STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Energy Finance and Policy Committee
MINUTES
Representative Murphy, Vice-Chair of the Energy Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:02 PM on March 26, 2026, in Room 123 of the Capitol Building. A quorum was present.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
SWEDZINSKI, Chris, Co-Chair
ACOMB, Patty, Co-Chair
MURPHY, Tom, Co-Vice Chair
KRAFT, Larry, Co-Vice Chair
ANDERSON, Paul
BAKER, Dave
BUCK, Shelley
CARROLL, Ned
HOLLINS, Athena
IGO, Spencer
JONES, Katie (remote)
LUGER-NIKOLAI, Meg
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
MEKELAND, Shane
SEXTON, Thomas
WIENER, Mike
Representative Wiener moved that the minutes of March 24, 2026, be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 4308 (Swedzinski)
Annual payments by the Monticello nuclear generating plant
terminated, distributed solar energy standard modified, sales tax exemption on
residential natural gas and electricity extended year round, and electric and natural gas facilities exempted from payment of the state commercial-industrial property tax.
Chair Swedzinski moved that HF 4308 be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Chair Swedzinski moved the H4308A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Chair Swedzinski moved the H4308A2 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifiers:
Jim Pearson, Director of Regional Government Affairs, Xcel Energy
Patty O’Keefe, Regional Director, Midwest, Vote Solar
Chair Swedzinski renewed the motion that HF 4308, as amended, be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Co-Chair Acomb requested a roll call. The results were as follows:
AYES:
SWEDZINSKI, Chris, Chair
MURPHY, Tom, Vice Chair
ANDERSON, Paul
BAKER, Dave
MEKELAND, Shane
SEXTON, Thomas
WIENER, Mike
NAYS:
ACOMB, Patty, Lead
KRAFT, Larry
BUCK, Shelley
CARROLL, Ned
IGO, Spencer
JONES, Katie (remote)
LUGER-NIKOLAI, Meg
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
ABSENT:
HOLLINS, Athena
On a vote of 7 Ayes and 8 Nays, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL.
HF 4703 (Igo)
Appropriating money for a study evaluating the potential to construct
nuclear-powered electric generating facilities in Minnesota.
Representative Igo moved that HF 4703 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Representative Igo moved the H4703A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Igo moved to adopt the following oral amendment, page 1, line 11, delete “June” insert “January.” THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Chair Swedzinski assumed the gavel AT 1:51 PM.
Testifier:
Blake Johnson, Prairie Island Indian Community
Joel Johnson, Legislative Director, IBEW State Council
Philip Hult, Generation Atomic
Derick Moe, CEO, Minnesota Rural Electric Association
John Johnson, Itasca County Commissioner
Gary Gray, District 4 County Commissioner, Sherburne County
Representative Igo renewed his motion that House File 4703, as amended, be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Representative Jones requested a roll call vote. The results of the roll call were as follows:
AYES:
SWEDZINSKI, Chris, Chair
MURPHY, Tom, Vice Chair
ANDERSON, Paul
BAKER, Dave
IGO, Spencer
MEKELAND, Shane
SEXTON, Thomas
WIENER, Mike
NAYS:
ACOMB, Patty, Lead
KRAFT, Larry
CARROLL, Ned
JONES, Katie (remote)
LUGER-NIKOLAI, Meg
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
ABSTAIN:
BUCK, Shelley
ABSENT:
HOLLINS, Athena
On a vote of 8 Ayes and 6 Nays, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL.
HF 4153 (Mekeland)
Criteria for preapplication evaluations of water appropriations for data centers modified, data centers' electricity sales exempted in calculating a utility's solar energy standard, and data centers exempted from paying sales tax on electricity purchases.
Representative Mekeland moved HF 4153 before the committee.
Representative Mekeland moved to adopt the following oral amendment, page 2, line 20, delete the 1st “section” and insert “subdivision” and page 3, line 18, delete “subdivision” and insert “section.” THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Testifiers:
Gary Gray, District 4 County Commissioner, Sherburne County
Bruce Messelt, County Administrator, Sherburne County
Mark Kolbinger, Mayor, City of Becker
Jacob Sanders, Community Development Director, City of Becker
John Johnson, Itasca County Commissioner
Jason Moeckel, Assistant Director of Ecological and Water Resources, Minnesota Department of Naturel Resources
Chair Swedzinski laid over HF 4153, as amended.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:49 PM.
Representative Chris Swedzinski, Chair
Sharon Goblisch, Committee Legislative Assistant