Transcript Highlights:

• , and communities throughout education, and communities throughout Minnesota.<00:08:09.840><c> And</c
• higher education, and also thinking about how to position Minnesota and think about what our moonshot
• higher education, and also thinking about how to position Minnesota and think about what our moonshot
• </c> the state of Minnesota has passed. the state of Minnesota has passed.
• </c> education to lawmakers and the public. education to lawmakers and the public.

Bills: HF1316 , HF4369

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair Aaron Repinski, District 26A, which is Winona, Minnesota, and southeast Minnesota.
• Chair Aaron Repinski, District 26A, which is Winona, Minnesota, and southeast Minnesota.
• </c> Minnesota GI bill which is the education Minnesota GI bill which is the education benefits<00:12
• So our mission is to train and educate Minnesota veteran service officers across our 87 counties, positively
• and stopped by the Education Building, along with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• of special education and our educational<00:32:10.559><c> outcomes.
• I'm looking at the presentation from the Minnesota Department of Education from several meetings back
• of Education.
• </c><01:17:47.520><c> And</c> Minnesota Department of Education.
• And Minnesota Department of Education.

Transcript Highlights:

• That Minnesota.
• It's not a requirement to be a Minnesota citizen to apply for a Minnesota marriage license.
• Minnesota and apply for marriage here. Minnesota and apply for marriage here.
• </c> Minnesota citizen to apply for Minnesota Minnesota citizen to apply for Minnesota marriage<01:04
• In Minnesota, educational neglect, a form of child neglect, is defined as a parent's failure to ensure

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:02.160><c> is</c> that the office of higher education is that the office of higher education
• </c> work with the University of Minnesota work with the University of Minnesota primarily<00:08:46.880
• </c> started at the University in Minnesota started at the University in Minnesota in<00:09:24.560><c
• That’s the part that I’m just baffled by. the Minnesota colleges and in the Minnesota colleges and in
• </c><00:41:18.560><c> the</c> of Minnesota the state of Minnesota the of Minnesota the state of Minnesota

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Based Services with the Minnesota Based Services with the Minnesota Department<00:01:33.920><c>
• </c> now we do offer training and education now we do offer training and education with<00:03:49.120>
• </c> um throughout the state of Minnesota um throughout the state of Minnesota underneath<00:04:04.159
• of Minnesota and protect Minnesota<00:05:19.240><c> and</c><00:05:19.360><c> the</c><00:05:19.479><c
• </c> education uh developing an education education uh developing an education strategy<00:14:40.880>

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bill for Minnesota Care. bill for Minnesota Care.
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• </c> health care in Minnesota. health care in Minnesota.
• Minnesota has been a national education?
• ,</c><01:02:31.760><c> Minnesota</c> also the state of Minnesota, Minnesota also the state of Minnesota

Bills: HF2435

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:49.440><c> I've</c> District 10, Central Minnesota. I've District 10, Central Minnesota.
• </c> Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum. Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum.
• This includes across Minnesota.
• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• </c> Minnesota veterans. Minnesota veterans.

Summary: The subcommittee opened its first meeting of the session with member introductions and a statement from the chair that veterans issues would remain distinct and receive separate attention. The first item was an update on the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley from Executive Director Randall Dietrich. He said the museum has operated for nearly 50 years, has outgrown its current space, and is building a new 40,000-square-foot facility with $32 million in state support plus several million more in private funding. He described construction progress, planned exhibits including restored military artifacts and the USS Ward gun, and said the museum is scheduled to open on September 12. In response to Senator Kunish, Dietrich said the museum is actively incorporating stories and flags representing women, tribal nations, and other underrepresented groups, including 11 tribal flags at the entrance, and is working to integrate those stories throughout the galleries rather than isolating them. The committee then received an update from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs on the veterans suicide prevention plan from Rachel Johnson, Veterans Committee Health Director, with John Kelly later answering questions on department impacts. Johnson said the plan is a coordinated statewide framework built with legislative support, expanding regional coordinators, veteran health navigators, data analytics, and community partnerships, including a suicide mortality review pilot in Hennepin County. She said Minnesota loses about 100 veterans a year to suicide, that firearms remain the primary mechanism, and that prevention must address community connection, economic stability, and access to care, not just clinical treatment. She also said the plan aligns with state and federal strategies and is intended as a living roadmap. In response to questions, Johnson said the department is exploring data-sharing policy issues, has not seen a direct financial impact from federal VA staffing changes, and is tracking federal proposals affecting VA advisory groups. She also said 988 data is available in general but more Minnesota-specific data on the veteran option is still being gathered. Members asked follow-up questions about trends in veteran suicide, the role of families in identifying warning signs, and the Hennepin County mortality review pilot. Johnson said the annual number has remained around 100 for about 15 years, with a dip in 2024 and a return to that level in 2025, and that the Hennepin County pilot was chosen because it offers a manageable geography and existing coalition work, with an initial review expected by May or June. The final item began a presentation from the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service Officers. Legislative chair Larry Fonder said the group’s priorities are protecting veterans from fraud and modernizing the property tax benefit for disabled veterans, but the presentation would focus on educating the committee about the role, training, certification, and accountability of county veteran service officers. President Tom Anderson, the Winona County VSO and a Navy veteran, began describing his background and office staffing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• State Mano and and of Minnesota State Mano and and of Minnesota<00:14:43.360><c> State.
• </c> Minnesota that the students initiated. Minnesota that the students initiated.
• </c> Minnesota management and budget agency. Minnesota management and budget agency.
• about Minnesota State, but all higher education institutions have shifted from the certain cost of full-time
• Minnesota. Minnesota.

Bills: HF4479 , HF4368 , HF4889

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota was uh I think had 34 past um Minnesota was uh I think had 34 past um but<00:02:25.519><c>
• </c> chiropractors as well as the Minnesota chiropractors as well as the Minnesota Chiropractic<00:25
• </c> we do um analysis using the Minnesota we do um analysis using the Minnesota all<00:39:56.319><c>
• </c> analysis as well as for Minnesota analysis as well as for Minnesota Healthcare<00:45:44.920><c>
• </c> and utilization patterns in Minnesota and utilization patterns in Minnesota and<00:46:50.200><c>

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> the</c><00:03:50.120><c> ITR,</c> DLI, Explore Minnesota, the ITR, DLI, Explore Minnesota, the ITR
• our higher education obviously our higher education institutions institutions institutions uh<00:24:
• So the Minnesota Jobs Skills 320.
• </c> certainly amongst our educational certainly amongst our educational institutions.<00:26:18.559><
• It's the Minnesota paradox, right?

Bills: HF2440

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

Transcript Highlights:

• in Northeast Minnesota.
• I'm representing Education Minnesota, 84,000 educators across the state, about one out of three members
• of labor in Minnesota.
• </c><01:10:34.199><c> Minnesota</c><01:10:35.159><c> 84,000</c> representing Education Minnesota 84,000
• representing Education Minnesota 84,000 Educators<01:10:36.480><c> across</c><01:10:36.760><c> the</

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• But if you move to pages two and three, the Minnesota Department of Education provides some explanation
• Department of Education um the Minnesota Department of Education provides<00:10:34.399><c> some</c><
• The cost of employing educators and running schools is not the same across Minnesota.
• The cost of employing educators and running schools is not the same across Minnesota.
• The cost of employing educators and running schools is not the same across Minnesota.

Bills: HF3790 , HF3654 , HF3371 , HF3470 , HF1099

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota. Minnesota.
• My first term was one major legislative education in the ins and outs of Minnesota politics.
• education in the ins and outs<01:32:22.960><c> of</c><01:32:23.080><c> Minnesota</c><01:32:23.520><c
• The first one was when I authored a higher education bill to cut funding to the central office of Minnesota
• </c> rural Minnesota, southwest Minnesota. rural Minnesota, southwest Minnesota.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their heroes remain in Minnesota. Stories are fading.
• We expanded our services to rural Minnesota.
• Power, Minnesota National Guard, CBSO's, U.S.
• We seek continued support of the Minnesota legislature.
• within Minnesota.

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Transcript Highlights:

• c> the</c><00:26:17.240><c> Minnesota</c><00:26:17.880><c> Chamber</c> recent report by the Minnesota
• Minnesota cannot afford another murder like George Floyd's. Minnesota cannot afford...
• </c> and has the potential to pit Minnesota and has the potential to pit Minnesota communities<00:29:
• Paul, Minnesota.
• Paul, Minnesota.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House File 16, and the chair moved the bill with a recommendation that it be re-referred to Elections Finance and Government Operations. Representative Rymer said the bill would require reporting to ICE when an illegal immigrant is arrested on suspicion of a violent crime, even if the county attorney does not prosecute, and would bar state and local entities from blocking federal immigration enforcement. He described the bill as narrowly focused on serious offenses such as murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, and criminal sexual conduct, and said it was intended to improve communication with federal authorities about dangerous offenders. Supporters argued the bill would improve public safety and cooperation with federal law enforcement. David Zimmer, a former local law enforcement official, said cooperation with ICE is consistent with law enforcement practice and helps with information-sharing, warrants, consulate notifications, and locating individuals. Several other supporters, including a crime victim family member and a security officer, said the bill would help identify dangerous criminals and protect communities. Opponents said the bill would reduce trust in local law enforcement and discourage victims and witnesses from reporting crimes. Testifiers from the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, The Advocates for Human Rights, Violence Free Minnesota, the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Northstar Alliance, the City of Minneapolis, and others said mandatory ICE notification could deter domestic violence and trafficking victims from seeking help, harm due process, and undermine community safety. Some also warned it would interfere with local separation policies, burden local agencies, and have negative economic and civil rights impacts. The committee also heard emotional testimony from individuals describing domestic abuse and immigration-related fears, and from family members of a murder victim who supported the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota.
• Minnesota, assisting children from birth to age 22.
• I am the Assistant Director of Special Education for the Area Special Education Cooperative in northwest
• Minnesota.
• It's in Dayton, Minnesota, which is in my district.

Bills: HF568 , HF433 , HF1689 , HF3135 , HF3137 , HF3145 , HF2887 , HF2819 , HF2802 , HF2664 , HF2267 , HF799 , HF800 , HF3049 , HF296 , HF580 , HF1438 , HF1237

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• In Minnesota, we have the Emerging Farmers Office, so that's one group that we very happy to have a,
• </c><00:02:30.680><c> we</c> underserved producers in Minnesota we underserved producers in Minnesota
• Hunter Peterson, with Minnesota Farm Bureau, testified in support of House File 653.
• Once again, Hunter Peterson with Minnesota Farm Bureau, here in support of House File 653.
• </c> what the subject matter is in education what the subject matter is in education on<00:16:09.120>

Transcript Highlights:

• of Minnesota.
• . is definitely Minnesota.
• </c> great thing for the state of Minnesota. great thing for the state of Minnesota.
• </c> attention to and keep in Minnesota. attention to and keep in Minnesota.
• Minnesota. Minnesota. Uh<01:20:54.640><c> Senator</c><01:20:54.960><c> Dreheim.

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota Department of Health has grown Minnesota Department of Health has grown not<00:09:35.880><c
• We went by the pregnancy book that Minnesota gave us from the Minnesota Department of Health.
• </c> Minnesota gave us from the Minnesota Minnesota gave us from the Minnesota Department<00:38:06.200
• </c><01:16:30.520><c> in</c> in St Paul Minnesota in in St Paul Minnesota in 1979<01:16:32.520><c> I<
• Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy