Legislative leaders agree to conference committee guidelines

In a year where COVID-19 precautions have limited the ability for legislators to do work in person, upcoming conference committees will also depart from the norm.

Such is stated in a Monday letter from House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-East Gull Lake). No date to begin the meetings has been announced.

"In the spirit of Joint Rule 2.06, a bill's first conference committee hearing will be chaired by the bill's house of origin using the chair's preferred meeting format (remote vs. hybrid). The chair shall rotate each calendar day, again using the meeting format preferred by that chair," the letter states. " … If a chair does not convene a hearing on the day they hold the gavel, the gavel switches to the other chair at the end of the day."

Meetings will be capped at three hours. To ensure webcasting, chairs are to work with their respective chief of staff to secure a meeting time.

Conferees do not have to meet every day; however, conference committees are expected to meet in accordance with the following schedule:

House chairs will hold the gavel Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Senate chairs will hold the gavel Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for the following bills:

• HF991 - taxes;
• HF1065 - education;
• HF1077 - housing;
• HF1079 - legacy;
• HF1684 - transportation;
• HF1952 - state government; and
• HF2128 - health and human services.

For the following bills, Senate chairs will hold the gavel Monday, Wednesday and Friday; House chairs will hold the gavel Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday:

• SF958 - agriculture;
• SF959 - environment;
• SF970 - judiciary;
• SF972 - commerce/energy;
• SF975 - higher education; and
• SF1098 - jobs.