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Children and Families Finance and Policy

TWENTY-FOURTH MEETING

2025-2026 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 4, 2026

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-FOURTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION


CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FINANCE POLICY MEETING MINUTES

Representative Kotyza-Witthuhn, Co-Chair of the Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 3:06 PM on March 4, 2026 in Room 123 of the State Capitol Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:
KOTYZA-WITTHUHN, Carlie, Co-Chair
WEST, Nolan, Co-Chair
HANSON, Jessica, Co-Vice Chair
NELSON, Nathan, Co-Vice Chair
ALTENDORF, Pam
COULTER, Nathan
HICKS, Kim
LEE, XP
MCDONALD, Joe
NADEAU, Danny
OLSON, Bjorn
PÉREZ-VEGA, María Isa
SENCER-MURA, Samantha

Members absent:
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie

A quorum was present.

Representative Lee, X moved that the minutes of March 4, 2025 be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Presentation titled Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) February 2026 Forecast Update

Presenting:
• Ashley Reisenauer, Chief Financial Officer, DCYF

HF3415 (Sencer-Mura) Access to child care center facilities limited.

Representative Pérez-Vega moved HF3415 before the committee.

Representative Pérez-Vega moved the DE1 amendment, THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Sencer-Mura presented HF3415 as amended.

Testifying:
• Pastor Sergio Amezuca
• Alexandra C. Fitzsimmons, Esq., Senior Policy Director, Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota
• Anna Landherr, parent
• Alexandria Schroeder, parent
• Dylan Miracle, parent
• Katie Brown, parent
• John Boehler, Policy Counsel, ACLU of Minnesota
• Maria Snider, Rainbow Child Development Center and Vice President, Minnesota Child Care Association
• Dr. Nicole Smerillo, Think Small Director of Data, Research, and Policy
• Mary Nikolai, parent
• Audrey McCann, Observer, local faith leader
• Joey Dobson, parent
• John Fanning, Education Partnerships Coalition

Representative Pérez-Vega moved the A2 amendment, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL

Representative Hanson requested a roll call on HF3415 as amended.

The clerk took the roll on HF3415 as amended:

AYES
Kotyza-Witthuhn
Hanson
Coulter
Hicks
Lee
Pérez-Vega
Sencer-Mura

NAYS
West
Nelson
McDonald
Altendorf
Nadeau
Olson

Co-Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn laid over HF3415 as amended.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:58PM


_________________________________________
Representative Kotyza-Witthuhn, Co-Chair


_________________________________________
Caleb Rohrer, Committee Legislative Assistant

More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF3415 (Sencer-Mura) - Access to child care center facilities limited.
House TV Video:
View Archive

00:45 - Department of Children, Youth, and Families February 2026 Budget and Economic Forecast update.
24:04 - HF3415 (Sencer-Mura) Access to child care center facilities limited.
Runs 1 hour, 50 minutes.


Presentation: Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) February 2026 Forecast Update, Ashley Reisenauer, Chief Financial Officer, DCYF

HF3415 (Sencer-Mura) Access to child care center facilities limited.

All agenda items subject to change at the discretion of the Chair.

Amendments: All substantive amendments must be emailed to the committee administrators by 8:00 AM the day of the committee hearing. Colie Colburn, DFL Committee Administrator, colie.colburn@house.mn.gov; Ryann Woods, GOP Committee Administrator, ryann.woods@house.mn.gov

TESTIMONY AND MATERIALS SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Individuals wishing to testify or submit written testimony for the hearing must email the committee administrator by 8:00 AM on the day of the hearing. Handouts must be in PDF format with OCR capability. In-person testimony may be limited due to committee time constraints.