Transcript Highlights:

• >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands
• In my research, I found that Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia
• that Connecticut, Hawaii,<00:59:38.000> Idaho,<00:59:38.840> Iowa,<00:59:39.760> Minnesota
• ,<00:59:40.560> New Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, New Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, New

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cars are going to be printed in Minnesota and they'll be shipped to us from a centralized plant in Minnesota
• just everybody was awash in cash, and then we're seeing by the results of your audits these huge red flags
• How do they compare to the daycare problems in Minnesota?
• like to point out, Representative Wolffley, that we found the daycare issue here in Oklahoma before Minnesota

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• legislation the 2023 Minnesota legislation the 2023 Minnesota Legislature<00:26:01.200> passed
• of bonds that are sold for Minnesota issuers in the state of Minnesota.
• issuers in the state of of Minnesota issuers in the state of Minnesota<00:54:00.559> but<00:54
• Minnesota um in the example of issuer a Minnesota um in the example of issuer a it's<00:57:38.000>
• <01:12:26.800> Housing commissioner ho from Minnesota Housing commissioner ho from Minnesota

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the North Dakota Association of Counties, the Nebraska Association of Resource Districts, and the Minnesota
• And then one to flag here, too, is the Lower Heart project that I believe is on your agenda for today
• And then one to flag here, too, is the Lower Heart project that I believe is on your agenda for today
• But thank you for flagging that. We will do some digging there. Thank you.
• But thank you for flagging that. We will do some digging there. Thank you.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All I've seen is the flag-draped coffin.
• As of now, Minnesota just became the 13th state to pass a similar law.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Transportation held a hybrid hearing on 31 bills covering driver privacy and data, distinctive license plates, public awareness signage, railroad safety, superload permitting, TNC/delivery data reporting, and MBTA safety measures. Chairs Jim Arciero and Brendan Crighton outlined the hearing process, and the committee heard testimony from state officials, advocates, family members of fallen officers and firefighters, transportation industry representatives, civil liberties groups, and others. No votes were taken during the hearing itself, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn. Several speakers supported bills creating a Blue Star Family license plate to honor families of fallen law enforcement officers, and a separate motorcycle plate for fallen firefighters. Colonel Jeffrey Noble and others from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and law enforcement groups said the plates would complement existing memorial practices and provide a lasting public tribute. Family members of officers killed in the line of duty gave emotional testimony in support, and Representative Steve Ultrino and Paul Jakes backed the firefighter memorial motorcycle plate as revenue-neutral, with proceeds supporting the fallen firefighter memorial. The committee also heard testimony on transportation policy and safety bills. Industry witnesses urged modernization of Massachusetts superload permitting rules, saying current requirements are slower and more expensive than neighboring states and delay public projects. Advocates supported a human trafficking awareness bill requiring hotline signage in transit facilities, a driver privacy bill limiting automatic license plate reader data retention and sharing, and a bill requiring two-person crews on freight trains and other railroad safety measures such as hotbox detectors and transportation for railroad employees. Senator John Keenan also testified for expanded naloxone availability in MBTA stations and said the MBTA had not fully complied with prior legislative directives.

Transcript Highlights:

• We ask our guests and visitors to remain standing and join us in the flag salute.
• I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands
• This bill mirrors policy that have been successfully passed in Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• University of Minnesota Law School. University of Minnesota Law School.
• Minnesota has also created additional protections under the Minnesota Consumer Protection Act.
• Minnesota has also created additional protections under the Minnesota Consumer Protection Act.
• John Baylor, ACLU of Minnesota.
• Uh, the ACLU of Minnesota has Minnesota.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee approved the October 15, 2025 minutes and then held a broader discussion on current challenges with data retention and government transparency. Judy Randall of the Office of the Legislative Auditor said historical data is essential for post-audits, which often look back three to five years, and that retention decisions must balance audit needs with the burden of separating public and nonpublic data. She described the records-retention panel process as informal and largely based on individual judgment, noting she had objected to a proposed 60-day email retention period and generally uses a three-year guideline, though she said that standard is not grounded in a formal rule. Members discussed whether auditing standards should set retention periods, with Randall saying auditing is a good starting point but other offices, including the attorney general, also have needs, and that some agency discretion is unavoidable because of the gray area between official records and non-records. Representative Elkins raised the related principle of data minimization, arguing that government should not keep data longer than needed and citing a University of Minnesota legacy data warehouse breach as an example of the risks of retaining unnecessary sensitive information. Randall agreed that data no longer needed is a liability and said her office purges workpapers after five years. Representative Scott pressed whether three years is enough for fraud investigations and financial records; Randall responded that a reasonableness standard is needed and that longer retention can produce diminishing returns, though she said she would follow up on whether financial records should be treated differently. Tanya Tacker of the Rum River Special Education Cooperative testified in support of updating Minnesota’s data-retention laws for schools. She said districts want to protect student information and maintain transparency, but the current general retention schedule dates to 1985 and 2000 and does not reflect digital records, modern systems, or the volume of special education data. She urged modernizing the schedule, clarifying what must be kept in paper versus digitized form, aligning state rules with IDEA and other federal requirements, and providing practical guidance and tools. Members praised the specificity of her recommendations. Dr. BB Newman testified that retention failures in St. Anthony Village have made it difficult to obtain routine municipal and police data, with records delayed, missing, or inconsistently produced and no clear explanation of what systems were searched or whether records were destroyed. Newman argued these gaps undermine statutory access rights and force residents into costly litigation, and recommended stronger retention auditing, documentation of destruction, mandatory disclosure of systems searched, and consequences for noncompliance. In response to questions, Senate counsel said there is generally no direct penalty, but affected parties may seek mandamus, Data Practices Act claims, or informal mediation/opinions from the Data Practices Office. The discussion closed with calls for clearer standards and possible legislative updates to improve compliance and transparency.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Minnesota, Miss Fishbach, for five minutes. >> Thank you, Mr
• Wedina Enoch Horton, a rising senior at Wedina Deer Creek High School, who recently represented Minnesota
• I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands
• I yield back. >> Thank you to my good friend from Minnesota.
• I want our farmers in Iowa, Minnesota, and places that want to have E15, E20, whatever year-round.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:10.240> and when our guests come to Minnesota and when our guests come to Minnesota
• Taylor highway system in Minnesota.
• And so while I Minnesota transit.
• Greater Minnesota Transit is kept whole. Greater Minnesota Transit is kept whole.
• Minnesota is like 1.7% of the population Minnesota is like 1.7% of the population of<01:55:15.520>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:58:54.559> met verified when our A team Minnesota met verified when our A team Minnesota
• Autism Society of Minnesota.
• state of Minnesota. state of Minnesota.
• policy and advocacy for the Minnesota policy and advocacy for the Minnesota Social<01:11:56.239>
• 50.080> assistance<01:14:50.560> with rural Minnesota needed assistance with rural Minnesota

Bills: HF3738, HF2295, HF3520, HF3666

Keywords: pediatric care, hospital discharge, home care, healthcare accessibility, nursing services, family support, mental health, crisis services, Dakota County, mobile crisis response, public safety, treatment services, rehabilitation, behavioral health fund, client eligibility, home and community-based services, case management, waiver services, county services, disability advocacy

Transcript Highlights:

• How do grants work in Minnesota?
• Or, you know, we don’t even have square one here in Minnesota.
• I do want to note that Minnesota is ahead of the curve.
• it X um and when I think about Minnesota it X um and when I think about Minnesota I<00:48:15.200
• <01:13:24.560> so Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota so Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from State Auditor Judy Randall and Deputy Legislative Auditor Jody Mason Rodriguez on the Office of the Legislative Auditor’s 2023 report, “Oversight of State-Funded Grants to Nonprofit Organizations.” Randall explained that the report takes a broad look at how Minnesota manages grants, building on earlier work that helped lead to the Office of Grants Management (OGM) in 2007. She emphasized that the new recommendation-tracking booklet in members’ packets is meant to help the legislature see which audit recommendations have been implemented, partially implemented, or not implemented, and to support oversight rather than assign blame. Rodriguez summarized the report’s findings: Minnesota’s grants management policies contain many important practices, but they often lack enough detail for agencies to implement them consistently. The office found pervasive noncompliance in recent years and identified weak statutory enforcement as a major reason. She reviewed how grants flow from the legislature to agencies and then to nonprofit grantees and subgrantees, and noted that state agencies spent an average of about $514 million annually on nonprofit grants from fiscal years 2018 through 2022, awarding grants to about 2,400 nonprofits. The report found OGM policies partially reflected 17 of 24 recommended grant-management practices, but examples of missing detail included no required risk-based monitoring, no minimum standards for progress reports, telephone-only monitoring visits allowed, and no deadline for closeout reviews. The auditors said some recommendations have been acted on since the report, including 2023 statutory changes that led OGM to revise its pre-award financial review policy and set a timeline for closeout reviews, though other recommendations remain only partially implemented. They also discussed repeat compliance problems across agencies, including conflict-of-interest documentation, and said agencies are beginning to improve by automating checklists and disclosure processes. In response to member questions, the auditors said training is important and should likely be required for grants staff, though not necessarily with highly specific statutory language; they also said grant managers vary widely across agencies, making baseline training especially useful. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the presentation, and the chair noted that OGM would be invited for a future presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you'll see, PELs is Minnesota.
• So blind and visually Minnesota.
• Minnesota would help fill those needs. Minnesota would help fill those needs.
• out or into Minnesota. out or into Minnesota.
• candidates teaching in Minnesota candidates teaching in Minnesota schools?

Bills: HF3635, HF3638

Keywords: teacher mobility, interstate compact, licensure, military spouses, education, teacher regulation, teacher qualifications, state sovereignty, educator licensing, paraprofessional credentials, mental health, professional development, data sharing, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, are we flagging anything at this time, or we're going to— Who from?
• Chair, are we flagging anything at this time, or we're going to— You can flag any item you want to flag
• I'd appreciate that being flagged. Thank you. All right, Senator Dismang, you're recognized.
• We'll put a flag on the budget, uh, I guess Representative Lady, but you're the last one on the list.
• You know what's happened in Minnesota and some other places where people have reacted badly to law enforcement

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and took executive recommendations on several Department of Human Services divisions, including Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services; Children and Family Services; County Operations; Developmental Disability Services; and Medical Services, with most divisions showing little or no significant change in total appropriations. Staff and agency witnesses repeatedly explained that many large appropriations are maintained for flexibility, federal matching requirements, or contingency needs, even when actual spending is much lower than the authorized amount. Members also raised concerns about staffing vacancies, long-vacant budgeted positions, and the use of excess appropriation authority across DHS. In Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health, members questioned federal funding levels for mental health and substance abuse grants, the status of senior centers and Meals on Wheels, the Medicaid tobacco settlement program, community alcohol safety grants, and the veterans mental health grant. Agency officials said federal block grants are largely committed, that senior center funding had been delayed by shutdown timing but was now back on track, that the tobacco settlement program had been moved internally within DHS, and that the veterans mental health appropriation remains unfunded. Senators also criticized the adequacy of support for seniors and asked for more detail on how transportation, meal services, and local contributions are funded. In Children and Family Services, members asked about rising appropriation levels, foster care and adoption subsidies, professional fees, the number of children in foster care, and the Children’s Trust Fund. DHS said increases reflect added flexibility for residential treatment, adoption subsidies, and prevention services, while the foster care population has remained fairly steady at about 3,400 children. The Children’s Trust Fund was described as supporting primary prevention programs such as Baby and Me and community schools, and members asked whether it could be administratively combined with other efforts. Questions also covered TANF subgrants, with DHS explaining that it had reduced outside subgrants after discovering over-obligation and was rebuilding reserves. In County Operations, members focused on the summer EBT program, SNAP employment and training, the farmer’s market program, and the state’s TANF reserve position. DHS said summer EBT is still being funded through temporary appropriations because it is a newer program, SNAP employment and training is largely federally funded and may expand under a pending policy change, and TANF reserves were drawn down after prior over-obligation but are now being stabilized. In Developmental Disability Services, members asked about vacancies, human development center staffing, facility construction funds, and the Booneville work program, and DHS said the program has reopened and staffing recruitment continues. In Medical Services, members asked about FMAP, the Our Kids B CHIP program, school-based Medicaid reimbursements, nursing home distress funds, and several large appropriation lines that far exceed actual spending; DHS said these are maintained for claims payment, nursing home receivership contingencies, and other flexibility needs. Each division reviewed was adopted by executive recommendation after questions concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, are we flagging anything at this time? Are we going to?
• You can flag any item you want to flag. I'd appreciate that being flagged. Thank you. You got that.
• We'll put a flag on the budget. I guess Representative Lady, but you're Well, thank you, Mr.
• You know what's happened in Minnesota and some other places where people have reacted badly to law enforcement

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For what purpose does the gentlewoman from Minnesota seek recognition?
• The gentleman from Minnesota is recognized. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
• <04:53:28.240> Madam of life in Northern Minnesota. Madam of life in Northern Minnesota.
• The people of Northern Minnesota, truck.
• <04:56:35.360> that have mines in northern Minnesota that have mines in northern Minnesota

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:52.400> State years and we ask that Minnesota State years and we ask that Minnesota
• /c><00:09:11.120> state anybody from the Minnesota state anybody from the Minnesota state believes
• mandating that Winona State or Minnesota mandating that Winona State or Minnesota State<00:10:16.399
• But Minnesota state's responsibility.
• Minnesota State.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota Department of Human Services.
• <00:03:47.439> statutes are um outlined in Minnesota statutes are um outlined in Minnesota
• counseling services to Minnesota counseling services to Minnesota citizens<00:10:16.680> alcohol
• fees are still written into Minnesota fees are still written into Minnesota rules<00:21:34.559><
• it's easier for all of us in Minnesota it's easier for all of us in Minnesota to<00:45:56.559>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on January 28, 2025, to review Governor’s budget proposals for several health-related licensing boards. The chair said no formal action would be taken and noted that final budget language was not yet available. The committee began with an overview from Bridget Anderson of the health-related licensing boards, who explained that the boards are fee-funded, operate as independent executive agencies, and handle licensing, complaints, rulemaking, and disciplinary matters. She also noted that the Board of Dentistry’s budget includes the Administrative Services Unit and criminal background check program, which can make the budget graphs appear larger than the dentistry board’s own operations. The Board of Dentistry requested funding for a new administrative staff position, estimating about $100,000 in salary, insurance, and fringe costs, to replace support lost when an administrative position was reclassified. Anderson said the board handled more than 300 complaints last year, with cases becoming more complex, especially involving surgical and implant procedures and imaging. Members asked about dental Medicaid access, but Anderson said that issue would be better directed to DHS’s Medicaid oral health division. The Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy requested a full-time position due to rapid growth in the number of regulated professionals, from about 4,000 in 2014 to nearly 10,000 now, and also sought authority to set a fee for out-of-state applicants under the Counseling Compact, with a cap of up to $100 though the board expects to charge much less. The Board of Podiatric Medicine asked to raise its fee ceiling, saying fees had not been increased since 1999 and that the board now faces a structural deficit of about $40,000 per year and declining reserves. Several senators expressed concern about “not-to-exceed” fee authority, calling it too open-ended and suggesting the legislature should scrutinize specific fee needs rather than approve broad ceilings. Similar concerns were raised during the Board of Chiropractic Examiners presentation, where the board sought $100,000 in additional spending authority and a fee increase after 32 years without an adjustment; members questioned the proposed ceiling approach and asked for more historical information before deciding. The Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice also discussed fee-setting authority, with the executive director explaining that the board had previously lowered fees without clear authority and later faced audit questions; she requested funding for a vacant administrative position, saying applications and revenues have increased sharply and no fee increase would be needed. The final presentation began with the Board of Pharmacy, which said it serves more than 26,000 licensees and oversees the Prescription Monitoring Program and opioid product registration. The board requested an extension of previously appropriated general fund dollars through fiscal year 2027 to continue paying legal costs tied to the insulin safety net lawsuit, emphasizing that this was not a new funding request but an extension of existing authority. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, there is a lot of leeway given to the states, so I just want to flag that.
• So just to put that on record, I do want to flag that occupational licensing also carries a significant
• So just to put that on record, I do want to flag that occupational licensing also carries a significant
• Several states, including Oregon, Washington, Nevada, New Mexico, Michigan, and Minnesota, have already

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Great flag, and, Chairman: Chair Representative Lin. Representative Lin: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Chairman: Great flag. Thank you very much, Representative.
• Great flag, and we'll work on the budget guidelines.
• So there was a study done in Minnesota about 7 years ago, no difference in income.

Transcript Highlights:

• Only a small handful of states have enacted similar laws, including California, New York, and Minnesota
• Enacted similar laws, including California, New York, and Minnesota, and we do not believe Louisiana
• That prevents accounts from being flagged just because an owner uses a buy-and-hold strategy.

Bills: HCR66, HB387, HB617, HB797, HB950, HB975, HB1186, HB1222, HB1223, HB1228, HB1256

Keywords: economic development, rural communities, infrastructure, workforce training, Louisiana Economic Development, engineering, land surveying, construction, state fire marshal, plan review, hidden fees, junk fees, drip pricing, price transparency, mandatory fees, surcharges, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, advertising disclosures, total price

Summary: The Senate Commerce Committee met on April 20, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard a series of bills and resolutions. It first advanced H. CR 66, which directs Louisiana Economic Development, working with the Governor’s Office of Rural Development, to study rural parish economic assets, infrastructure, workforce, and development opportunities. The committee also moved HB 387, a clarification allowing the fire marshal to review architectural and engineering plans equally, and HB 1223, which seeks to promote clinical trials in Louisiana by having LED market the state’s research capacity and by adjusting internal review board procedures. HB 1228, a cleanup bill for hearing aid dealers that updates definitions, contracts, testing periods, licensing, and related requirements, was also reported favorably, as was HB 950, which would create an elderly consumer perception program through the Office of Elderly Affairs to help seniors recognize scams and fraud. The committee spent the most time on HB 617, a broad “hidden fees” consumer transparency bill. The author and supporters said it would require mandatory fees to be included in upfront pricing so consumers can make informed choices, while opponents from grocery, restaurant, hotel, housing, retail, and business groups argued the bill was vague, overly broad, and likely to create compliance burdens and litigation risk. Housing advocates objected to the bill’s housing exemption, warning it could weaken renters’ ability to bring claims over undisclosed fees. After extensive debate over variable pricing, sales taxes, enforcement, and the scope of the bill, Senator Morris moved to defer HB 617, and the committee agreed without objection. The committee also heard HB 797, which would create a “Bayou Gold” certification program for certain gold vendors and transactional gold products. The sponsor said the program would encourage vendors to keep gold insured, segregated, and closer to Louisiana consumers, with the Treasury administering the certification through participant fees. Several senators and an outside witness raised concerns that the state seal could be mistaken for an endorsement, could create liability or consumer confusion, and would favor a narrow set of vendors. Despite opposition, the committee reported HB 797 favorably, with members noting it still had to go to Finance. Later, the committee advanced HB 1186, which would create a more uniform statewide building code and licensing system for inspectors, add disciplinary authority, and impose a small permit fee to support the program, and HB 1222, which would let LED develop a grocery initiative to address food deserts and food insecurity. The meeting concluded with the committee hearing HB 1256 on abandoned digital assets, which would require dormant digital assets to be held in original form for three years so owners can reclaim them.