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Minnesota House of Representatives

Week in Review: April 6-10

By Lisa Kaczke
House Speaker Lisa Demuth visits with the week’s high school pages at the rostrum in the House Chamber April 9. (Photo by Andrew VonBank)
House Speaker Lisa Demuth visits with the week’s high school pages at the rostrum in the House Chamber April 9. (Photo by Andrew VonBank)

With the Easter/Passover break and the first two bill deadlines in the rearview mirror, the House returned Tuesday for its final six weeks — or less — of session. The Legislature must complete its work by May 18.

Some committees opted to meet fewer times this week, but agendas were full.

Work started on a potential rescue plan for the Hennepin County Medical Center when the House Taxes Committee heard HF4841 amid a capacity crowd. In part, the bill would channel some proceeds from a Hennepin County sales tax earmarked for public infrastructure at Target Field to grants for the medical center and two North Memorial Health hospitals.

Outside the committees, House DFL and Republicans filed ethics complaints against each other’s members and House Republicans announced a budget proposal, several initiatives of which failed to garner DFL support on the floor Thursday. House Republicans also unsuccessfully attempted procedural motions Tuesday to bring several bills to the floor addressing transgender athlete policies in Minnesota.
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Recent Dailies

‘Melissa Hortman State Office Building’ gets overwhelming committee approval
By Mike Cook
The late Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman during the Animal Humane Society’s Puppy Day at the Capitol in 2025. (House Photography file photo) When House members and staff return to the renovated and expanded State Office Building, one well-loved legislator will not be there but her name could be. Amid some watery ...
Will livestreamed government proceedings be coming to your Facebook feed?
By Tim Walker
Rep. Jimmy Gordon presents HF3295 before the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee March 12. The bill would allow public body to live broadcast a meeting using social media. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) More citizen engagement in government affairs is a good thing, right? Rep. Jimmy Gordon (R-Isanti) thinks so. He sponsors HF3295 that would authorize a public body to live b...
Tax panel considers expanding refunds for big property tax hikes
By Rob Hubbard
Paul Eger, senior vice president of governmental affairs for the Minnesota Association of Realtors, testifies in support of a bill sponsored by Rep. John Huot, right, that would expand certain targeted property tax refunds. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) Sure, your property taxes may have gone up last year. But did they go up enough to earn you a special refund? Minnesota tax law has something called “targeting,” which direc...
Public safety committee rejects bill to increase penalties for misconduct by public officials
By Tim Walker
Devin Bruce, director of legislative and political affairs at the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, testifies March 11 against HF3822, sponsored by Rep. Walter Hudson. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Under current law, a public officer or employee who commits certain misconduct is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. Because Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville) sees those penalt...
Pair of bills take aim at banning neonicotinoid insecticides, paraquat herbicide
By Tim Walker
Rep. Brad Tabke No one denies that agricultural pesticides and herbicides can be effective in keeping crop yields up, but two House members posit the cost of that benefit is too high a price to...
Youth bill of rights would outline standards for foster care
By Winter Keefer
Ombudsperson for Foster Youth Misty Coonce testifies March 11 before the House children and families committee in support of a bill sponsored by Rep. Jessica Hanson, right, to establish a Foster Youth Bill of Rights. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) Vivian Dudley said a foster bill of rights would have changed her childhood for the better. Before she aged out of the foster system, Dudley said she was denied access to ac...
Education committee lays over governor’s policy bill
By Lisa Kaczke
Rep. Sydney Jordan Addressing the underlying reason for a student bullying another student, providing clarity to schools on lockdown and active shooter drills, and adding transparency for charter ...
Transportation panel approves plan for a Metro Transit takeover of suburban routes
By Rob Hubbard
Carol Saefka describes to the House transportation committee her reliance on SouthWest Transit. She spoke against HF4111, sponsored by Rep. Jon Koznick to consolidate most transit service in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) On Feb. 18, the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee learned about the Twin Cities area’s most expensive transit routes. The members heard about 28 bus lines that h...
School referendum ballot change would remove notice of taxation
By Mike Cook
Rep. Bianca Virnig When a voter casts a ballot for a levy or bond referendum, they also get a bit of education about how it could affect their pocketbook. By statute, if a county, city, town, ...
Bill targeting ‘stay or pay’ provisions meets committee roadblock
By Margaret Stevens
Hanna Ford testifies March 11 before the House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee in support of a bill sponsored by Rep. Emma Greenman, right, to prohibit some stay-or-pay provisions. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Hanna Ford paid $2,000 out of her own pocket to become a state-certified lash technician, qualifications she used to get work at a studio. Feeling like she wasn’t making ver...
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Priority Dailies

Stable budget outlook projects $3.7 billion surplus now, no deficit in next biennium
By Lisa Kaczke
The projected surplus for Fiscal Years 2026-27 is now higher than it was in the November estimate, and no deficit is projected for the next biennium. “Minnesota’s budge...
Legislative leaders set 2026 committee deadlines
By Lisa Kaczke
Legislative leaders on Tuesday officially set the timeline for getting bills through the committee process during the upcoming 2026 session. Here are the three deadlines for...

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