Transcript Highlights:

• taken by this bill is the approach advocated by former DFL Speaker Paul T. ... and his descent in energy
• and<00:04:37.680><c> his</c><00:04:37.840><c> descent</c><00:04:38.199><c> in</c><00:04:38.360><c> energy
• </c><00:04:38.759><c> policy</c> and his descent in energy policy and his descent in energy policy Advocates
• </c><00:04:56.199><c> to</c> the right of the people of Minnesota to the right of the people of Minnesota
• So with that, I'll ask for a roll call. people of Minnesota know that yes thank people of Minnesota know

Committee: House Rules and Legislative Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Please raise your right hand to be sworn. energy in here and I know we're all energy in here and I know
• Minnesota today marks a new chapter.
• We of Minnesota in justice and faith.
• </c> proud majority leader in the Minnesota proud majority leader in the Minnesota Senate<00:07:53.680
• </c><00:08:01.199><c> I</c> Minnesota Senate. Welcome to you both. I Minnesota Senate.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bridges, uh fixing and lowering energy bridges, uh fixing and lowering energy costs,<00:02:10.560
• And even with a 23day delay Minnesota.
• </c><00:04:39.759><c> local</c> taking out on Minnesota local taking out on Minnesota local governments
• Make Minnesota a priority.
• Minnesota has to be our first Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tribal economies are critical to rural job creation and overall statewide prosperity.
• Renewable and manufacturing: the Navajo Nation is shifting from coal to renewable energy by developing
• solar equipment manufacturing and clean energy.
• As you know, NGS closed a few years ago, and that had a huge impact on our economy, and so... ...and

Summary: The committee devoted much of the meeting to presentations highlighting tribal communities in rural Arizona. Representative Peshlakai opened with a video and remarks about Legislative District 6, describing it as the state’s largest district and emphasizing its many tribal nations, scenic landmarks, and her personal Navajo background. Governor Stephen Roe Lewis then presented on the Gila River Indian Community, discussing its Akimel O’odham and Piipaash heritage, water rights history, the MAR-5 aquifer recharge project, cultural traditions, and the community’s role in regional water and infrastructure issues. A presentation on the Pasqua Yaqui tribe followed, focusing on cultural resilience, ceremonial traditions, and the history of displacement and freeway construction in Tucson. Representative Sosei later outlined barriers to tribal economic development, including trust land financing limits, federal and tribal review delays, infrastructure gaps, dual taxation, and the need for broadband, water, and road investment, while proposing reforms such as tax changes, state match funds, and annual tribal field hearings. The committee then considered SB 1016, a strike-everything amendment that would move the property-owner petition requirement earlier in the municipal improvement district process and allow waivers of certain notice and protest procedures. Supporters, including mayors from Camp Verde and Clarkdale, said the change would improve transparency, reduce financial risk for small towns, and help rural communities build wastewater and other infrastructure. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and passed SB 1016 on a 5-0 vote, with one member present and one absent. Next, the committee heard SB 1401, the Workforce Housing Accelerator Act, which would let municipalities create expedited plan review and permitting processes for qualified workforce housing projects and exempt project proceeds from the state portion of the prime contracting sales tax. Supporters from Habitat for Humanity said the measure would reduce carrying costs, speed approvals, and help build more affordable homes for working families. One member noted the bill would reduce general fund revenue but supported it as a targeted tradeoff to address housing affordability. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1401 on a 5-1 vote, with one member absent.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will need to mobilize different sectors of the economy and workforce unlike any time before.
• example, in 2022, President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to ramp up domestic production. of clean
• energy technologies.
• needs a refresh because the nature in which DOD would use that authority today in today's global economy
• or financing programs that enable them to make a bet at below market rates, like the Department of Energy

Committee: Senate Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota has a voluntary program, and taxpayers want to do the right thing for Minnesota.
• Under current law, non-residents are required to file a Minnesota income tax return if their Minnesota
• the state income tax on their compensation in Minnesota if they work in Minnesota for thirty days or
• Minnesota continues to serve as America's headquarters economy with many leading companies based here
• , would you have any tax liability in Minnesota?

Bills: HF2048 , HF2360 , HF2006 , HF950 , HF912 , HF3140 , HF2931

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, small businesses really boost the economy of their local economy, wherever they're placed.
• But not only that, but they do impact the entire Minnesota economy.
• if we want our economy to be strong.
• </c> that we take care of all Minnesota that we take care of all Minnesota businesses<00:04:09.240><c
• </c><00:04:44.520><c> to</c> our uh economy if we want our economy to our uh economy if we want our economy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Minnesota is very close to proportional. Minnesota is very close to proportional.
• </c> viability of Minnesota through growth. viability of Minnesota through growth.
• segment of the economy.
• segment of the economy.
• </c> competitiveness of Minnesota-based competitiveness of Minnesota-based businesses.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• So this current language could discourage investment in energy efficiency and clean technology by creating
• Senator Avila: Right now, 80% of all the energy in the entire world, all the energy consumption, is fossil
• That is what powers our economy, right?
• All of these different types of energy are what power our workforce and our economy, right?
• energy initiatives.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing guests, interns, public safety officials, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up several bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others substituted with House companions before final passage. No committee reports, governor messages, or House messages were on the desk at the start of the regular order of business. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have evidence-based pediatric emergency care policies, training, pediatric equipment, a designated pediatric emergency care coordinator, and participation in the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment. Senators also passed CS/CS/HB 1113 on public records, clarifying confidentiality protections for victims and for law enforcement officers who become victims in the course of duty, though that bill drew questions about access to information in misconduct cases and received four no votes. The Senate then passed CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity, creating a Florida Digital Service-administered program to help local governments obtain cybersecurity services and grants, with amendments shifting the grant-award deadline and rejecting House differences such as locating the program at USF and adding a sunset date. The chamber also passed CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court, allowing clerks to retain all revenue above Article V projections and revising related fee distributions, despite concerns from some senators and municipalities about revenue shifts. Additional bills passed included CS/CS/HB 679 modernizing trademark registration, and CS/CS/CS/HB 589 on septic system permits, which addresses long permit delays and clarifies liability if construction begins before a permit is issued. Several other bills were taken up, including elections legislation (SB 1334/HB 991) that generated extensive debate and multiple failed amendments on voter ID, citizenship verification, student and senior IDs, and implementation timing; the transcript ends while that bill is still under consideration, after the Senate adopted one amendment and rejected several others.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul, Minnesota, Tuesday, March 11th.
• An act relating to energy, providing for data center energy generation redundancy.
• House File 28 is a collaborative effort, accomplishing the goal of bringing more data centers into Minnesota
• Reconsider investing in Minnesota; instead, build their own data centers in neighboring states, which
• would carry the same energy load on the grid but would deprive us of many economic benefits.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the administrator for the Minnesota Clean Water Council.
• I'm the administrator for the Minnesota Clean Water Council.
• If you Google Clean Minnesota Clean Water Council, there’s a nifty story map that’s sort of animated
• If you Google Clean Minnesota Clean Water Council, there’s a nifty story map that’s sort of animated
• If you Google Clean Minnesota Clean Water Council, there’s a nifty story map that’s sort of animated

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:11:32.160><c> Neoniconoids</c><00:11:33.040><c> are</c> tourism economy.
• Neoniconoids are tourism economy.
• </c><00:11:57.920><c> These</c> tied to clean lakes and rivers.
• These tied to clean lakes and rivers.
• </c> and our agricultural comm economy. and our agricultural comm economy.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota continues to climb.
• That's not the Minnesota way.
• I grew up in Minnesota.
• </c> especially in rural Minnesota. especially in rural Minnesota.
• Thank you. see here today in Minnesota. see here today in Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll clean that up a little everything.
• Uh Minnesota Competency established.
• ><c> of</c><00:43:08.560><c> Police</c> the Minnesota Chiefs of Police the Minnesota Chiefs of Police
• </c> political affairs for the Minnesota political affairs for the Minnesota Association<00:49:50.000
• </c> Minnesota firefighters. Minnesota firefighters.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> also transitioned the state energy also transitioned the state energy program<00:14:54.320><c> to
• c> authority</c> program to the Wyoming energy authority program to the Wyoming energy authority um<00
• </c> workforce constraints, and an economy workforce constraints, and an economy deeply<01:33:22.000>
• ,</c> development, industry anchors, energy, development, industry anchors, energy, manufacturing,<01
• </c><02:41:48.240><c> and</c> in that makes sense in our economy and in that makes sense in our economy

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• Million dollars under our Energy Smart program provides energy efficiency retrofits and savings to the
• We do leverage these funds with some Department of Energy energy funds, some LIHEAP funds that we get
• Chairman, you would catch up and clean up for this year?
• New Mexico Clean and Beautiful is essentially what it says.
• Clean and Beautiful has some work that we had done down in Deming.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with Minnesota Public Lands.
• I'm with Minnesota Public Lands.
• c> recorded</c> of Minnesota has recorded of Minnesota has recorded 522,000<00:09:00.800><c> motorized
• </c><00:34:43.200><c> of</c> of the Minnesota Association of of the Minnesota Association of Townships
• </c><00:43:07.000><c> from</c> ATVs travel to greater Minnesota from ATVs travel to greater Minnesota

Summary: The committee heard House File 1012, as amended by the A1 amendment, and the author moved the bill to be laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill. The amendment, adopted on a voice vote, changed the timing for public input in trail planning, removed language on decommissioning trails, and combined the measure with another ATV-fee bill. The author said the bill would unify ATV trail signage policy statewide, align statute with DNR best practices, and not affect the forest trail inventory, existing ATV-accessible miles, or hunting exemptions. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including representatives of the Minnesota Public Lands Coalition, tribal officials from the Max Band and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, a retired DNR conservation officer, a retired wildlife manager, and the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, argued the bill would better protect wetlands, wildlife habitat, and culturally significant areas, improve transparency and tribal consultation, and make trail planning and enforcement more workable. The EQB said the amended bill’s rulemaking timeline was more workable, and the DNR described its existing multi-step trail review and consultation process. Opponents, including ATV Minnesota, county commissioners from northern counties, and a representative of the Minnesota Trappers Association, argued the bill would burden or restrict existing trail systems, increase costs, and threaten tourism and local economies. They said current trail development already involves DNR and local review, and that the bill could reduce access for riders, trappers, and other users. In member questions, the author and a Minnesota Association of Townships representative said the bill was intended to codify DNR best practices and bring local governments into the process earlier, while confirming that hunting exemptions were not removed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, and I think we do have a slide that talks about some of the savings in terms of fuel economy.
• Right, and work with Vigor and Siemens Energy and the other, in Glouston, and all of our vendors.
• We actually have met with them recently and talked about the clean energy credits that they, that program
• And so has Siemens Energy, our consultant. It's all... We've learned a lot through that.
• And so has Siemens Energy, our consultant. And so there's a lot of things that went in.

Committee: House Transportation

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from Washington State Ferries on its capital program and workforce efforts. WSF leaders reviewed the long-term fleet and terminal strategy, explaining that the system has built relatively few new vessels over the past two decades, now operates a smaller fleet than planned, and must keep aging boats in service longer than typical marine operators. They said the agency is moving ahead with hybrid-electric conversions, new vessel construction, and terminal electrification to support a 26-vessel long-range fleet plan and reduce emissions and operating costs. On new vessel construction, WSF announced the award of a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group for up to three 160-car hybrid-electric ferries. Officials said the first vessel is a new design, with about a year of production design work before steel cutting, and that the first boat is expected to cost about $400 million overall, including shipyard work, owner-furnished equipment, engineering, and contingency. Members raised concerns about the decision to build in Florida, transport risk, cost escalation, tariffs, liquidated damages, and whether the contract adequately protects the state. WSF said it will maintain on-site oversight, that the shipyard bears transit risk until delivery at Eagle Harbor, and that the contract includes incentives for early delivery and liquidated damages for late delivery. The committee also discussed the Wenatchee conversion, which WSF said is nearing completion and will enter service soon as the prototype for converting the Jumbo Mark II class to hybrid-electric operation. Officials said the project took longer and cost more than originally planned because it was the first conversion of its kind, required preservation and propulsion upgrades that would have been needed anyway, and revealed unforeseen conditions during work. Members questioned the cost-effectiveness of the conversion and asked for more detailed emissions and savings data. WSF said the three Jumbo Mark II vessels account for roughly a quarter of system diesel use and emissions, and that lessons learned from Wenatchee should reduce costs on future conversions. Siegel consultants then presented a workforce update, saying earlier studies found overtime and staffing problems were driven by seasonal staffing patterns, limited recruiting sources, weak career progression, and a difficult workplace culture. They reported substantial improvement since 2021, including a larger workforce, better retention, more diverse hiring, improved respect from supervisors, and better access to career pathways such as paid pilotage and advancement from entry-level positions. They said challenges remain around communication, HR access, scheduling, accountability, and labor forecasting, and outlined ongoing initiatives including a culture campaign, quarterly pulse surveys, succession planning, and improved workforce data analysis. The meeting then moved to terminal projects, beginning with a presentation on Fauntleroy Terminal and its planning and environmental review process.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we want to focus our... ...energies on those vessel classes, particularly on the conversions, that
• Yeah, and I think we do have a slide that talks about some of the savings in terms of fuel economy.
• We actually have met with them recently and talked about the clean energy credits that they, that program
• And so has Siemens Energy, our consultant. It's all... We've learned a lot through that.
• And so has Siemens Energy, our consultant. And so there's a lot of things that went in.

Summary: The committee met to hear an update from Washington State Ferries on capital projects and workforce issues, beginning with a briefing on the agency’s long-term fleet and terminal needs. WSF officials described the history of underinvestment after the late 1990s, the current fleet reduction from 25 to 21 vessels, and the need to keep older boats in service while moving toward a 26-vessel long-range fleet and hybrid-electric operations. They said the agency is transitioning to a new vessel procurement strategy, with Eastern Shipbuilding selected to build up to three 160-car hybrid-electric ferries, and outlined a schedule that includes contract execution, about a year of design work, steel cutting in fall 2026, and several years of construction. Members raised concerns about the higher cost of electrified vessels, the length of the schedule, the adequacy of liquidated damages and incentives, the risks of building in Florida and transporting vessels to Washington, and whether the contract sufficiently protects the state from cost overruns and design problems. The committee also received an update on the Wenatchee conversion, which officials said is days away from entering service as the first large hybrid-electric ferry conversion. WSF explained that the conversion combined required midlife preservation work with propulsion upgrades and battery installation, and that the project took longer and cost more than originally expected because it was a prototype with significant lessons learned. Officials said the Tacoma and Puyallup conversions would follow later, but those decisions were being delayed until after the World Cup to avoid service disruptions. Members asked about the cost-effectiveness of the conversion, the expected fuel and emissions reductions, and what happens to engine crews during long conversion periods; WSF said crews were embedded in the project and that the conversions should reduce diesel use substantially once terminal charging is available. The meeting then shifted to workforce development, with Siegel consultants reviewing their 2021 and 2024 studies of ferry staffing, overtime, recruitment, and workplace culture. They said the earlier problems stemmed from seasonal staffing practices, low winter hours, limited career progression, a narrow maritime recruiting pipeline, and a culture that made retention difficult. Since then, they reported major improvements: staffing has increased from about 1,500 to 1,900, turnover has fallen, captain and engineer shortages have eased, and recruitment has broadened beyond the traditional maritime pool, including more women and other underrepresented workers. They credited new programs such as guaranteed hours, paid pilotage, AB-to-mate pathways, and the “Turning of the Tide” culture campaign, while noting remaining issues with communication, HR access, accountability, and quality of life. Members generally acknowledged the progress but asked whether staffing levels are now sufficient and how interchangeable crews are across vessels and routes. Finally, terminal engineering staff began a presentation on capital terminal work, starting with the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal. They described the terminal’s age, low elevation, vulnerability to sea level rise and earthquakes, and the need for replacement piles, beams, and improved vehicle circulation. The agency said it has completed a planning and environmental linkage study, is moving into NEPA/state environmental review, and has been working with the community to balance the needs of Southworth and Vashon riders with neighborhood concerns in Fauntleroy. The preferred alternative is a larger offshore dock footprint that would improve capacity and reliability while reducing impacts to eelgrass habitat. The meeting ended before the terminal discussion was complete.

Transcript Highlights:

• The economy as a whole has grown the9s.
• On behalf of the Minnesota Commerce.
• Workplaces in Minnesota already are heavily regulated.
• 57.039><c> are</c> Workplaces in Minnesota already are Workplaces in Minnesota already are heavily<00
• So, we don't economy work for everybody.