Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:50.360><c> thank</c> Minnesota thank Minnesota thank you<00:31:52.600><c> Mr</c><00:31:52.880>
• </c><00:38:22.560><c> rather</c> these investments in Minnesota rather these investments in Minnesota
• Becker Minnesota is an exciting prospect Becker Minnesota is an exciting prospect as<00:47:12.119><c>
• </c> Lewis an organizer with Minnesota Lewis an organizer with Minnesota Interfaith<00:49:11.960><c>
• Minnesota set the bar in it.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Transcript Highlights:

• I the Association of Minnesota Counties.
• </c> Hil I the association of Minnesota Hil I the association of Minnesota counties<00:01:26.040><c>
• </c> Jess I represent the Minnesota Jess I represent the Minnesota Intercounty<00:01:34.280><c> Association
• </c> um so we talked about the Minnesota um so we talked about the Minnesota Miracle<01:09:48.920><c>
• </c> administering elections Transportation administering elections Transportation maintaining<01:19:

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, they are going to fraudsters in Minnesota. This is something that's not partisan.
• Because of that, Minnesota has the worst fraud of any state in the nation.
• Minnesota does not have a unicameral legislature; we have a bicameral legislature.
• without an OIG within the state of Minnesota in that same department?
• So, please, let's not imitate Elon Musk here in Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just to caution the Minnesota.
• Minnesota values that we hold. Um, did Minnesota values that we hold.
• </c> massive amount of greater Minnesota massive amount of greater Minnesota members.<01:52:59.199><c
• And I do good for all of Minnesota.
• </c> older, one in five people in Minnesota older, one in five people in Minnesota live<02:02:37.280>

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. who call Minnesota their home. And so who call Minnesota their home.
• Minnesota. Um and what this does is Minnesota.
• </c> non-emergency medical transportation. non-emergency medical transportation.
• care from Minnesota takes away Minnesota care from Minnesota residents,<01:08:15.839><c> it</c><01:08
• </c> state of Minnesota. state of Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> in Article 1 Section 8 of the Minnesota in Article 1 Section 8 of the Minnesota Constitution<00:
• </c> she serves as chair of the Minnesota she serves as chair of the Minnesota judicial<00:04:34.880>
• </c><00:09:31.920><c> Council</c> earlier this year the Minnesota Council earlier this year the Minnesota
• </c> assist him that's the job in Minnesota assist him that's the job in Minnesota of<00:48:22.240><c
• </c> understanding the case law of Minnesota understanding the case law of Minnesota as<01:10:15.440>

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we keep talking about Minnesota today. Do you know where Minnesota's at?
• Minnesota included cookware and their children's products. Do you know where Minnesota is at?
• And additionally, we also do have no problem with the law in Minnesota.
• And finally, we’ve talked a lot about Minnesota.
• Minnesota is the first state to ban cookware for PFAS, not for lead.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills, beginning with SB 5965 on retail bags. Staff explained that the bill would prohibit single-use plastic and reusable film plastic carryout bags, raise the paper bag pass-through charge from 8 cents to 20 cents, exempt certain assistance-program customers from bag charges, and add manufacturer/distributor penalties. The sponsor and supporters, including environmental groups, Seattle Public Utilities, Tacoma, county solid waste representatives, and health advocates, argued the current law has led to thicker plastic bags and more plastic pollution, microplastics, and recycling contamination. Opponents from hospitality, grocery, retail, paper, and plastic bag industries said the bill would raise costs, create checkout confusion, burden food delivery and takeout operations, and amount to a de facto ban on paper bags as well; several urged waiting for more data on the current 12-cent fee. The hearing ended with a reported 1,240 non-testifiers on SB 5965, with 541 pro, 695 con, and 4 other. The committee then heard SB 6030 on plastic bags. Staff said the bill would allow film plastic and paper carryout bags if they meet recycled-content standards, keep the paper bag fee at 8 cents, reduce the plastic bag fee from 12 cents to 8 cents, and remove the minimum thickness standards for reusable film plastic bags while retaining recycled-content requirements and the SNAP exemption. No public testimony was taken on the bill, and the chair noted 208 non-testifiers, with 192 pro, 11 con, and 5 other. Finally, the committee heard SB 5975 on lead in cookware. Staff described it as a third-round update to the state’s cookware lead law, narrowing covered cookware, delaying the 10 ppm lead standard to 2030, and allowing compliance through FDA or European testing methods. Supporters, including some industry representatives, said the current law is unclear and difficult to enforce, that a workable test is still being developed, and that the bill would provide certainty and avoid unintended coverage of safe products. Opponents from Ecology, Health, environmental groups, and consumer advocates argued the bill would weaken Washington’s existing protections, create broad exemptions, and allow high-lead cookware to remain on the market; they also criticized shifting from total-content testing to leach testing. The hearing closed with 609 non-testifiers on SB 5975, with 54 pro and 552 con.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> management team uh we helped Minnesota management team uh we helped Minnesota become<00:04:20.519
• </c> well here in state government Minnesota well here in state government Minnesota for<00:20:52.120
• </c> of thousands of people in Minnesota of thousands of people in Minnesota living<00:38:36.280><c>
• Minnesota several hospitals and Minnesota several hospitals and institutions<00:59:02.680><c> that</c
• ><c> Council</c><01:43:05.199><c> of</c> nonprofits the Minnesota Council of nonprofits the Minnesota

Committee: Senate State and Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> providers who have served Minnesota providers who have served Minnesota communities<00:58:18.080
• </c><01:03:33.200><c> Association</c> behalf of MAXA, Minnesota Association behalf of MAXA, Minnesota
• </c> Um and also on behalf of the Minnesota Um and also on behalf of the Minnesota Rural<01:03:41.160
• Minnesota. Minnesota. Vice<01:34:20.560><c> Chair</c><01:34:20.680><c> Keeler.
• </c> that actually identify in Minnesota. that actually identify in Minnesota.

Bills: HF4207 , HF4338

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the commissioner of Minnesota Housing. Uh, you guys transported from upstairs.
• Uh commissioner of Minnesota Housing.
• I you guys transported from upstairs.
• </c> internally we created a new Minnesota internally we created a new Minnesota housing<00:22:11.120
• So banks are regulated by the Minnesota Department of Commerce and Minnesota State Charter.

Bills: SF2434

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It's done by the transportation department.
• Louisiana and Minnesota have incorporated the five-step test. Excuse me, Ms.
• I appreciate the robust discussion that we have as Transportation Chair.
• the robust discussion that we have as transportation chair.
• Transportation Committee is adjourned. You know.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee met and began without a quorum, first hearing AB 612 by Assembly Member Rogers and later AB 435 by Assembly Member Wilson. AB 612 would direct Caltrans to update the highway design manual so local jurisdictions consult with fire departments on major road improvements. Supporters, including the California Professional Firefighters and labor representatives, said the bill would improve emergency response and prevent road designs from hindering fire apparatus. County representatives said they were not opposed but wanted the bill narrowed to avoid mandatory consultation on minor maintenance projects or in areas without a local fire district. Several members praised the bill as common-sense safety legislation, and it was moved forward to Appropriations. The committee then adopted its rules and approved a seven-bill consent calendar. AB 435 would update California child passenger safety law to require children under 10 to be properly restrained in the back seat, require children ages 10 to 13 to remain in the back seat unless they pass the five-step seat belt fit test, and require the five-step test before a child may ride in the front seat. The author and supporters, including Safe Kids Greater Sacramento, Safety Belt Safe USA, AAA, the Automobile Club, and hospitals, argued the bill would align state law with national best practices and improve child safety. Committee members raised concerns about enforceability, implementation timing, pickup trucks, large families, and low-speed vehicles, and the author said he was open to amendments and additional data, including California-specific information. AB 435 was advanced to the Committee on Appropriations after discussion. AB 612 also received a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. The committee held rolls open to allow additional members to add on, then later confirmed the votes and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• </c> that we would be expanding in Minnesota. that we would be expanding in Minnesota.
• </c> regionally of which Minnesota is a part. regionally of which Minnesota is a part.
• </c> uh in Minnesota specific impact report? uh in Minnesota specific impact report?
• Minnesota. Minnesota.

Committee: Senate Jobs and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> some time now through the Minnesota some time now through the Minnesota Attorney<00:02:29.680><c
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• </c> Bloomington, Minnesota. Bloomington, Minnesota.
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• Minnesota employers from page 14.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Summary: The Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee met to discuss worker misclassification, beginning with approval of the March 4, 2026 minutes and a note that a late-posted bill would not be heard at this time. Chair Pinto opened the hearing by framing misclassification as timely and invited Lea Takapu of the Attorney General’s office to explain the issue. Takapu described misclassification as labeling workers as independent contractors when they are really employees, which can deprive workers of minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and other protections while also reducing tax revenue. She said the Attorney General’s office and the MEAP partnership have been working on the issue and cited estimates that Minnesota workers lose billions annually and the state loses hundreds of millions to over a billion dollars in revenue, while noting that legitimate independent contracting is not the target. Members questioned how the committee could rely on estimates when the exact number of misclassified workers is unknown. Takapu responded that the figures were based on studies and complaint data, and that underground or undocumented work makes exact counts difficult. Chair Pinto noted the numbers were estimates and referenced a 2024 Legislative Auditor finding that Minnesota lacked an adequate, coordinated approach to proper worker classification, while saying progress had been made since then. Several industry witnesses then testified in support of stronger enforcement. Kevin Pranis of LiUNA said misclassification remains rampant in parts of construction, especially drywall, stucco, thin stone, and broadband installation, and argued it is tax, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation fraud that harms law-abiding contractors and taxpayers. Matt Wollers of Braxton and Sons said his company loses bids to competitors that misclassify workers, creating a labor-cost advantage of 30% or more, and asked for meaningful enforcement rather than new legislation, including regular unannounced jobsite visits. Jesse Madison of Purple Tally Productions said misclassification is anti-competition and described examples from live events and entertainment, urging front-end checks on workers’ compensation, unemployment coverage, and W-2 versus 1099 status before work begins. The next testifier, Ben Ballou of the Minnesota Nurses Association, began his remarks as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Minnesota Pharmacy Alliance is made up of representatives from the College of Pharmacy, the Minnesota
• Minnesota is not alone in this challenge.
• I hope that by reforming and streamlining the drug benefit management model for Minnesota Minnesota MA
• This is impacting every community. across Minnesota.
• So the language here incorporates a Minnesota version where Minnesota pharmacies would have to submit

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Gary Yaco, and I'm the mayor of pretty Red Wing, Minnesota.
• My name is Gary Yaco, and I'm the mayor of pretty Red Wing, Minnesota.
• Technology, transportable, dry storage is very successful technology, transportable.
• Transportation is routine.
• And that will involve transporting used fuel through many states.

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to hear a series of presentations on the economics, financing, workforce, and community impacts of advanced nuclear deployment in North Dakota. William Bridge of Nucleon Energy presented the committee’s economic impacts and private-sector financing report, estimating construction and operating job impacts, local spending, and state/local tax effects for hypothetical SMR projects. He said the report assumes first-of-a-kind costs are still high, used a $6 million per megawatt nth-of-a-kind proxy, and estimated peak construction workforces of about 500 for a 200-MW plant and 1,000 for a larger facility, with roughly 100 operating jobs for a 200-MW plant. Committee members questioned security costs, capital cost assumptions, water and transmission siting constraints, and whether the model included fuel and waste; Bridge said the report included initial fuel in capital cost and that waste disposal is funded through existing federal mechanisms. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning efforts. She described declining labor-force participation, retirements, and the need for a much larger future workforce, and said NEI has organized recommendations around career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and nontraditional recruitment. She highlighted tools such as the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, timing for training relative to plant development, and whether advanced manufacturing would reduce staffing needs; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. The committee also heard from Gary Yaco, mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota, who described Prairie Island’s role in his community. He said the plant provides a large share of local property tax revenue, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to emergency preparedness funding and training, and is broadly supported by the city despite periodic protests and public concerns. He emphasized the plant’s security, regular drills with local and federal responders, and the absence of problems with dry cask storage. Later, Benton Arnett of NEI discussed the current financing landscape for advanced nuclear, explaining how tax credits, federal loan support, off-take agreements, and new business models are helping projects move forward. He said early projects face high upfront costs and long lead-time procurement, but that investor confidence is improving as federal policy and regulatory streamlining continue. The committee asked about waste funding, comparisons with natural gas, the effect of political shifts on investor confidence, and whether the market will narrow to a few winning technologies; Arnett said the industry is still sorting that out, but expects clearer winners in the late 2020s and early 2030s. The meeting concluded with an introductory presentation from Julie Kazeraki of DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, who said the office is focused on accelerating nuclear deployment through financing support.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tom Mo, a distinguished University of Minnesota
• Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tom Mo, a distinguished University of Minnesota
• The gentleman from Minnesota seeks recognition.
• Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tom Mo, a distinguished University of Minnesota
• Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Tom Mo, a distinguished University of Minnesota

Transcript Highlights:

• The merchandisers, the transportation, the lifts of the world, the Ubers—how are they coming to this
• This is Minnesota. This is panel on community voices and policy impact. So we're going to start.
• This is Minnesota. This is panel on community voices and policy impact. So we're going to start.
• This is Minnesota. This is panel on community voices and policy impact. So we're going to start.
• They lack ease of transportation, especially in the rural areas.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on how recent federal actions are affecting arts, culture, humanities, libraries, museums, and the creative economy in California. Chair Ben Allen and Vice Chair Chris Ward opened by describing the hearing as a response to proposed and ongoing federal cuts to the NEA, NEH, IMLS, and public broadcasting, as well as grant terminations and leadership changes at cultural institutions. Several members emphasized the economic and civic importance of the arts, while one Republican member argued for greater ideological diversity in the arts and noted the loss of music programs in small schools. Testimony from Aaron Harky of Americans for the Arts and Jolie Fisher of SAG-AFTRA described the impact of federal policy on grants, jobs, and production. Harky said executive orders and the FY 2026 budget proposal threaten arts agencies and arts education, and that rescinded grants are causing hiring freezes, shutdowns, and losses for small organizations, especially in rural and underserved communities. Fisher focused on runaway film and television production, outdated tax rules, and the need for federal incentives, intellectual property protections, and action on AI and digital replicas. Members also discussed bipartisan support, the role of business and tourism partners, and the need to include more diverse voices in arts advocacy. The second panel featured Rick Noguchi of California Humanities, Greg Lucas of the State Library, and Danielle Purcell of the California Arts Council. Noguchi said NEH funding was cut immediately, putting California Humanities’ grantmaking and documentary programs at risk and prompting consideration of litigation and possible state support. Lucas reported that IMLS funding for California libraries was briefly canceled but partly restored, though a budget gap remains. Purcell said the California Arts Council is still awaiting federal award language for state partnership funds, but NEA grant terminations and the proposed elimination of federal cultural agencies create major uncertainty; she also said the council is assessing the damage and tracking impacts on grantees. Members asked about measuring outcomes, AI’s threat to creative work, documentary funding losses, and possible state and national strategies to protect cultural institutions and jobs.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> built this one custom here in Minnesota. built this one custom here in Minnesota.
• Minnesota.
• </c> which is implementation of the Minnesota which is implementation of the Minnesota African-American
• </c><02:01:53.040><c> and</c> scheduling, transportation and scheduling, transportation and wraparound
• </c><02:09:45.199><c> that</c> uplift our belief in Minnesota that uplift our belief in Minnesota that

Transcript Highlights:

• :09:59.519><c> the</c> greater Minnesota through the greater Minnesota through the foundations<00:10:
• We serve the nine counties of West Central Minnesota as one of the Minnesota Initiative Foundations,
• :30.560><c> you</c><01:21:30.719><c> know,</c> Explore Minnesota has a, you know, Explore Minnesota has
• </c><01:23:47.760><c> and</c> aging seniors in greater Minnesota and aging seniors in greater Minnesota
• It's not our partner Minnesota.

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota, their general policy is similar to ours. They allow up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
• However, the weekly wage for North Dakota is still below Minnesota and the national average.
• And this is just...” “...followed by Minnesota and then North Dakota.
• So the North Dakota Department of Transportation Civil Rights Office submits annual wage information
• The first attachment is the Department of Transportation Davis-Bacon.

Summary: The Employee Benefits Committee met to approve prior minutes, hear presentations on state employee health insurance, compensation, leave, and related policy issues, and then recess for lunch. PERS reviewed the history and structure of the state health plan, noting the long-standing state-paid family coverage, cost-control measures, wellness incentives, the current grandfathered PPO and high-deductible options, and the effects of recent benefit mandates such as insulin caps, prosthetic coverage, medication management, prescription copay changes, and ambulance balance-billing limits. Committee members questioned the fiscal impact of adding benefits and the possible cost of moving to a non-grandfathered plan, while PERS and HRMS emphasized that health insurance remains the top-ranked employee benefit and that any major plan changes should be considered carefully. HRMS also presented compensation comparisons showing state pay generally below private-market benchmarks, discussed targeted market equity adjustments, identified ongoing recruitment and retention concerns in fields like nursing, IT, engineering, and attorneys, and reviewed leave policies, tuition reimbursement, and family leave comparisons with neighboring states. Job Service provided labor market data showing low unemployment, high labor force participation, and wage growth that still trails some neighboring markets, and OMB explained that prevailing wage requirements apply to federally funded projects under Davis-Bacon, not to ordinary state contracts. After lunch, the committee took up the required process for health insurance mandate bills and adopted an amendment to Joint Rule 211. The amendment clarified that the deadline for submitting mandate measures is intended to allow time for all required reports, including both the cost-benefit analysis and any Employee Benefits Committee actuarial report, while leaving the existing deadline unchanged. The amendment was adopted on a roll call vote, with several members voting yes and a few no votes recorded. The committee then moved into its jurisdiction review of bill drafts, beginning with a bill that would automatically renew pre-tax dental and vision elections; members debated whether it had any actuarial or administrative impact on PERS or the state, and the chair explained that the committee’s role was only to decide whether further analysis was needed before later testimony and recommendations.