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Minnesota House of Representatives

Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

TWENTY-SEVENTH MEETING

2025-2026 Regular Session - Thursday, March 26, 2026

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


HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES
Representative Peter Fischer, Co-Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and
Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM on Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Room G3 of the Capitol Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll. Members present:

FISCHER, Peter, DFL Co-Chair
HEINTZEMAN, Josh, GOP Co-Chair
PURSELL, Kristi, DFL Co-Vice Chair
BURKEL, John, GOP Co-Vice Chair
FALCONER, Alex
FINKE, Leigh
GILLMAN, Dawn GOTTFRIED, David HANSEN, Rick
JACOB, Steven
JORDAN, Sydney
NELSON, Nathan SCHULTZ, Isaac WARWAS, Cal

A quorum was present.

Representative Gottfried moved that the minutes from March 24, 2026 be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF4061 (Kozlowski) – Availability of appropriation for a grant to expand Minnesota's wild elk population and range extended.

Chair Fischer moved that HF4061 be laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill.

Chair Fischer moved the A1 amendment to HF4061. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Kozlowski presented HF4061 as amended.

Testifying:
• Reid LeBeau, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Pat Rivers, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

HF4061, as amended, was laid over.

HF3793 (Pursell) – Certain users of large amounts of groundwater required to apply for their own water-use permit instead of modifying an existing municipal permit.

Representative Pursell moved that HF3793 be laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill.

Representative Pursell moved the DE4 amendment to HF3793. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Pursell presented HF3793 as amended.

HF3793, as amended, was laid over.

HF3896 (Falconer) – Operation of watercraft in a manner that threatens uncultivated wild rice beds prohibited.

Representative Falconer moved that HF3896 be laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill.

Representative Falconer moved the DE1 amendment to HF3896. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Falconer presented HF3896 as amended.

Testifying:
• Leanna Goose, Rise and Repair Alliance
• Lt. Colonel Robert Gorecki, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Evan Mullholand, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
• Gina Peltier, Rise and Repair Alliance

HF3896, as amended, was laid over.

HF1426 (Hollins) – Stewardship program for circuit boards, batteries, and electrical products established; mercury in batteries prohibited; rulemaking authorized; and money appropriated.

Chair Fischer moved that HF1426 be laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill.

Chair Fischer moved the DE1 amendment to HF1426. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Hollins presented HF1426 as amended.

Testifying:
• Lucy Mullany, Eureka Recycling
• Kirk Koudelka, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Dave Potter, Global Ewaste Solutions
• Tammy Walhof, Lutheran Advocacy- Minnesota
• Marc Boolish, Portable Rechargeable Battery Association
• David Preisler, Le Sueur County Commissioner
• Amber Backhaus, National Waste and Recycling Association
• Maria Jensen, Clean Water Action and Recycling Electronics for Climate Action
• Tom Johnson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

HF1426, as amended, was laid over.

The meeting adjourned at 2:38 PM.





Representative Peter Fischer, Chair






Robin Mercer-Taylor, Committee Legislative Assistant




More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF3426 (Jordan) - Environment and natural resources trust fund money appropriated, prior appropriations extended, environment and natural resources trust fund expenditure provisions modified, and community grants program requirements modified.
  • HF3896 (Falconer) - Operation of watercraft in a manner that threatens uncultivated wild rice beds prohibited.
  • HF3793 (Pursell) - Certain users of large amounts of groundwater required to apply for their own water-use permit instead of modifying an existing municipal permit.
  • HF1426 (Hollins) - Stewardship program for circuit boards, batteries, and electrical products established; mercury in batteries prohibited; rulemaking authorized; and money appropriated.
  • HF4061 (Kozlowski) - Availability of appropriation for a grant to expand Minnesota's wild elk population and range extended.
Documents:
Audio:
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House TV Video:
View Archive

02:06 - HF4061 (Kozlowski) Availability of appropriation for a grant to expand Minnesota's wild elk population and range extended.
12:39 - HF3793 (Pursell) Certain users of large amounts of groundwater required to apply for their own water-use permit instead of modifying an existing municipal permit.
19:33 - HF3896 (Falconer) Operation of watercraft in a manner that threatens uncultivated wild rice beds prohibited.
53:34 - HF1426 (Hollins) Stewardship program for circuit boards, batteries, and electrical products established; mercury in batteries prohibited; rulemaking authorized; and money appropriated.
Runs 1 hour, 38 minutes.

*Agenda Change: Bill added. Bill removed.

HF3426 (Jordan) Funding provided from environment and natural resources trust fund, and prior appropriations extended.
HF3896 (Falconer) Operation of watercraft in a manner that threatens uncultivated wild rice beds prohibited.
HF1426 (Hollins) Stewardship program for circuit boards, batteries, and electrical products established; mercury in batteries prohibited; rulemaking authorized; and money appropriated.
HF3793 (Pursell) Certain users of large amounts of groundwater required to apply for their own water-use permit instead of modifying an existing municipal permit. (*HF3793 received a full hearing with testimony on March 10, 2026. No further testimony will be taken on the bill.)
*HF4061 (Kozlowski) Availability of appropriation for a grant to expand Minnesota's wild elk population and range extended.

*HF4246 (Kozlowski) has been removed from the agenda.

TESTIMONY AND MATERIALS SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Individuals wishing to testify or submit written testimony or handouts for the hearing must e-mail the committee administrator (Peter.Strohmeier@house.mn.gov) by 1 p.m. the day prior to the hearing. Handouts must be in PDF format with OCR capability. In-person testimony may be limited due to committee time constraints.

AMENDMENT DEADLINE: Amendments must be e-mailed to the committee administrator by 3 p.m. the day prior to the hearing.