Video & Transcript Research : 'prosecutorial function'
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KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Legislative Session Day 14 (1-27-26)
Kentucky House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- appropriations providing financing and conditions for the operations, maintenance, support, and functioning
- <01:37:35.760>
of maintenance, support, and functioning of maintenance, support, and functioning - <01:37:56.800>
of <01:37:56.960>the <01:37:57.119>transportation functioning of - the transportation functioning of the transportation cabinet<01:37:58.400>
of <01:37:58.560> - of the judicial support, and functioning of the judicial branch<01:38:20.080>
of <01:38:20.239
Keywords:
Convene 00:00:00
Senate Message 00:04:59
Orders of the Day 00:06:19
Recess 00:06:38
Reconvene 01:11:12
HB 306 01:11:42
HB 34 01:14:19
Motions, Petitions, and Communications 01:16:25
Rep. Petrie Statements on Budget 01:16:42
Motions, Petitions, and Communications continued 01:23:50
Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 01:36:28
Recess for ConC and Rules Meeting 01:38:52
ConC/Rules Report 01:45:18
Floor Amendments 01:46:21
Adjournment 01:46:32, 958, all
Summary:
The House convened on the 14th legislative day after winter weather closures, established a quorum, approved the prior journal, and received notice that the Senate had passed Senate Bills 27, 30, 40, and 76 and requested concurrence. The chamber also suspended rules to allow co-sponsorship and vote modifications, and later recessed briefly for caucus and for meetings of the committee on committees and the rules committee.
Two bills were taken up and passed on the floor. House Bill 306, relating to criminal trespass, was explained as a workplace-safety measure that would define disruptive or threatening behavior in workplaces and increase penalties for repeat offenses; it passed 83-7. House Bill 34, relating to death benefits, was described as expanding recognized cancers for fire service-related benefits; it passed 92-0. After passage of HB 34, a motion for a clincher was adopted without objection.
During announcements, a member from Todd outlined the newly filed branch budget bills and said the executive budget would be a scaled-back, “bare-bones” operational budget focused on restraining spending growth and inviting more public review through budget subcommittees. The House also adopted a citation honoring Notre Dame Academy and Catholic Schools Week, heard an announcement about hearing screenings by the Kentucky Academy of Audiology, and received a lengthy floor speech marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day before adopting House Resolution 30 without objection.
At the end of the session, new bills and resolutions were introduced, including measures on lactation consultation, Medicaid waivers, a child tax credit, postsecondary employment, long-term care, court security officers, prisoner monitoring devices, administrative regulations, the state budget, transportation, legislative and judicial appropriations, stalking, and memorial overpasses. The committee on committees referred several bills to standing committees, the rules committee posted House Bills 56, 214, 281, and 366 for the next day, a floor amendment to House Bill 320 was reported, and the House adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
PSM-HHS, PSM-EIG, PSM DEFER, PSM Public Hearings 03-23-2026
Public Safety and Military Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:07:22.680>
needs others with access and functional needs others with access and functional - Access and functional needs is a little bit of a broader scope than just a disability identification.
- Access and functional needs is a little bit of a broader scope than just a disability identification.
- Functional need might not identify as also having a disability.
- I work at an adult or functional needs.
Summary:
The joint hearing covered HB 1976, relating to dementia training for law enforcement, and HB 2443, relating to disaster services for people with disabilities and access or functional needs. For HB 1976, the Hawaii Law Enforcement Standards Board opposed the bill’s process and cost, arguing there was no documented training gap because existing CALEA accreditation already includes mental illness response training that covers dementia. Supporters, including the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, disability advocates, caregivers, and several individuals, said dementia-specific training would help first responders better handle real-world encounters and avoid harmful misunderstandings. The committee later recommended passage with amendments, including changing mandatory language to permissive language in several places and removing a deadline for the first annual training cycle; the recommendation was adopted unanimously.
For HB 2443, testimony was strongly supportive. The Disability Communication Access Board, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Office of Wellness and Resilience, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and individual testifiers said the bill would strengthen emergency planning and response by adding a Disability Integration Specialist and better integrating people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs into disaster preparedness, sheltering, and FEMA coordination. Several speakers emphasized recent storms and rescues as evidence of the need. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including changes based on Attorney General comments and adding specialized communications and comprehensive communications planning provisions previously contained in another bill; that recommendation was also adopted unanimously.
The transcript then moved to a separate mini hearing on HB 1768, relating to immigration enforcement. Supporters, including the ACLU of Hawaii, the Legal Clinic, the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, argued the bill would prevent local law enforcement from entering 287(g)-type agreements or otherwise participating in federal immigration enforcement, citing civil rights concerns, community trust, and the need for police to focus on local public safety. One testifier raised concerns that local cooperation could help avoid mistakes in enforcement, while supporters responded that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that local agencies should not be deputized for civil immigration arrests. The excerpt ends amid extended member questions and discussion, without showing a final vote on HB 1768.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Feb 12th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- THAT IS THE SOLUTION TO AT LEAST CLOSE TO 100 PERCENT 95 PLUS PERCENT STAFF FUNCTIONING HOUSING UNITS
- TO 100 PERCENT 95 PLUS PERCENT STAFF FUNCTIONING HOUSING UNITS.
- MY IMMEDIATE COUNTY WE INTEGRATED THE COMPTROLLING FUNCTION TO OUR OFFICE WHICH ADDED 233 FTE TO THE
- CC OC WE ARE FOCUSED ON JUST THE COURT RELATED FUNCTIONS OF THE CLERKS OFFICE.
- ALL THAT THEY COLLECT FOR THE DIFFERENT SORT OF FUNCTIONS THAT THEY DO.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Joint Legislative Auditing Committee Jan 13th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- overview of my office with three areas of emphasis: independence and why it's essential to the audit function
- Our other accountability activities include quality assessment reviews of the internal audit functions
- Our other accountability activities include quality assessment reviews of the internal audit functions
- of the state agency inspectors general. include quality assessment reviews of the internal audit functions
- It's arguably the most important function that OPAGA has because, of course, the objectivity, factual
Summary:
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee met to receive annual overviews of its oversight responsibilities and the work of the Auditor General and OPAGA. Committee staff reviewed the committee’s authority over state and local governments, enforcement of audit-report filing requirements, repeated audit findings, Transparency Florida reporting, and lobbying compensation audits. Auditor General Cheryl Norman described her office’s independence, audit standards, quality control, and major audit areas, including the state’s annual financial and single audits, school district and university audits, operational and performance audits, and attestation work. She also noted staffing shortages, recruitment efforts, and a request for carry-forward funds to study salaries.
Members asked about whether audits can quantify recoverable dollars, how school district spending comparisons are handled, and how to raise concerns about DCF-related audits or a local city audit that has been pending for years. Norman said her office can quantify findings when possible, sometimes compares costs across districts in operational audits, and that members can bring specific concerns to the appropriate deputy auditor general or the committee. She also explained that citizen or local-government audit requests may require payment of audit costs.
OPAGA Coordinator Kara Collins-Gomez outlined OPAGA’s role as a legislative research unit that conducts studies directed by law, the presiding officers, or the committee, and described its policy areas, methodologies, contract monitoring, and recurring statutory reports. Deputy Auditor General Matthew Tracy explained how to read operational audit reports, including findings, criteria, condition, cause, effect, recommendations, and management responses. Deputy Auditor General Greg Senators explained financial audit reports, including audit opinions, required supplementary information, internal control and compliance findings, federal program compliance, and management letters. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and a motion to adjourn, which passed without objection.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Appropriations Jun 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- They're core functions, and that's where the attention should be.
- We can't function.'
- What is our actual function?
- You know, they're going to, I'm sure, have to What is our actual function?
- There are no other programs that we can direct revenue to the core function.
Summary:
The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, a proposed constitutional amendment to reduce property taxes by lowering assessment caps on non-homestead property, expanding homestead exemptions over time, and allowing local governments to increase exemptions further. The sponsor argued the measure would provide broad property tax relief while requiring revenues to be directed to core services such as public safety, education, infrastructure, and natural resource projects, with a trust fund intended to help local governments transition. Senators raised concerns about the lack of a fiscal score, the effect on counties, cities, school districts, and special districts, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes.
Several amendments were debated. Senator Polsky’s amendment to explicitly authorize user fees and non-ad valorem assessments to offset lost property tax revenue failed. Senator Avila’s amendment broadening permissible uses of ad valorem revenue to include county constitutional officers and other expenditures approved by local governing bodies was adopted after debate over whether the bill would otherwise underfund essential functions. Senator Smith’s sunset amendment, which would have made the constitutional changes expire after five years, failed. Senator Smith’s amendment to allow tourism development tax revenue to support public safety and education also failed. Senator Graal’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund language was adopted, with supporters arguing the Constitution should not promise an unfunded account.
Additional late-file amendments were considered. Senator Berman’s proposal to change the ballot title to more neutrally describe the measure as affecting property taxes and local community service reductions failed. Senator Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal was adopted, preserving school taxes. Senator Smith’s amendment narrowing the non-homestead assessment cap reduction to small businesses only failed. The committee then returned to the bill as amended and continued questioning the sponsor about eligibility, fiscal impacts, and whether the proposal could lead to local governments offsetting lost revenue through special assessments or other charges.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- They're core functions. They're core functions, and that's where the attention should be.
- We can't function.'
- What is our actual function?
- You know, they're going to, I'm sure, have to have to, What is our actual function?
- There are no other programs that we can direct revenue to the core function.
Summary:
The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, the proposed constitutional amendment on property tax relief, which would reduce assessment growth on non-homestead property, expand homestead exemptions, create a new exemption for new homesteaders, and direct counties, cities, and school districts to use property tax revenues for specified core services. Senator Avila presented the measure as the governor’s plan to provide historic relief and argued that local governments should tighten budgets and prioritize core functions. Senators raised concerns about the lack of fiscal scoring, the breadth and ambiguity of the permitted uses, the effect on special districts and local services, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes. The committee adopted several amendments, including Avila’s amendment clarifying that ad valorem revenues could be used for county and municipal operations and administration and other expenditures not prohibited by law, and Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal. Other amendments failed, including proposals to allow user fees and non-ad valorem assessments, add a sunset, redirect tourism development taxes, narrow the small-business provision, and change the ballot title to reference local service reductions. Grall’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund requirement was adopted, while the committee also rejected Berman’s title-change amendment and Smith’s sunset and tourism-tax amendments. The committee then returned to the bill as amended for questions, including extended debate over whether the proposal would affect noncitizen residents, the impact on local government finances, and whether local governments would respond with higher fees or special assessments. The meeting ended with the bill still under discussion after the final round of questions, with Avila saying he would continue working with the governor’s office on the language before the next vote.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- 8 will provide the how: the behaviors and abilities that students need by applying functional health
- students need by applying functional students need by applying functional health<00:28:09.760>
- This is the functional health knowledge.
- everything else hangs on the functional everything else hangs on the functional health<00:51:39.200
- <00:51:50.240>
It's functional health knowledge is. It's functional health knowledge is.
Keywords:
grooming, child protection, student safety, sexual exploitation, educator licensing, teacher discipline, mandatory reporting, mandated reporter training, school misconduct, predatory offender, child abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, position of authority, school employee, school administrator, license revocation, license suspension
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
JLCAR Administrative Rules (11/20/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- I just think it needs a functions.
- >> Um, they're based on their job functions right now on their SJD.
- >> Um, they're based on their job functions right now on their SJD.
- Um, they're based on their job functions right now on their SJD.
- of the agency it has the function of the agency it has the volunteer<00:25:49.919>
language.
Summary:
The committee opened with routine business, including the Pledge of Allegiance, seating alternates, and approval of the minutes and consent calendar. Both were approved without opposition. The committee then moved to the regular calendar, beginning with Department of Environmental Services drinking water rules (2532). Staff noted that the final proposal deleted requirements that had been in the initial proposal, making the published notice technically inaccurate because it said there were no substantive changes. The agency responded that the requirements still exist in other rules, that regulated entities and the Water Council were notified, and that the public had notice through related hearings. After discussion about whether a new noticed hearing was needed, the committee approved the rule.
The next item was Department of Administrative Services personnel rule 2510 on seniority and employee performance evaluation. Staff raised informational comments and one unclear comment about language that appeared to require a checkbox even though no form exists, and about evaluation categories that could overlap. The agency said the checkbox language should be removed, but defended the overlapping categories as part of a long-standing template used by agencies for the past 10 years. Members discussed whether the language was too ambiguous or could lead to inconsistent application, but the committee ultimately approved the rule with a condition striking the checkbox language in the affected sections.
The committee then considered personnel rule 25109 on investigations, discipline, non-disciplinary communications, and non-disciplinary removal. Staff recommended clarifying language distinguishing license suspension from termination for cause, and questioned whether the sexual-harassment discipline language was too broad because the same conduct could fit multiple discipline levels. The agency agreed to add the suggested clarification for the license-suspension provision, but argued the sexual-harassment language should remain because another rule already provides the factors for determining the appropriate discipline and the agency needs discretion for fact-specific cases. The discussion included concerns about how non-verbal conduct might be treated, but the committee moved toward conditional approval with the agreed clarification and approval of the rest of the rule as written.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Energy and Natural Resources (03/11/2025)
Energy and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Well, I'll tell you this: I honestly, as far as OCA functions that fall outside of the SEC, which is
- But hypothetically, a very good function of...
- <00:28:09.559>
that honestly as far as OCA functions that honestly as far as OCA functions - <00:28:26.799>
of Hypothetically, a very good function of an OCA at the state level would - You know, when we revise the SEC process, there are deadlines, so this would have to function within
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Commission to Study Stable Tokens (11/12/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:19:36.559>
like central purpose must be to function like central purpose must be to function - It's a bit hybrid features or functions.
- >
it's <00:55:48.880>been really functional, but it's been really functional, but it's - <01:02:52.160>
uh even though it functions like cash. uh even though it functions like cash - <01:19:39.520>
in really exists and really functions in really exists and really functions
Summary:
The commission met on November 12 and first approved the September 17 and October 15 draft minutes unanimously after brief discussion. Members also identified themselves for the record, including a new member from Bumpsk Bank, a staff attorney from the Secretary of State’s Bureau of Securities Regulation, a prior crypto commission participant, and a uniform law commissioner involved in tokenization projects.
The main presentation was by UNH law professor Seth Orinberg, who discussed the federal GENIUS Act and the pending Clarity Act and how they affect New Hampshire’s options in the digital asset space. He described the GENIUS Act as governing payment stablecoins/stable tokens, defining them as blockchain-based assets used primarily for payments, redeemable for a fixed amount of national currency, and required to maintain stable value. He said the law creates three possible state roles: hosting federally qualified issuers, becoming a state qualifier for issuers up to a $10 billion threshold, or exploring state-backed issuance as a sovereign. He noted that the state-qualification path would require conforming legislation, examination capacity, and coordination with Treasury, while the sovereign-issuer theory is legally uncertain and may become a test case.
Orinberg also outlined the core compliance framework he said applies to covered issuers: 100% reserve backing in high-quality liquid assets, monthly public reserve reporting, no yield or interest-like rewards, segregation of reserve assets, immediate redemption at face value, and anti-money-laundering/know-your-customer obligations. He then turned to the Clarity Act, describing it as a broader market-structure bill that would create categories such as digital asset, digital commodity, digital security, and ancillary asset, with self-certification procedures for issuers. He said the two federal laws together would separate payments from investments, preempt inconsistent state standards for covered payment stablecoins, and likely reshape the boundaries of state authority over digital assets.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
Transcript Highlights:
- He can't really function that way. He's really without structure as a result.
- The assessment for services would more fully capture the functional limitations and complex needs of
- In a practical sense, my IQ score alone is a very imprecise measure of my functioning, but evaluations
- of my executive functioning and attention...' ...can point to the types of assistance and services I
- below functional literacy, at or below a third-grade level.
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing focused on accessibility-related legislation, with the chairs emphasizing ASL and CART accessibility and asking testifiers to speak slowly and clearly. The committee heard testimony first on H.223/S.130, a bill to establish a livable wage for community-based human service workers by reducing the pay gap with state employees. Providers’ Council, Communities for People, the Key Program, and BAMSI all supported the bill, describing persistent wage disparities, high vacancy and turnover rates, and the impact on continuity of care for children, youth, and families. Witnesses said the bill would help recruitment and retention and stabilize services across the Commonwealth.
The committee then heard extensive testimony on H.224/S.160, the ACE Act, which would create a dedicated funding source to improve accessibility in the creative economy. Arts organizations and advocates, including Community Access to the Arts, Abilities Dance Boston, Jacob’s Pillow, the Multicultural Arts Center, Northampton Community Music Center, Mass Creative, Open Door Arts, and Monkey House, described barriers such as inaccessible buildings, lack of ASL interpretation and captioning, inadequate lifts and backstage access, and the high cost of renovations. Testifiers said the bill would help smaller and historic institutions make physical and programmatic improvements and allow people with disabilities to participate as artists, workers, and audiences.
The committee also heard testimony on H.4180, which would require DDS to consider neuropsychological evaluations when determining eligibility for intellectual disability services. Parents and advocates argued that IQ cutoffs alone can miss significant functional needs, especially for autistic adults and others with complex developmental profiles, and urged broader access to DDS supports. Additional testimony supported S.101 on closed captioning and telecommunications in public areas, and S.158 on requiring restaurants to have some chairs with arms to better accommodate physically disabled and older patrons. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chair adjourned after hearing from the scheduled witnesses and noting a few signups that were not present.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development Mar 5th, 2025
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- We have, of course, all the administrative functions.
- to TWC because they were work-related functions.
- We don't perform health and human services functions.
- There's several other functions that we have, and I'll be more than glad, and that's why I. left, had
- This is really probably our primary core. function that the legislature lays out to us.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations and Budget General Government Subcommittee 2nd Revision: Agenda Revised: 10:30 a.m. Ethics Commission
A&B General Government Subcommittee
Transcript Highlights:
- Guess it's the new museum open and functional now. Most Corey's laughing. But it's like we.
- I have a question about the people who function in this capacity. Would they be enlisted?
- Just to have this full-time, fully loaded state employee function in that capacity.
- And we want these to function. They've got to function during every election cycle.
- I definitely feel like it's functioning with full accuracy.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Health and Human Services - 03/12/25
Health and Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- responsibility for different functions responsibility for different functions and<01:46:31.639><
- <01:47:28.440>
and jurisdiction over those functions and jurisdiction over those functions - relates to one of these um functions relates to one of these um functions that<01:47:47.719>
- It doesn't delineate the operational functions, compliance, licensing, oversight functions.
- But first, is there a federal requirement that, similar to the DHS functions, these functions remain
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Housing Committee Meeting - 2026-04-07
Housing Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- So the grantee is performing the fund functions that they were given the money for, and then there are
- So the grantee is performing the fund functions that they were given the money for, and then there are
- <00:10:33.279>
and requires staff to do those functions and requires staff to do those functions - that they were given the money functions that they were given the money for<00:12:01.839>
and - all of the agency's functions. all of the agency's functions.
Bills:
SF2434
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Business meeting to consider the nomination of Mehmet Oz, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Mar 25th, 2025 at 08:30 am
Finance Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- This is a mission-critical function.
- I know there's an actuarial function in the area. I know it's analytics.
- But nobody took a look at what the. function was before they started firing people.
- He could care less about. what the function is. He wants a body count.
- is, and then makes determinations about how to improve the delivery of that function.
Keywords:
Social Security, Medicaid, Frank Bisignano, Elon Musk, benefit processing, office closures, public testimony, administration policies, health care, vulnerable populations
Summary:
The committee meeting focused heavily on the nomination of Frank Bisignano as the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, with intense discussions around the current state of Social Security and its management under the current administration. Members voiced significant concerns regarding potential changes to Social Security and Medicaid, specifically addressing issues such as office closures, delays in benefit processing, and the perceived policies from Elon Musk's association with the administration. Public testimonies highlighted fears that these changes would severely impact the accessibility of benefits for seniors and vulnerable individuals, resulting in a chaotic environment at the SSA. Members expressed a unified opposition to the notion of dismantling these critical programs, emphasizing the long-term implications on their constituents' well-being.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Veterans and Armed Forces Jan 20th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Veterans and Armed Forces
Transcript Highlights:
- utilities, universities, places where information is stored, and places where there are critical functions
- for the state to function.
- If there is a cyberattack in our state that might disrupt utilities, critical function, medicine, or
- And they need some more expertise and help to do that, to get back functional so they can protect the
- And we function on a budget of about $15,000 a year.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
December 10, 2025 - 01:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- I say that because if you look that ownership of these functions that you see there, we are different
- We have some of the positions that are part of the core function, but it's been a huge improvement and
- So we have a candidate in the seat filling that important function for a state, cyber security and for
- You give us and allowed us to commit be committed to care, not just a very important function.
- Now, that's a good example where you want your I D tech staff fully functioning.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House DFL Media Availability 1/27/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We spent quite a bit of time talking about how a tied House can function without tying itself in knots
- What I'm looking for are things that can make the seven-week period where Republicans would function
- maybe there may be some other things that can remain from the seven-week period where they would function
- as a majority Republicans would function as a majority meaningful<00:13:42.079>
uh <00:13:42.320 - as a majority that would last function as a majority that would last through<00:14:13.000>
the
Summary:
On January 27, 2025, Speaker-designate Melissa Hortman and Representative D. Dibble said they had resumed negotiations after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a quorum in the House is 68. They said the ruling brought Republicans back to the table and clarified that actions taken by Republicans between January 14 and January 24 had no legal effect because the House was not validly organized. Both said they had spent several hours over the weekend and that talks were making gradual progress, though no final agreement had been reached.
The main issue remained power-sharing in a tied House. Hortman said the DFL wants Republicans to run the chamber only until the House returns to a 67-67 tie, at which point the parties would implement the previously negotiated shared-governance agreement with co-chairs, equal committee membership, and a co-speaker. She said Republicans instead want to continue operating as if they had a majority. Hortman also said the DFL was looking for ways to make the interim Republican-majority period meaningful, including possible permanent committee arrangements, while still preserving the principle of shared power once the tie is restored.
A second major topic was the GOP effort to remove Representative Brad Tabke. Hortman and Dibble said Tabke had won his seat three times—on Election Day, in a recount, and in court—and argued that removing him would be an undemocratic precedent. They also said the Supreme Court’s ruling confirmed that Secretary of State Steve Simon was properly presiding over the House under the quorum rules. In response to questions about pay for absent members, Hortman said legislative pay is set by the Constitution and statute and that no action without a quorum could change it. They said they had exchanged roughly 10 written offers since January 13 and hoped to reach an agreement soon, possibly by the end of the week.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House DFL Media Availability 1/24/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- merely found the legal issue to be the case that the lieutenant governor couldn't vote in Senate functions
- and<00:03:34.920>
then <00:03:35.080>they <00:03:35.200>figured Senate functions - and then they figured Senate functions and then they figured that<00:03:35.640>
would <00:03:35.799 - we need each other in order to function we need each other in order to function that<00:07:58.879
- So why would we want to throw six weeks of time away that Republicans could choose to function as though
Summary:
Minnesota House Democrats reacted to the Minnesota Supreme Court’s ruling that a quorum in the House is 68, saying the decision confirms that neither party can act alone and that Republicans and Democrats must negotiate to organize the chamber. They argued that the GOP’s actions over the prior two weeks were illegitimate once Secretary of State Steve Simon determined there was no quorum, and said all committee activity and the election of a presiding officer during that period were not valid.
A major focus was the status of Rep. Brad Tabke’s seat in Shakopee. Democrats said Republicans were trying to use a temporary one-seat advantage to oust Tabke despite his election win, recount victory, and court ruling, which they said found it mathematically impossible that he lost. They said they would not return to the Capitol unless Republicans agreed not to remove him and to respect the voters’ will.
Democrats said they were still open to a negotiated power-sharing deal and emphasized that such agreements should be in writing. They described their current offer as allowing Republicans to run the chamber while they hold a one-seat advantage, with committee members from the DFL not voting, and then moving to full power sharing if the House returns to a tie. They said the special election timeline was not changed by the court ruling and that the governor could still issue the writ on February 5, with the session having begun on January 14.