STATE OF MINNESOTA SEVENTEENTH 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 February 14, 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
TORKELSON, Paul, Republican Lead
AGBAJE, Esther
ALTENDORF, Pam
BAHNER, Kristin
BLISS, Matt
COULTER, Nathan
DAVIS, Ben
FREDERICK, Luke
PURSELL, Kristi
QUAM, Duane
VIRNIG, Bianca
A quorum was present.
Representative Bahner moved that the minutes from May 2, 2023 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 3447 (Pursell); A bill for an act relating to elections; allowing postsecondary institutions to request a temporary polling place on the institution's campus; amending Minnesota Statutes 2023
Supplement, section 203B.081, subdivision 4.
Representative Pursell moved that HF 3447 be referred to the General Register.
Representative Pursell moved the H3447DE2 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifying on HF 3447, as amended:
• Ben Reimler, Government Relations, Students United
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State
• Karina Villeda, Student, University of Minnesota
• Siya Shelar, Student, University of Minnesota
Representative Pursell renewed the motion that HF 3447, as amended, be referred to the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 3435 (Virnig); A bill for an act relating to state government; clarifying applicability of census activity; amending Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 2.92, subdivision 4.
Representative Virnig moved that HF 3435 be referred to the General Register.
Testifying on HF 3435:
• Susan Brower, State Demographer, MN Admin
Representative Virnig renewed the motion that HF 3435 be referred to the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 1064 (Hollins); A resolution memorializing Congress to overturn the United States Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC; requesting that Congress clarify that the rights protected under the Constitution are the rights of natural persons and not the rights of artificial entities and that spending money to influence elections is not speech under the First Amendment; asking that Congress propose a constitutional amendment to provide such clarification.
Representative Freiberg moved that HF 1064 be referred to the General Register.
Testifying on HF 1064:
• Jeff Clark, Resident, St Paul
• Andrew Ervin, Volunteer, MN Chapter of Move to Amend
• Kathy Peterson, Resident, Duluth
• Sharon Tornes, Member of Legislative Committee, Clean Elections Minnesota
• Vicki Barnes, Volunteer, American Promise
• Jay Johnson, Resident, Chanhassen
• Aaron Anderson, Volunteer, American Promise
Representative Torkelson moved the H1064A1 amendment.
Representative Torkelson requested a roll call on the H1064A1 amendment.
AYES:
Torkelson
Altendorf
Bliss
Davis
Quam
NAYS:
Freiberg
Greenman
Agbaje
Bahner
Coulter
Frederick
Pursell
Virnig
There being 5 Ayes and 8 Nayes, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.
Representative Freiberg renewed his motion that HF 1064 be referred to the General Register.
Representative Greenman requested a roll call on the motion to refer HF 1064 to the General Register.
AYES:
Freiberg
Greenman
Agbaje
Bahner
Coulter
Frederick
Pursell
Virnig
NAYS:
Torkelson
Altendorf
Bliss
Davis
Quam
There being 8 Ayes and 5 Nayes, THE MOTION PREVAILED.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:58 AM.
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Representative Mike Freiberg, Chair
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Mike Hermanson, Committee Legislative Assistan