Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, we kind of supported people going to ridiculous high-interest loans, anticipating a big loan, and
• But I found out that we were also paying off those loans. And that to me was a little disturbing...
• And that to me was a little disturbing because the state wasn't responsible for those loans.
• I am fully aware of that payday loan situation, and I too am very concerned about that.
• The same thing with these payday loans. If a claimant has taken payday loans.

Summary: The Fiscal Committee opened by approving the May 15 minutes and then recognized Pam Ellis for her long service with the Legislative Budget Assistant’s office and upcoming retirement. The committee adopted the consent calendar with two items removed for separate consideration, then approved transfers for the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Environmental Services after questions about court benefit costs and dam project funding. The Department of Health and Human Services also received approval for a general fund transfer item. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Youth Development Center settlement fund. New administrator Jared Boyle, joined by the Attorney General, described the fund’s remaining caseload, the payment matrix, and the need for additional funding to begin hearings in August. Members raised concerns about administrative costs, attorneys’ fees, payday loans, structured settlements, and the long-term fiscal impact on the state. Boyle requested $55 million, but the committee ultimately approved a reduced appropriation of $20 million, with members noting the possibility of returning for more funding later depending on revenues and the October revenue review. The Department of Corrections then received approval for a smaller shortfall transfer and a larger overtime-related transfer, with officials citing a 52% corrections officer vacancy rate, ongoing recruitment, academy classes, and efforts to use civilian staff in some non-security roles. A late item from the Veterans Home was also approved to cover overtime, holiday pay, and indirect cost shortfalls within its existing budget. The committee then heard an informational presentation on implementation of Senate Bill 134 and the new federal Medicaid work-requirement rule. DHHS said it plans to submit a state plan amendment, seek approval for hardship exceptions, start with one eligibility check cycle, and use existing federal grant funding to make system changes. Finally, the committee received a performance audit of the Doorway opioid treatment program, which found weak written procedures, incomplete data use, reimbursement delays, and problems with the Governor’s Commission on Addiction Treatment and Prevention. Members discussed follow-up reporting, and the next Fiscal Committee meeting was scheduled for August 21 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Health Care Innovation Revolving Loan Program was established to provide low-interest loans to eligible
• The council establishes the strategic framework and priority areas for the revolving loan program.
• The council establishes the strategic framework and priority areas for the revolving loan program.
• The program website and loan application portal have officially been launched.
• The first disbursement of funds for approved loans is expected in January 2026.

Committee: Senate Health Policy

Summary: The committee opened with roll call, welcomed members back for the first committee weeks, and heard brief personal updates from several senators before moving into agency implementation updates on recently enacted health care laws. The Agency for Health Care Administration reported on Senate Bill 64 creating rural emergency hospitals, explaining that AHCA adopted the required rules effective June 1, 2025, but that no hospitals have yet been designated. Members asked about possible hospital conversions, accreditation and survey responsibilities, and whether Florida would apply for federal rural health transformation funding; AHCA said it intends to apply and has already been working on the issue with federal officials. AHCA also reviewed the non-emergent care access plan requirement under Senate Bill 7016. The agency said hospitals with emergency departments must submit plans that help redirect non-emergent patients to appropriate care settings while complying with EMTALA, and that 83 plans had been received and 63 approved as of September 30. Members asked about data collection, managed care coordination, and the state’s health information exchange; AHCA said it has moved to a new HIE vendor and will continue monitoring implementation and possible care gaps. AHCA then updated the committee on the TEACH program, saying $6.8 million was spent in 2024-25 across 59 parent organizations and 229 facilities, with more than 1,800 students and nearly 380,000 clinical hours reimbursed. The agency said rulemaking is nearly complete, a new nursing student category and expanded facility eligibility were added, and a federal 1115 workforce waiver remains stalled after CMS signaled it will not approve new workforce demonstrations. AHCA also reviewed House Bill 121 on KidCare eligibility, explaining that implementation of the 300% poverty-level expansion remains blocked by federal litigation and waiver issues tied to premium nonpayment rules; members and public speakers urged action to close the coverage gap. Public testimony on AHCA’s presentation came from representatives of health centers and advocacy groups, who said the non-emergent care access plan has improved hospital-health center coordination and reduced repeat emergency use, and who urged implementation of KidCare expansion for children in the coverage gap. The Department of Health then presented updates on FRAM, the Sanadi screening grant program, the Health Care Innovation Revolving Loan Program, telehealth maternity care, swimming lesson vouchers, and House Bill 159 on pharmacist dispensing of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis. DOH reported strong participation in FRAM and the telehealth maternity program, 24 Sanadi grant awards in 42 counties, 4,945 swimming lesson vouchers issued last year and 2,371 so far this year, and three approved certification courses with five pharmacist certifications issued under HB 159. Committee members asked about recruitment of dentists and other providers, telehealth maternity outcomes, and why participation in the maternity program remains below expected levels; DOH said outreach and regional referral networks are expanding and more detailed outcome data will be included in the upcoming legislative report.

Transcript Highlights:

• I understand that we loaned about $900 million in ADAP funds to the General Fund.
• Yes, the $400 million loan from 2023-24 is planned for repayment in 2027-28, and the $500 million loan
• So, would ADAP be sustainable if we decided not to loan funds to the General Fund? ADAP.
• You mean if we didn't take any further loans? Yeah, or... Yes, yes.
• Fund balance over time and why there was such a large fund balance from which to pull those loans.

Transcript Highlights:

• To ensure the loan adequately covers state operation costs, as CSD has seen in recent years increased
• And then lastly, this also has to do with our general fund loan authority.
• It's very technical, and typically we would really only need a loan of up to $40 or $50 million.
• Bella made on the previous item for the loan authority apply here as well. Ms.
• Vela made on the previous item for the loan authority apply here as well. How do I get me a loan?

Transcript Highlights:

• Section three is a consolidation of competitive grant and student loan repayment reporting.
• </c><00:01:56.640><c> um</c><00:01:57.439><c> it</c> student loan repayment reporting. um it student
• loan repayment reporting. um it essentially<00:01:58.240><c> repeals</c><00:01:58.719><c> the</c><00:
• </c> report for the student loan repayments. report for the student loan repayments.
• </c> there's one that relates to student loan there's one that relates to student loan debt<00:08:41.120

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• of background, Washington's major business taxes, the business and occupation, or B&O tax... ...are loans
• This deduction includes a portion of the fees charged to borrowers, including points in loan origination
• threshold in order to be required to pay B&O tax on the interest income received on investments or loans
• It's a local bank that loans millions of dollars to first-time homebuyers.
• way for your community to support itself, but also because there are often communities where your loans

Summary: House Finance met on Friday, January 23rd, and heard three bills. On House Bill 2194, staff explained that the bill would allow a county and a city within that county to both impose the cultural access sales and use tax at the same time, with the county providing a credit for the city tax. Representative Parsley said the change would let more jurisdictions support cultural, arts, science, and school-related programs. Olympia and Thurston County officials testified in support, describing grant funding for cultural organizations, free programming, and school access benefits; a committee member raised a question about how the change could affect county bond obligations. The committee then heard House Bill 2089, which would narrow a B&O tax preference for first mortgage interest by removing the requirement that a financial institution be located in 10 or more states, and direct the resulting revenue to the wildfire response, forest restoration, and community resilience account. Staff said the bill would raise significant revenue and have implementation costs for the Department of Revenue. Representative Scott said the bill was intended to restore wildfire funding and limit the preference to community banks, while opponents from the Washington Bankers Association and Community Bankers of Washington warned the bill could harm community banks and mortgage lending if not drafted carefully. The Department of Natural Resources and a public employee representative supported restoring wildfire preparedness funding. Finally, the committee heard a proposed third substitute for House Bill 1960, which would replace property taxation for new or repowered large renewable energy facilities and battery storage systems with a state and local excise tax structure, while also creating a local investment distribution account and a tribal capacity grant program. Staff and the sponsor described the bill as a way to reduce property tax shifts onto nearby taxpayers and provide more stable, predictable revenue for local governments and tribes. County officials, assessors, treasurers, and some clean energy and conservation groups supported the concept but asked for clearer definitions, payment timing, and rate adjustments; utilities and renewable developers said they supported the goal but opposed the bill as drafted because of concerns about the rates and the treatment of centrally assessed utilities. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after closing the hearings on all three bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• We would hope that all loan servicers would work proactively with families in distress.
• Our servicer members service loans for third-party mortgage investors.
• Fannie and Freddie loan limits.
• to sell those loans to institutional investors.
• to sell those loans to institutional investors.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with most of the discussion focused on public safety, consumer protection, and youth harms. AB 1557 by Assemblymember Papin would clarify e-bike motor power limits and set lower speed-related standards for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. Supporters, including the California Police Chiefs Association, cities, the California Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, argued the bill would reduce severe injuries and deaths among young riders. Opponents from People for Bikes warned it could conflict with federal law, create legal uncertainty, and disrupt the bicycle market. The author and committee members acknowledged industry concerns and urged continued work on the bill. AB 1770 by Assemblymember Garcia would place large health care service plan arbitration under California Department of Justice oversight and require compliance with the California Arbitration Act. Supporters described cases where patients were forced into private arbitration with little transparency or accountability, arguing the bill would make the process fairer and more neutral. Kaiser Permanente and the Civil Justice Association of California said they were still reviewing amendments and had not settled on a final position. Committee members expressed sympathy for the personal stories shared and encouraged continued negotiations. The committee also heard AB 2075, which would require fire suppression equipment to be kept closer at hand during brush work, and AB 1864, which would require screening of gene synthesis orders to prevent misuse for bioterrorism. AB 2075 was presented as a response to a Ventura County wildfire, with support from the Ventura County District Attorney’s office and no opposition heard. AB 1864 was backed by the author, Stanford biosecurity expert Dr. Milana Trout, and Encode AI, while Biocom opposed unless amended and California Life Sciences remained neutral. Members discussed implementation details and the role of the Department of Public Health. A major portion of the hearing was devoted to AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for social media accounts on platforms with harmful features and create an e-safety advisory commission. Supporters, including youth advocates, parents, medical groups, and Common Sense Media, said addictive design features are harming children’s mental health and safety. Opponents, including EFF, the ACLU, TechNet, and other civil liberties and industry groups, argued the bill is overbroad, raises First Amendment and privacy concerns, and could limit access to important online communities. Despite those objections, the bill was moved forward after committee discussion, with members emphasizing the need to protect children while continuing to work on carveouts and implementation details.

Transcript Highlights:

• I thought you mentioned that these loan guarantees or these lines of credit are equivalent to actual
• 16.720><c> these</c><00:18:16.960><c> these</c><00:18:17.200><c> lines</c><00:18:17.440><c> of</c> loan
• guarantees or these these lines of loan guarantees or these these lines of credit<00:18:17.919><c> are
• So not only is there an 80% loan-to-value requirement, giving some buffer if something goes wrong, but
• an 80% loan to value requirement,<00:26:28.240><c> so</c><00:26:28.400><c> you</c><00:26:28.640><c>

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 1042, which would increase the BFA contingent credit limit. State Treasurer Monica Misipelli explained that under RSA 66, state debt capacity is tied to unrestricted revenue and that guaranteed debt counts in the calculation even though it is contingent rather than direct debt. She said the state currently has about 4.2% to 4.3% debt-to-revenue ratio, about $120 million in additional capacity, and that approving the bill’s proposed increase would reduce available capacity for future state borrowing, including capital budgets. She noted the BFA has a long history of using guarantees without a state payout, but said the legislature should consider whether the full additional $250 million is needed and whether unused guarantee authorizations, such as one for the Pease Development Authority, should be reviewed in the future. Committee members asked whether guarantees have the same effect as actual debt for bonding capacity, and the treasurer confirmed that they do for purposes of the formula. Members also asked about the usual level of debt relative to the statutory 10% cap, and she said the state generally stays well below that limit. BFA Executive Director James Key Wallace then testified that the request was driven by rising project costs, inflation, and the need for more runway so the agency does not have to return to the legislature in an emergency. He said the BFA is self-supported, has never had a guarantee paid out by the state, requires collateral and reserves, and believes the appropriate range is closer to $400 million to $450 million; he also said a Senate bill would raise the limit to $400 million. He added that the BFA’s pipeline includes projects from about $15 million to $100 million and that housing availability is an important factor in business location decisions. After closing the work session on House Bill 1042, the committee opened House Bill 241, a bill on health insurance coverage for pain management services for chronic pain. Representative Dave Nagel, the prime sponsor, gave extensive background on his long career in pain medicine and said the bill is intended to improve access to non-opioid therapies and evidence-based pain management. He described the broad population affected by chronic pain and opioid use disorder, and said the proposal has long had bipartisan and stakeholder support. No vote or final action was taken on House Bill 241 in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> we do have that breakdown of loans we do have that breakdown of loans versus<01:10:17.199><c> grants
• some of its loan repayment.
• </c> expect it loan some of its loan expect it loan some of its loan repayment.<01:11:02.960><c> It</
• more grants than lo more loan more give more grants than lo more loan more grants<01:11:31.840><c> than
• </c> grants than loans and vice vice versa. grants than loans and vice vice versa.

Committee: Senate Capital Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• I do want to say that if certain companies giving loans are uncomfortable, they can simply have the um
• the person getting the loan sign off that they're exempting themselves from this.
• </c><00:09:26.880><c> are</c> certain companies giving loans are certain companies giving loans are uncomfortable
• merchant cash advance loans in the last<00:23:36.159><c> two</c><00:23:36.400><c> years.
• What if I took a home equity loan against that 200,000 of equity I have in my house?

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> will be taking advantage of an FSA loan. will be taking advantage of an FSA loan.
• They've got a loan ready to make up the rest.
• They've got a loan ready to make up the rest.
• They've got a loan ready to make up the rest.
• They've got a loan ready to make up the rest.

Transcript Highlights:

• During that time, I have not accumulated any of that time towards student loan forgiveness.
• worker, so no, that does not count towards your student loan forgiveness.
• During that time, I have not accumulated any of that time towards student loan forgiveness.
• So no, that does not count towards your student loan forgiveness.
• So I'm still paying for college loans that I've had since graduate. your student loan forgiveness.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education held its fourth public hearing, opening with remarks about the importance of protecting and expanding access to higher education amid federal disinvestment. The chairs also announced future informational hearings on the impact of federal cuts and on ASAP models. The hearing then focused on several bills, beginning with S. 951/H. 1462, An Act to Support College Students in Recovery, which would require recovery-focused housing on public campuses and expand naloxone access and overdose training. Senator Rausch, medical professionals, students, and advocates testified in support, emphasizing the prevalence of overdose risk among college students, the value of recovery housing, and the need for campus naloxone; committee members asked about implementation details and the existing state pilot program. Deb Schmill and Rep. Tarski gave especially personal testimony in favor of the bill, and the committee discussed broadening the naloxone language to opioid reversal agents. The committee also heard testimony on H. 1461, which would expand MassReconnect scholarships to practical nursing students at vocational and technical schools to help address the long-term care workforce shortage. Rep. Stanley argued that vocational schools graduate more practical nursing students than community colleges and serve many low-income students in areas without nearby community college programs. The committee then took up H. 1433, which would require public higher education institutions to accept IEPs and 504 plans as sufficient documentation for disability accommodations. Advocates from the National Center for Learning Disabilities described the high cost and burden of repeat testing, the lifelong nature of disabilities, and the need for more uniform access across campuses; committee members raised questions about documentation freshness, campus autonomy, and how to preserve the integrity of accommodations. Later, the committee heard S. 919/H. 1454 on modernizing the Community College Endowment Match Program so community colleges could receive state matching funds for current-use donations as well as endowments and capital gifts. Community college foundation leaders said the change would help fund immediate student needs such as food pantries, child care, emergency aid, and equipment. The hearing then moved to faculty-related bills: S. 933 on UMass faculty rights and tenure transparency, S. 930/H. 3948 on contingent faculty rights and career advancement, and S. 940/H. 1429 on an Adjunct Bill of Rights. Testimony from faculty and union representatives focused on low pay, lack of benefits, job insecurity, and the need for clearer pathways to full-time positions and fairer treatment for adjuncts who teach large shares of courses. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked clarifying questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we're going to start with House Bill 66, Health Care Professional Loan Fund changes, and you all have
• I created a committee that would review the loans, and that was one of the principal things.
• scaled the bill back to what I think is the most important and essential, and that is we create a loan
• We are grateful for the expanded loan repayment for physicians and other health professionals.
• I'm not sure if she still has any loans to be repaid, but this is great incentive.

Committee: House House Health & Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• This is for the health professional loan repayment.
• So, 20 million for loan forgiveness.
• Chair and Senator, the Health Professional Loan Repayment.
• Line 146: $75 million for the Wastewater Facility Construction Loan Fund.
• Teacher Loan Repayment Program.

Transcript Highlights:

• in rural and underserved areas like Mokai by having a center helping with pharmacy school student loan
• pharmacy having a center helping with pharmacy school<00:12:50.079><c> student</c><00:12:50.399><c> loan
• c><00:12:50.720><c> repayment</c><00:12:51.680><c> we</c><00:12:51.839><c> will</c> school student loan
• repayment we will school student loan repayment we will find<00:12:52.360><c> more</c><00:12:52.639>
• > actually we think of becoming a stand actually we think of becoming a stand and<00:24:20.919><c> Loan

Committee: House Higher Education

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on January 31 and heard six bills. The chair opened by outlining committee practices, including giving at least 72 hours’ notice for hearings, releasing testimony by 5:00 p.m. the day before hearings, and deferring bills needing substantive HT1 changes so members would not vote “blind.” Members briefly thanked the chair for the transparency approach before moving to the agenda. HB 223 would create a Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy special fund and workforce assessment fee to support a pharmacy center. Testimony from the Board of Pharmacy, the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo College of Pharmacy, Mokai Drugs, and others generally supported the measure, emphasizing workforce data, rural access, student loan repayment, and retention. The committee later advanced HB 223 with amendments, including leaving fee amounts blank for further discussion and inserting a defective date, and the motion passed unanimously. HB 940 would appropriate funds for the rat lungworm lab at UH Hilo; HB 546 would establish the Aloha Intelligence Institute at UH to advance AI; HB 549 would create an early learning apprenticeship grant program; HB 1172 would add the Department of Taxation to the Statewide Longitudinal Data System for wage-data sharing; and HB 1320 would require UH to collect and publicly report graduate outcome data and create a dashboard. Testimony on these bills was largely supportive, with some privacy concerns raised on HB 1172 and a request to protect taxpayer confidentiality. In decision-making, the committee passed all five bills with amendments, generally deleting or blanking appropriations and FTEs for Finance Committee review, adding defective dates for further discussion, and in HB 549 adding a statement that the program is a matter of statewide concern. The committee recessed briefly for decision-making and then adopted the chair’s recommendations on each bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Part of today's hearing will address the Department of Finance's request for a state loan to cover a
• that we do have transparency around how this request is calculated and the multitude of reasons this loan
• While some have sought to politicize this loan request and may see it as an opening to attack the most
• I will now move on to comments regarding the loan.
• You've given notice to the Legislature to be able to take out a loan up to the 10% cap.

Summary: The committee heard a budget oversight hearing on the Department of Health Care Services, focusing first on the overall Medi-Cal budget and a March General Fund loan to cover a current-year shortfall. DHCS said the 2025-26 budget proposal totals $193.4 billion, with Medi-Cal projected at $188.1 billion total funds and $42.1 billion General Fund, driven by higher enrollment, pharmacy costs, managed care growth, and costs tied to eligibility expansions and the COVID-era redetermination unwinding. The department said the $3.44 billion loan was needed to manage cash flow and ensure timely payments to providers and plans, while the LAO noted Medi-Cal’s cash-basis budgeting creates volatility and that more detailed estimates would come with the May Revision. Members discussed federal Medicaid threats, the need for transparency on cost drivers, and the impact of pharmacy spending, long-term care, and immigration-related coverage expansions. The second major topic was family health programs, including California Children’s Services, the continuous coverage unwinding, and opioid settlement fund spending. DHCS described CCS funding methodology changes, ongoing county stakeholder work, and a delayed rollout of CCS monitoring and oversight until July 1, 2025, while county representatives and advocates argued the program is underfunded and asked for more technical assistance and a delay in implementation. On the unwinding, the department explained that federal redetermination flexibilities helped maintain coverage after the pandemic, but the Governor’s budget proposes ending them at the end of June 2025; advocates urged making the flexibilities permanent to avoid coverage losses. For opioid settlement funds, DHCS and Finance said the budget increases funding for naloxone distribution while reducing other harm-reduction spending based on updated settlement revenues, prompting criticism from members and public commenters who argued the change would weaken effective harm-reduction programs. The hearing also included an update on Proposition 35 implementation. DHCS said the voter-approved measure continuously appropriates MCO tax revenues beginning in 2025, with up to $4.6 billion annually available for specified Medi-Cal and provider investments in 2025 and 2026, but implementation depends on consultation with the required stakeholder advisory committee. The department and LAO noted uncertainty about future federal rules affecting the MCO tax after 2026. Public testimony largely supported maintaining Medi-Cal expansions, protecting immigrant coverage, preserving harm-reduction funding, and increasing support for community health workers, pediatric dental care, and CCS county administration. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• it prohibits lenders and servicers from proceeding with the foreclosure while they're negotiating loan
• it also gives homeowners more time to look for other options to save the home if they are denied a loan
• modifications with the negotiating loan modifications with the homeowners.<01:44:00.800><c> That's</
• </c><01:44:20.880><c> So,</c> they are denied a loan modification.
• So, they are denied a loan modification.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• The second item that's included is the UI loan interest update.
• With regards to the UI insurance loan, we're at $670 million interest payment.
• So I recall one of the biggest causes of this additional loan payment that we're making had to do with
• Isn't that correct that a large portion that caused this loan was due to that, right?
• The proposal could be supported without repayment of the General Fund loan.

Transcript Highlights:

• 27, running from R22 to R23, would modify the Minnesota Housing Tax Credit Contribution Grant and Loan
• Manufactured Home Community Redevelopment Program, or MHCR, and the Co North Loan Fund.
• These programs are North Loan Fund.
• to pay for the land and not just loans to pay for the land and not just feed<00:47:39.720><c> some</
• That is why lenders consistently refuse loans to our potential buyers. Oh, you know what?

Summary: The conference committee on the housing omnibus bill began with member introductions and a staff walk-through comparing House and Senate provisions. House Research staff reviewed major policy differences affecting Minnesota Housing Finance Agency operations, including limits on how much the agency may retain from state appropriations for administrative costs, new reporting requirements, restrictions on transfers between appropriated accounts, and House-only language requiring annual expenditure of investment income from state appropriations. Senate provisions were also summarized, including tighter rules on when appropriations may be placed into Housing Development Fund bookkeeping accounts, updated operating-cost reporting, and Senate-only changes to how investment earnings may be used. Staff also described shared and differing provisions on program-money transfers, a lived-experience earnings exemption, and a long list of Senate-only policy changes, including manufactured home park tenant protections, low-income housing tax credit and bond-related changes, a task force on housing taxes and fees, and repealers affecting Housing Development Fund authority and certain older programs. Fiscal staff then reviewed the budget impacts. The House side included one-time appropriations for workforce housing development, family homeless prevention and assistance, a Minnesota Nice Home Share pilot, and homebuyer education, along with debt service for $100 million in housing infrastructure bonds and transfers/cancellations that produced a net zero general fund impact across the budget window. The Senate side noted a fiscal note for the housing taxes and fees task force and a smaller housing infrastructure bond authorization, with corresponding debt service costs and a total Senate budget-window impact of about $1 million in general fund debt service. After the staff presentations, the committee moved to public testimony. Commissioner Jennifer Ho of Minnesota Housing said the bill’s housing infrastructure bonds and continued support for family homeless prevention were important, and she supported the lived-experience earnings exemption, while noting concerns about the interest-earnings provisions. Testifiers from Greater Minnesota groups praised the workforce housing investments and Senate updates to the state housing tax credit and infrastructure grant program, though they suggested changes to the geographic distribution language. HOME Line urged funding for statewide tenant hotline services, citing rising demand and asking for $1 million if additional money becomes available. The Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers supported the bill’s investments and emphasized the need to pair housing development with supportive services. Housing First Minnesota praised housing infrastructure bonds and other investments but criticized the omission of the Minnesota Starter Homes Act. The Minnesota Multi Housing Association began testimony opposing certain rent-control-related provisions in the House bill. No votes or final actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• They've had to take out loans.
• So they're going to offer competitive loans. So how are you doing this?
• They're going to offer loans, grants, rebates to support development of attainable housing.
• Primarily, this will be a subordinate loan, right?
• Now, I understand what you’re saying on loan rates and various things.

Committee: Senate Government Affairs