STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTIETH 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 1:36 PM, on February 25th, 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 Van Binsbergen moved the minutes of February 23rd, 2026, be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 3521 (Backer) Exception to the hospital construction moratorium provided.
Chair Backer moved HF 3521 before the committee.
Vice Chair Nadeau assumed the gavel at 1:38 PM.
Chair Backer moved the H3521A1 amendment before the committee. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifiers:
Emily Blomberg, President of Regions Hospital.
Rochelle Johnson, Vice President of Patient Care Services.
Lisa Thimjon, Government Relations Director, Minnesota Department of Health.
Vice Chair Nadeau laid over HF 3521, as amended, for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.
Chair Backer re-assumed the gavel at 2:00 PM.
HF 1807 (Gillman) Nonopioid drugs coverage required for treatment or management of pain.
Representative Gillman moved HF 1807 before the committee.
Representative Gillman moved that HF 1807 be recommended to be re-referred to the Commerce Finance and Policy Committee.
Representative Backer moved that HF 1807 be recommended to be placed on the General Register.
Testifiers:
Claire Onyechi, Vice President of Outreach and Engagement, Voices for Nonopioid Choices.
Abby Parta, State Government Affairs Executive Director, Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
Kristy Graume, State Government Relations Executive Director, Department of Human Services.
Chair Backer laid HF 1807 over for possible consideration at a later date.
HF 1270 (Gillman) Licensing for practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine modified.
Representative Gillman moved HF 1270 before the committee.
Representative Gillman moved that HF 1270 be recommended to be placed on the General Register.
Representative Gilman moved the H1270A1 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifiers:
Dr. Nick Dougherty, member of the Minnesota Acupuncture Association.
Chuck Sawyer, Chiropractic Doctor, Northwestern Health Science University.
Representative Gillman renewed the motion that HF 1270, as amended, be recommended to be placed on the general register.
Representative Liebling requested a roll call vote. The result is as follows:
AYES
BACKER, Jeff
BIERMAN, Robert
NADEAU, Danny
REYER, Liz
DIPPEL, Tom
ELKINS, Steve
FRANSON, Mary
GILLMAN, Dawn
HUOT, John
KNUDSEN, Krista
PERRYMAN, Bernie
REPINSKI, Aaron
SCHOMACKER, Joe
VAN BINSBERGEN, Scott
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie
NAYS
BAHNER, Kristin
CARROLL, Ned
KEELER, Heather
LEE, Xp
LIEBLING, Tina
MAHAMOUD, Anquam
PURSELL, Kristi
On a vote of 15 Ayes to 7 Nays. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
The committee went into recess at 2:46 PM
The Health Finance and Policy Committee reconvened at 7:00 PM. A quorum was present.
HF 2070 (Dippel) Provisions for the cost of health records changed.
Representative Dippel moved HF 2070 before the committee.
Representative Dippel moved that HF 2070 be recommended to be placed on the general register.
Representative Dippel moved the H2070A1 Amendment before the committee. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Dippel moved the following oral amendment:
Page 2, line 21, delete “not” and reinstate the stricken “a $10 retrieval fee, but must not”
Page 2, line 22, reinstate the stricken language and delete the new language
Page 2, line 23, delete the new language
Page 2, line 24, reinstate the stricken language. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifiers:
Cody Holliday, Fredrikson Government Relations Specialist, Alliance of Health Information Operations and Standards.
Joel Carlson, Minnesota Association for Justice.
Chuck Slane, Minnesota Association for Justice.
Sue Nathe, Executive Director for MN Health Information Management Association.
Liz McElhiney, Alliance for Health Information Operations and Standards.
Chair Backer laid over HF 2070, as amended, for possible consideration at a later date.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM.
Representative Backer, Chair
Liam Edgar, Committee Legislative Assistant