STATE OF MINNESOTA EIGHTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Health Finance and Policy Committee
MINUTES
Representative Backer, Chair of the Health Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM, on February 18th, 2026, in Room 120 of the State Capitol Building. A quorum was present.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
BACKER, Jeff, GOP Chair
BIERMAN, Robert, DFL Chair
NADEAU, Danny, GOP Vice-Chair
REYER, Liz, DFL Vice-Chair
BAHNER, Kristin
CARROLL, Ned
DIPPEL, Tom
ELKINS, Steve
FRANSON, Mary
GILLMAN, Dawn
HUOT, John
KEELER, Heather
KNUDSEN, Krista
LEE, Xp
LIEBLING, Tina
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
PERRYMAN, Bernie
PURSELL, Kristi
REPINSKI, Aaron
SCHOMACKER, Joe
VAN BINSBERGEN, Scott
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie
Representative Nadeau moved the minutes of May 7th, 2025, be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
The Minnesota Department of Health gave a presentation on the state of rural health in Minnesota.
Testifiers:
Diane Rydrych, Health Policy Division Director, Minnesota Department of Health, testified on the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Zora Radosevich, Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, Minnesota Department of Health, testified on the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Michelle Benson, Senior Director of State Government Relations, Minnesota Hospital Association, testified on the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Dania Kamp, MD, President-elect, Minnesota Medical Association, testified on the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Martha Jones, volunteer advocate for rural healthcare, testified on the Rural Health Transformation Program.
HF 1925 (Schomacker): Nurse Licensure Compact created, and money appropriated.
Chair Backer moved HF 1925 before the committee.
Representative Schomacker moved that HF 1925 be moved to the general register.
Representative Schomacker moved the H1925A1 amendment before the committee. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.
Representative Schomacker moved the H1925A3 amendment before the committee. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Schomacker moved the H1925A2 amendment before the committee. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.
Testifiers:
John Porter, Minnesota Organization of Leaders in Nursing, testified in favor of HF 1925, as amended.
Tahni Gayton, RN, testified in opposition to HF 1925, as amended.
Laura Arnold, RN, testified in opposition to HF 1925, as amended.
Andrea Kmetz, RN, PHN, testified in opposition to HF 1925, as amended.
Anne Neu Brindley, Health Policy Director, Minnesota Business Partnership, testified in favor of HF 1925, as amended.
April Grunhovd, Vice President of Patient Care and CNO, Riverview Health, testified in favor of HF 1925, as amended.
Chair Backer moved that HF 1925, as amended, be re-referred to the Committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.
Representative Van Binsbergen requested a roll call vote. The result is as follows:
AYES
BACKER, Jeff
NADEAU, Danny
DIPPEL, Tom
FRANSON, Mary
GILLMAN, Dawn
KNUDSEN, Krista
PERRYMAN, Bernie
REPINSKI, Aaron
SCHOMACKER, Joe
VAN BINSBERGEN, Scott
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie
NAYS
BIERMAN, Robert
REYER, Liz
BAHNER, Kristin
CARROLL, Ned
ELKINS, Steve
HUOT, John
KEELER, Heather
LEE, Xp
LIEBLING, Tina
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
PURSELL, Kristi
On a vote of 11 Ayes to 11 Nays, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:47 PM.
Representative Backer, Chair
Liam Edgar, Committee Legislative Assistant