Video & Transcript Research : 'Duluth Promise'
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MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Jobs and Economic Development - 03/19/25
Jobs and Economic Development
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 2/17/25
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- I know Representative Smith there is a program in Rochester as well, and in Duluth too.
- And then that teacher ended up leaving; she went to Duluth to teach ag, so they were a year off looking
Keywords:
agriculture, agricultural education, leadership development, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council, MAELC, chapter 41D, grant funding, general fund appropriation, commissioner of agriculture, farm education, youth agriculture programs, ag literacy, workforce development, extension education, research funding, extension services, technology transfer, grant programs, 1183, house
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session 5/13/26 - Part 2
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- In Duluth alone, I talked to one manufacturer.
- I have to reassure my constituents every day when we get bills like this that no, I promise you we will
- I have to reassure my constituents every day when we get bills like this that no, I promise you we will
- I have to reassure my constituents every day when we get bills like this that no, I promise you we will
- I promise you we will defend your reproductive rights.
Summary:
The House adopted the conference committee report on House File 1141, the housing bill, and repassed the bill as amended by conference. Representative Howard said the compromise bill would help build thousands of homes, keep Minnesotans housed, and improve transparency and collaboration with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, while remaining budget-neutral by using MHFA interest earnings and fund transfers. He highlighted investments in housing infrastructure bonds, greater Minnesota workforce housing, manufactured housing, FHPAP, supportive housing, and added transparency for MHFA board meetings, while noting that some Senate provisions such as a manufactured housing bill of rights and a ban on private equity home purchases were not included.
Several members spoke in support, emphasizing housing as a basic need and linking the bill to homelessness, workforce shortages, and health outcomes. Supporters praised the bill’s funding for supportive housing, first-generation homebuyer assistance, tenant hotline services, and manufactured housing, and said the bipartisan conference process improved the measure. Representative Kosowski and others argued the bill would help people stay housed, reduce pressure on schools, hospitals, and emergency rooms, and support communities across all 87 counties and tribal nations.
Republican members raised concerns about spending and government growth, arguing the state should prioritize taxpayer relief, school safety, fraud prevention, and asset preservation instead of housing investments. Representative McDonald questioned the growth in MHFA staffing over the past decade, and Representative Howard responded that the agency had taken on many new responsibilities since the state’s larger housing investments and needed staff to administer programs effectively. After the motion to adopt the conference report prevailed, the bill moved to third reading, where further discussion continued in a generally supportive but divided debate.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Wednesday, September 3, 2025)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- they broke that promise?
- they broke that promise?
- they broke that promise?
- they broke that promise?
- c> debating<05:22:52.638>
another As promised, we're back debating another As promised, we're
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Floor Session 5/5/25 - Part 2
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- There was a gentleman in a bar threatening to shoot up a local school in Duluth, and the red flag was
- They give them a false, empty set of promises that are going to do nothing to solve it.
- /c><02:21:30.080>
empty <02:21:30.479>set <02:21:30.720>of <02:21:30.880>promises - <02:21:32.319>
that <02:21:32.560>are a false empty set of promises that are a false - empty set of promises that are going<02:21:32.880>
to <02:21:32.960>do <02:21:33.200>
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- into the Promise Act program that<00:15:48.560>
was <00:15:48.720>created <00:15:49.040 - This is a promise. Uh, in these tough times, we don't abandon working people.
- This is a promise. Uh in these handout. This is a promise.
- We could finally do the permitting reform that Governor Walz has promised us for so many years, but has
- by leadership and chair and the promises by leadership and chair Murphy<03:12:55.200>
that <03
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Cmte on Rules - Subcommittee on the Federal Impact on Minnesotans and Economic Stability - 01/15/26
Transcript Highlights:
- I actually live in Duluth, so I appreciate the opportunity to participate remotely.
- Glad you could zoom in from Duluth. And, Ms.
Summary:
The Select Subcommittee first took up adoption of three previously prepared nonpartisan committee summary reports dated October 15, November 13, and November 21. Senator Rasmusson objected to the lack of advance notice about the day’s testifiers and criticized the practice of having nonpartisan staff summarize what he described as a partisan agenda. The chair responded that the committee’s purpose is to gather information, not hear bills, and that the summaries were intended as neutral resources for the Senate. Senator Coopek moved adoption, the motion was opposed by Rasmusson and another member, and the motion passed.
The committee then turned to the day’s hearing on federal impacts on Minnesota, with the chair focusing on federal funding threats and the effect of congressional budget actions on health care, especially in greater Minnesota. The first presentation came from the Minnesota Department of Health on the state’s rural health transformation work. Assistant Commissioner Carol Broom introduced the team and described the rural hospital transformation program as a major opportunity to invest in rural health, while acknowledging longstanding challenges such as demographics, transportation barriers, and the financing of care. Nitha Moibi outlined the state’s rural health chart book and data showing an aging population, workforce shortages, and many health professional shortage areas, and described proposed strategies including workforce pipelines, bridge payments for low-volume birth hospitals, telehealth access points, mental health urgent care, and chronic disease prevention.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Anna Ashby of the Minnesota Management and Budget office explained the state’s application to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program, which was created in federal law and awarded Minnesota just over $193 million for federal fiscal year 2026. She said the application was shaped by public comments, stakeholder meetings, and legislative outreach, and included initiatives on preventive care, workforce, care access, behavioral health, and provider financial stability. She also reviewed implementation constraints, including a January 30 revised budget deadline, limits on administrative spending, restrictions on using funds to offset Medicaid losses, and the need to show measurable progress to remain eligible for future funding. The presentation noted that most year-one funding would go to rural hospitals, with additional support for federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, tribal partners, and technical assistance.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Energy, Utilities, Environment and Climate - 03/10/25
Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans - 01/27/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- straight placeholder that's a photograph, by the way, of some visitors to the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth
- Paul and Duluth, and those things are very important for the long-term health of Minnesota's economy.
Summary:
The subcommittee held its first hearing of the session and began with introductions from members and staff, many of whom shared personal or family connections to military service. The chair emphasized that the committee would work respectfully and invited members to raise concerns directly. No votes or formal actions were taken during the opening portion of the meeting.
The main substantive item was an overview presentation from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. Commissioner Brad Lindsay described the agency’s mission, statewide footprint, and strategic goals, noting Minnesota has more than 286,000 veterans and that MDVA serves veterans in all 87 counties. He outlined the department’s structure, including eight veterans homes, four state veterans cemeteries, tribal and campus outreach, and the agency’s focus on seamless support, awareness of programs, stewardship of resources, and workforce retention.
Deputy Commissioner Ben Johnson then detailed the Programs and Services Division, including federal VA claims assistance, veterans employment and education support, state veterans cemeteries and memorial affairs, the State Soldiers Assistance Program, homelessness prevention, tribal veteran service officers, women veterans services, the Minnesota GI Bill, licensing and certification assistance, the state approving agency, veterans preference, emergency assistance, the LinkVet line, and the Minnesota Service Core partnership with Lutheran Social Services. He also noted the agency’s work on food insecurity and burial services. The presentation was informational only, with no committee action reported.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 01/23/25
Health and Human Services
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - 03/24/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee 3/19/25
Human Services Finance and Policy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 02/19/26
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee 4/10/25
Transportation Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- The first change aside from those is on line 22 with Duluth airport tower at $10 million over the biennium
Bills:
HF2438
Keywords:
transportation finance, transportation policy, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, highway funding, trunk highway fund, county state-aid highway fund, municipal state-aid street fund, state aid roads, local roads, bridge funding, road construction, transit funding, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, airport development, safe routes to school
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 04/04/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
HF3030, the 'Minnesota Miners Relief Act,' heard in committee 4/2/25
Transcript Highlights:
- We do not want that for the Range, and the Range is Duluth, the Range is the North.
Summary:
House File 3030 was taken up for discussion and amended with the A1 author’s amendment before moving forward. The bill was presented as an Iron Range package with three parts: a 26-week unemployment insurance extension for workers laid off by Cleveland-Cliffs, and two mining-related provisions dealing with safe storage of reactive mine waste and a site-specific sulfite standard. The authors said the bill was intended both to help laid-off workers immediately and to support the long-term future of mining jobs in the region.
Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive of the unemployment extension and the broader goal of preserving Iron Range jobs and communities. Representatives of affected workers, union leaders, a county commissioner, a tribal elder, and RAMS all described the layoffs as potentially long-term and warned of broader economic harm to families, local businesses, schools, and the region if mining jobs continue to decline. Several testifiers emphasized that mining is central to the Iron Range economy and argued that the bill would give workers time and hope while also helping keep people in the region.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency testified that it generally supported the bill’s intent but raised concerns about the environmental rulemaking language in Article 2, Section 2. MPCA said the provision would amount to a new major rulemaking, would require significant time and resources, and should be reviewed by the Environment, Natural Resources, Finance and Policy Committee. During member questions, one legislator said there was strong support for the UI extension in Article 1 but expressed concern about the environmental issues in Article 2 and asked why those provisions were not being reviewed by the environment committee. The meeting ended with public testimony closed and member questions beginning; no final vote was taken in the portion provided.
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