Transcript Highlights:

• </c> seasonal seasonal. seasonal seasonal.
• Workers in truly seasonal positions at genuinely seasonal employee businesses should not be burdened
• It creates unnecessary staffing problems at the margins of a season when businesses still need workers
• How many workers are currently exempted from PFML as seasonal employees? >> Uh, Rep. Acomb.
• With the work that we've done on minimum wage and how many of our seasonal workers are making the least

Bills: HF4110, HF2113, HF4569, HF4414

Keywords: workplace regulations, employee rights, meal breaks, rest breaks, exemptions, paid leave, small employers, employment law, Minnesota Statutes, workforce development, HF4569, Minnesota Paid Leave Law, protected leave, seasonal employee, seasonal worker, hospitality, hospitality industry, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, employer certification

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill also excludes even more seasonal workers, meaning that someone who works even half the year
• This bill also excludes even more seasonal workers, meaning that someone who works even half the year
• This bill also excludes even more seasonal workers, meaning that someone who works even half the year
• This bill also excludes even more seasonal workers, meaning that someone who works even half the year
• Member and seasonal workers, and the treatment of small businesses, among others, should still be pursued

Bills: HF1976

Keywords: paid leave, family leave, employment law, Minnesota statute, benefit eligibility, seasonal employment, workforce, labor rights, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Our workers compensation insurance. Our workers compensation insurance.
• Um and I am fully in workers comp. Um and I am fully in workers comp.
• Uh doctors that are familiar with workers comp, familiar with with workers comp, familiar with with workers
• I workers compensation to our teachers. I workers compensation to our teachers.
• But it it is to teachers workers comp. But it it is to teachers workers comp.

Bills: SB199, HB142, SB86, HB152, HB297, SB1, SB1

Keywords: parental leave, state employees, local education agencies, adoption, work-life balance, family support, portable benefits, portable benefit account, independent contractor, gig worker, 1099 worker, freelancer, app-based worker, rideshare, delivery driver, worker benefits, health insurance, retirement benefits, life insurance, income replacement insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• Congressional Delegation to take all necessary and appropriate actions to pass the H-2B-certified seasonal
• crawfish industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker
• Congressional Delegation to take all necessary and appropriate actions to pass the H-2B-certified seasonal
• crawfish industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker
• as far as the crawfish, all of our crawfish processors were having trouble getting in their H-2B workers

Bills: HCR77

Keywords: crawfish, agricultural labor, H-2B program, H-2A program, labor shortage, temporary workers, Louisiana economy, HCR77, crawfish industry, H-2B visa, seasonal labor, agriculture, immigration

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum and considered only one item, House Concurrent Resolution 77. The resolution urges Congress, the President, and federal agencies to take action to allow crawfish industry job duties to be treated as agricultural labor for H-2A purposes and to support an H-2B-certified seasonal employer designation. Chairwoman Butler explained that the measure was prompted by problems with H-2A/H-2B worker availability and denials that have affected crawfish processors and other agricultural businesses in Louisiana. Several members spoke in support. Representative Coates said he wanted to co-author the resolution, Representative Henry described similar problems in his district and thanked the chair for advancing the issue, and Representative Schamerhorn also supported the resolution while noting concerns about reliance on foreign labor and stating that employers cover travel, background checks, housing, and wages averaging about $18 per hour. Representative Omaday moved to report HCR 77 favorably, and the committee approved the motion without objection. After the favorable report, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Congressional Delegation to take all necessary and appropriate actions to pass the H-2B-certified seasonal
• crawfish industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker
• Congressional Delegation to take all necessary and appropriate actions to pass the H-2B-certified seasonal
• crawfish industry as agricultural labor services for the purposes of the H-2A temporary agricultural worker
• as far as the crawfish, all of our crawfish processors were having trouble getting in their H-2B workers

Bills: HCR77

Keywords: crawfish, agricultural labor, H-2B program, H-2A program, labor shortage, temporary workers, Louisiana economy, HCR77, crawfish industry, H-2B visa, seasonal labor, agriculture, immigration, 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The provisions in this bill streamline the MinChoices tool, which county workers navigate daily, making
• This will also free up county financial workers and help address the enormous backlog for individuals
• I'm a home care worker. I am testifying on behalf of my union, SCIU Home Care, Minnesota and Iowa.
• You can have complete confidence that the money will go to workers and will help ensure care for our
• And I know that I'm not the only Minnesotan who has a home care worker who can do many of the things

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding

Transcript Highlights:

• Large and small businesses alike tell us this problem has made hiring and retaining workers extremely
• Every worker we lose increases the risk of losing the companies that employ them.

Bills: H5009

Keywords: collective bargaining, worker rights, labor relations, public counsel services, state employees

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-03, House Bill 5000, which would allow single-family homes on smaller lots in areas with public water and sewer service. The hearing began with committee members outlining the Article 48 initiative process and then hearing from two subject-matter experts. Under Secretary Chris Clutchman of Housing and Livable Communities explained how the proposal would amend Chapter 40A, noted that Boston would be excluded, and said municipalities would still be able to adopt reasonable regulations on setbacks, bulk, height, and short-term rentals. He also flagged unresolved implementation questions, including how to treat wetlands, infrastructure capacity, and pre-existing nonconforming situations. Attorney Susan Murphy said the measure would significantly alter local zoning, could create conflicts with existing zoning districts and Section 3A/MBTA Communities rules, and raised concerns about infrastructure capacity and the lack of any home-size or affordability limits. Supporters of the petition argued that Massachusetts faces a severe housing shortage and that large minimum lot sizes are a major barrier to building starter homes. Proponents said the measure would legalize single-family homes on lots as small as 5,000 square feet with 50 feet of frontage where public sewer and water are available, and they cited polling showing public support for lot-size reform. They said the proposal could produce thousands of additional homes per year, help young families and seniors, and expand housing choices in high-cost suburbs. Committee members pressed the proponents on how the measure would interact with affordability, home size, frontage requirements, 40B compliance, and whether the bill would actually produce starter homes rather than larger expensive houses. The Massachusetts Municipal Association testified in opposition, urging the committee to take no action. MMA representatives argued that zoning is fundamentally a local decision and that the proposal would preempt municipal authority with a one-size-fits-all mandate. They also said the bill is impractical because public water and sewer service does not guarantee available capacity, citing examples of communities facing water and wastewater limits and costly infrastructure upgrades. MMA further argued the measure lacks affordability requirements and could be counterproductive, and pointed to existing and pending state tools such as Chapter 40Y, 40R-related proposals, and other housing funding or zoning reforms as better approaches. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• As brief background, a worker who's injured in the course of employment is entitled to workers' compensation
• It requires an employer to inform an injured worker that the worker has a right to seek initial or emergency
• the network willing to treat the worker within 15 miles of the worker's home, the worker may seek treatment
• before the worker can go out of network.
• Electric Workers with 24,000 statewide.

Bills: SB5944

Keywords: language access, collective bargaining, labor relations, employment rights, worker protections, 904, all

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> min choices tool, which county workers min choices tool, which county workers navigate<00:53:49.119
• I'm a home care worker. I am testifying on behalf of my union, SEIU Home Care, Minnesota, and Iowa.
• We represent over 55,000 workers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and self-directed home care.
• I'm a homeare worker. I am Paul. I'm a homeare worker.
• :24.960><c> in</c> represent over 55,000 workers in represent over 55,000 workers in hospitals,<01:16

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Large and small businesses alike tell us this problem has made hiring and retaining workers extremely
• Every worker we lose, we increase the risk of losing the companies that employed them.

Bills: H5009

Keywords: collective bargaining, worker rights, labor relations, public counsel services, state employees, 1212, all

Bills: HCR3018

Keywords: water rights, wetlands, inundated lands, taxation, property tax, drainage, flooded land, seasonal wetlands, meltwater, navigability, jurisdiction, county tax rolls, agricultural land, soil health, wildlife habitat, environmental regulation, public health, land ownership, riparian, drain and fill

Summary: The Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee was brought back to order and first took up a conference committee report on House Bill 1151, which concerns cultured meat. Members noted that the House had refused to concur with the Senate amendments and that the bill had previously been turned into a study. The committee discussed appointing conferees, with Randy identified as chair and Weston agreeing to serve as well. The chair explained that because the House did not concur with the committee’s change, further action would be needed and the House would chair the conference committee since it is their bill. Members briefly discussed whether additional conferees were needed, but no further names were settled beyond those mentioned. The committee also reported that Representative Porter could not be reached, leaving the committee at a standstill. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned until 9:00 a.m. the next day.

Bills: HCR3018

Keywords: water rights, wetlands, inundated lands, taxation, property tax, drainage, flooded land, seasonal wetlands, meltwater, navigability, jurisdiction, county tax rolls, agricultural land, soil health, wildlife habitat, environmental regulation, public health, land ownership, riparian, drain and fill

Summary: The Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Concurrent Resolution 3018, which was amended to expand a study of wetlands and jurisdictional water issues, including questions about taxing authority over land inundated by water. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the resolution as amended on a roll call vote, with all members present voting yes or aye. Senator Weston agreed to carry the measure. The committee then considered House Bill 1581, relating to funding for the Native American Tourism Alliance. Senator Marcellais explained an amendment restoring the funding level to $500,000 and adding a 10% tribal match. Members debated the budget impact and the likelihood of the bill surviving in that form. The amendment failed on a 3-3 tie, after which the committee moved to the original House version. That version, with $100,000 total funding and matching requirements, received a 4-2 do pass recommendation and was sent to Appropriations, with Senator Marcellais designated as carrier. The committee also discussed House Bill 1541, which would create a new commission to oversee septic systems, but members indicated a preference for a different approach already moving in the House that would place licensing and oversight under DEQ with health units still handling inspections. No final action was taken on that bill. Finally, the committee reviewed House Bill 1280, a water/drainage-related measure involving voting eligibility for landowners who have not paid assessments, but members raised legal questions and deferred further action. The committee also discussed broader concerns about a chemical-labeling bill and related public emails, then recessed until the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not putting workers first, it restrains workers.
• So, we rely heavily on seasonal workers.
• We are the poster child for seasonal workers.
• This is pro-worker. This helps American workers maintain their wages and maintain their jobs.
• So they're firing American workers, but they are exploiting child workers.

Keywords: PRO Act, labor laws, worker rights, unionization, right-to-work, public testimony, political polarization

Summary: The meeting centered around an in-depth discussion of the PRO Act, with representatives expressing passionate opinions both for and against the legislation. Representative Chavez de Rimmer emphasized the importance of worker freedom, arguing that the PRO Act would infringe upon individual rights by coercing unionization. This perspective was strongly received by members from right-to-work states, who articulated their concerns about the potential erosion of workers' choices and protections. Speaker after speaker conveyed conflicting views on labor laws, indicating a deeply polarized environment surrounding labor issues at the moment.

Bills: HF2995, HF2434

Keywords: human services, funding, appropriations, MinnesotaCare, behavioral health, general assistance, healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:29.519><c> housekeeping</c> folks like dietary workers housekeeping folks like dietary workers
• Nursing home worker means any worker who provides services in a nursing home in Minnesota, including
• It's not going to the workers, and we need to make sure it's going to the workers. Thank you.
• It's not going to the workers, and we need to make sure it's going to the workers.
• It's not going to the workers, and we need to make sure it's going to the workers.

Bills: HF1419, HF500

Keywords: nursing facilities, reimbursement rates, elderly care, minimum wage, healthcare funding, nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:33:14.919><c> businesses</c><00:33:15.360><c> that</c> businesses the seasonal businesses that
• businesses the seasonal businesses that we've<00:33:16.000><c> adjusted</c><00:33:16.399><c> in</c><
• Most of them have other parameters for seasonal businesses that are better than ours in some states.
• Most of them have other parameters for seasonal businesses that are better than ours in some states.
• Most of them have other parameters for seasonal businesses that are better than ours in some states.

Bills: HF11

Keywords: Minnesota Paid Leave, paid family and medical leave, family leave, medical leave, implementation delay, premium collection, employer premiums, state payroll tax, workforce, labor, benefits administration, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, employer notice, seasonal employees, private plans, actuarial study, outreach and education, employee rights, reinstatement

Transcript Highlights:

• looking at who is supporting this and who is not, businesses are clearly supporting this, and the workers
• clearly supporting this delay<00:03:03.840><c> and</c><00:03:04.000><c> the</c><00:03:04.120><c> workers
• </c><00:03:04.640><c> and</c><00:03:04.920><c> people</c><00:03:05.360><c> are</c> delay and the workers
• and people are delay and the workers and people are clearly<00:03:06.080><c> not</c><00:03:06.480><c
• </c><00:09:30.680><c> and</c> hiring ing the replacement workers and hiring ing the replacement workers

Bills: HF11

Keywords: Minnesota Paid Leave, paid family and medical leave, family leave, medical leave, implementation delay, premium collection, employer premiums, state payroll tax, workforce, labor, benefits administration, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, employer notice, seasonal employees, private plans, actuarial study, outreach and education, employee rights, reinstatement

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:43.680><c> across</c> 70,000 essential workers across 70,000 essential workers across Minnesota
• </c><00:14:56.880><c> in</c> thousands of dedicated workers in thousands of dedicated workers in nursing
• It's not going to the workers, and we need to make sure it's going to the workers. Thank you.
• It's not going to the workers, and we need to make sure it's going to the workers. Thank you.
• </c> safe Staffing Fair wages and real worker safe Staffing Fair wages and real worker protections<00

Bills: HF1419, HF500

Keywords: nursing facilities, reimbursement rates, elderly care, minimum wage, healthcare funding, nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 500, which would require the legislature to fund the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board’s standards before they could take effect. An author’s DE2 amendment was adopted first; the amendment was described as pausing the board’s standards unless the legislature estimates and fully pays the cost for each nursing home. The bill author argued that mandates without money create serious consequences for seniors and providers, and said the measure would keep budget authority with the legislature rather than an appointed board. Supporters, including nursing home operators and the Long-Term Care Imperative, said the board’s holiday pay and minimum wage standards would create large unfunded costs, citing estimates ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for individual facilities and more than $200 million statewide. They argued that some facilities could face debt, reserve depletion, or reduced access to care if the standards are not funded. Opponents, including SEIU workers and union leaders, said the board has improved staffing, recruitment, morale, and worker safety, and that caregivers deserve higher wages and holiday pay. They argued the bill would weaken the board’s ability to address chronic understaffing and would shift focus away from worker protections. Members also debated whether nursing home reimbursement rates have already risen enough to cover wages and whether the problem lies with how funds are used by providers. After public testimony closed, several members spoke in opposition and support. A roll call was requested, and the committee voted 9-7 to re-refer House File 500, as amended, to the Committee on Labor and Workforce and Economic Development Finance and Policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:53:02.480><c> um</c><00:53:02.640><c> this</c> seasonal workers not to have um this seasonal workers
• </c> save workers. save workers.
• And that's true for any other seasonal worker.
• Um and that's true for any other seasonal<01:19:24.719><c> worker.
• Let's let's treat these seasonal worker.

Bills: HF2433, HF2434

Keywords: education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation, healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house