveling across the state and visiting all five of our campuses: Crookston, Duluth
• the state and to remind all of us that when we provide or dedicate $18 million, for example, up in Duluth
• Prospective cities include Duluth, Sauk Centre, Brainerd, Blackduck, Crookston, Tyler, Blue Earth, Albert
• Prospective cities include Duluth, Sauk Centre, Brainerd, Blackduck, Crookston, Tyler, Blue Earth, Albert
• Prospective cities include Duluth, Sauk Centre, Brainerd, Blackduck, Crookston, Tyler, Blue Earth, Albert

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the 1980s, this structure was moved from where the Duluth Air Force Base was on the other side of
• effectively compete those for the $28 million estimated for the construction of those hangars into Duluth
• The 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth is their seventh largest employer, and additionally along with the wing
• The other thing is we have an explosive ordnance disposal unit in Duluth that has been called upon when
• The witness said the Duluth Air Base piece of it is on federal property.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• made on the beaches of Lake Superior thanks to my late grandparents, Jack and Sally Burke, who made Duluth
• Sally Burke, late grandparents, Jack and Sally Burke, who<00:21:12.800> made<00:21:13.000> Duluth
• > their<00:21:13.520> home<00:21:13.800> after<00:21:14.080> US who made Duluth
• their home after US who made Duluth their home after US Steel<00:21:14.600> brought<00:21:14.880

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It contains letters from the Chambers of Commerce in Minneapolis, Duluth, White Bear Lake, St.
• In my community in Duluth, 66 of those deaths occurred.
• challenging and grieving with the loss of community members and murders and missing relatives in Duluth
• I just want to send shout-outs across the state to our Native community, to our community in Duluth,

Transcript Highlights:

• It honored his sacrifices and promised us that he would not be forgotten.
• It honored his sacrifices and promised It honored his sacrifices and promised us<01:07:51.720>
• I am, as the introduction was, I did come from Duluth, Minnesota this morning. I'm here from St.
• ,<02:16:37.760> Minnesota<02:16:38.200> this<02:16:38.760> uh from uh Duluth
• , Minnesota this uh from uh Duluth, Minnesota this uh morning. morning. morning.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a city council member from Duluth, Minnesota.
• I walked through the places to see that I put my purse through that in Duluth.
• This is an important part of this bill that would allow us in Duluth, a unique city.
• This is an important part of this bill that would allow us in Duluth, a unique city.
• This is an important part of this bill that would allow us in Duluth, a unique city.

Bills: HF3351

Keywords: firearms, guns, gun control, gun safety, local control, home rule, preemption, municipal regulation, county regulation, city ordinances, zoning, firearm dealers, gun dealers, ammunition, carry permits, permit to carry, pistols, Saturday night special, metal-penetrating bullets, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• , like last night, there was this beautiful piece where they had a lady, she was up the bluffs of Duluth
• night to, you know, there's this beautiful piece where they had a lady, she was up the blocks, a Duluth
• The artist very powerfully was able to incorporate dance and art within Duluth, and we're hoping that

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm not sure exactly what I can say, but I know that this is important, and I know that Duluth is important
• I'm not sure exactly what I can say, but I know that this is important, and I know that Duluth is important
• I'm not sure exactly what I can say, but I know that this is important, and I know that Duluth is important
• I'm not sure exactly what I can say, but I know that this is important, and I know that Duluth is important
• Technology has great promise for us, and the state is also investing in computer science education so

Keywords: 1187, senate, all