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Minnesota House of Representatives

Elections Finance and Policy

TWENTY FIRST MEETING

2023-2024 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 20, 2024

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY FIRST MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-THIRD SESSION

ELECTIONS FINANCE AND POLICY MEETING MINUTES

Representative Mike Freiberg, Chair of the Committee on Elections Finance and Policy, called the meeting to order at 8:30am on March 20, 2024, in Room 200 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members Present:
FREIBERG, Mike, Chair
GREENMAN, Emma, Vice Chair
AGBAJE, Esther
ALTENDORF, Pam
BAHNER, Kristin
BLISS, Matt
COULTER, Nathan
DAVIS, Ben
FREDERICK, Luke
PURSELL, Kristi
QUAM, Duane
VIRNIG, Bianca

Members Excused:
TORKELSON, Paul, Minority Lead

A quorum was present.

Representative Virnig moved that the minutes from March 13, 2023 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 4068 (Kraft); A bill for an act relating to elections; amending voter registration application and reporting requirements for school districts; amending Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 201.1611, subdivision 1.

Representative Freiberg moved that HF 4068 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Freiberg moved the H4068DE1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying on HF4068, as amended:
• Tess Machalek, Student, St Louis Park High School
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State

Representative Freiberg renewed the motion that HF4068, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion.

HF 4679 (Coulter); A bill for an act relating to lobbyist registration; exempting certain activities from the definition of "lobbyist"; requiring the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to conduct a study; amending Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 10A.01, subdivision 21.

Representative Coulter moved that HF 4679 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Coulter moved the H4679A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying on HF 4679, as amended:
• Kyle Makarios, Member, Teamsters
• Kate Klossner, Legislative Chair, Minnesota Government Relations Council

Representative Coulter renewed the motion that HF4679, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Greenman assumed the gavel at 8:52AM

HF 4243 (Freiberg); A bill for an act relating to elections; modifying certain local elections provisions; modifying certain absentee voting provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204C.19, subdivision 3; Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, sections 203B.04, subdivision 1; 203B.07, subdivision 3; 203B.081, subdivision 7; 204C.28, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 383B.031.

Representative Freiberg moved that HF 4243 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Freiberg moved the H4243DE1 amendment.

Representative Freiberg moved the H4243A1 to the H4243DE1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Freiberg renewed the motion to adopt the H4243DE1 amendment, as amended. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifying on HF 4243, as amended:
• Kristin Sepeta, Operations Manager, Hennepin County Elections
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State

Representative Freiberg renewed the motion that HF 4243, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion.

HF 4772 (Freiberg); A bill for an act relating to elections; modifying the authority of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board to impose a civil penalty and late fees; expanding the definition of electioneering communication to include communications disseminated digitally online or by electronic means to a recipient's telephone or other personal device; modifying the definition of major political party; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 10A.27, subdivision 17; Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, sections 10A.20, subdivision 12; 10A.201, subdivisions 3, 4, 6, 9; 200.02, subdivision 7; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 10A.201, subdivision 11.

Representative Freiberg moved that HF 4772 be laid over for possible inclusion.

Representative Freiberg moved the H4772A2 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Greenman moved the H4772A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Freiberg renewed the motion that HF 4772, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion.

The meeting was recessed at 9:18AM.

The meeting was re-convened at 6:00PM.

Representative Freiberg re-assumed the gavel at 6:00PM.

Representative Freiberg moved that HF 4772 be placed on the General Register.

Representative Freiberg moved the H4772DE3 amendment.

Testifying on the H4772DE3 amendment:
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State
• Matt Hilgart, Government Relations Managers, Association of Minnesota Counties
• Rod Adams, Executive Director, New Justice Project

Representative Freiberg moved the H4772A3 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Greenman moved the H4772A5 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Freiberg moved the H4772A18 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Greenman moved the H4772A23 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Quam moved the H4772A6 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Quam moved the H4772A7 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Altendorf moved the H4772A8 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Altendorf moved the H4772A9 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Altendorf moved the H4772A10 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Quam moved the H4772A11 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Quam moved the H4772A13 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Davis moved the H4772A14 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Bliss moved the H4772A15 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Davis moved the H4772A21 amendment to the H4772DE3 amendment. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Freiberg renewed the motion to adopt the H4772DE3 amendment, as amended. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Freiberg renewed the motion to place HF4772, as amended, on the General Register.

Representative Quam requested a roll call on the motion to place HF4772, as amended, on the General Register.

AYES:
Freiberg
Greenman
Agbaje
Bahner
Coulter
Frederick
Pursell
Virnig

AYES:
Altendorf
Bliss
Davis
Quam

EXCUSED:
Torkelson

There being 8 Ayes, 4 Nayes, and 1 Excused, THE MOTION PREVAILED.


The meeting was adjourned at 7:23 PM.


_____________________________________
Representative Mike Freiberg, Chair


______________________________________
Mike Hermanson, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF4068 (Kraft) - Voter registration application and reporting requirements amended for school districts.
  • HF4243 (Freiberg) - Local election provisions modified, and absentee voting provisions modified.
  • HF4679 (Coulter) - Certain activities exempted from definition of lobbyist, and Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board required to conduct study.
  • HF4772 (Freiberg) - Elections; campaign finance provisions policy and technical changes provided, including elections administrations, campaign finance and lobbying, and census and redistricting; Minnesota Voting Rights Act established; deep fake use to influence elections crime modified; and reports required.
Documents:
Audio:
Listen Now
House TV Video:
View Archive

00:37 - HF4068 (Kraft) Voter registration application and reporting requirements amended for school districts.
08:59 - HF4679 (Coulter) Certain activities exempted from definition of lobbyist, and Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board required to conduct study.
23:05 - HF4243 (Freiberg) Local election provisions modified, and absentee voting provisions modified.
39:41 - HF4772 (Freiberg) Elections policy bill.
The committee recessed.
Runs 48 minutes.

House TV Video:
View Archive

00:05 - HF4772 (Freiberg) Elections policy bill.
Runs 1 hour, 23 minutes.

HF4068 (Kraft); Voter registration application and reporting requirements amended for school districts.

HF4679 (Coulter); Certain activities exempted from definition of lobbyist, and Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board required to conduct study.

HF4243 (Freiberg); Local election provisions modified, and absentee voting provisions modified.

HF4772 (Freiberg); Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board authority to impose civil penalty and late fees modified, electioneering communication definition expanded to include communications disseminated digitally online or by electronic means to a recipient's telephone or other personal device, and major political party definition modified.

This bill will be the vehicle for the elections policy bill. The bill will be laid over during our morning hearing. When the committee reconvenes at 6:00pm, a DE will be adopted with the policy bill.

The committee will recess at this point and will reconvene at 6:00pm in Room 5.

HF4772 (Freiberg); Elections policy bill
DE to be posted

Bills may be taken up in any order, added, or removed at the Chair’s discretion

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