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Minnesota House of Representatives

Elections Finance and Policy

FOURTH MEETING

2023-2024 Regular Session - Wednesday, January 25, 2023

STATE OF MINNESOTA FOURTH 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 8:32am on January 25, 2023, 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
STEPHENSON, Zack

A quorum was present.

Representative Greenman moved that the minutes from January 18, 2023, be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 496 (Klevorn); A bill for an act relating to ethics in government; limiting certain types of contributions that grant registered lobbyists or other individuals special access to a meeting room, hospitality area, or other event space where public officials are likely to gather and the primary purpose of granting that special access is to facilitate informal meetings or socialization with public officials; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 10A.273, subdivision 1.

Representative Freiberg moved that HF 496 be placed on the General Register.

Representative Freiberg moved the HF0496DE1 amendment.

Representative Freiberg offered an oral amendment to the HF0496DE1 amendment as follows: Page 1, line 18, delete “house” and insert “body”
Page 1, line 23, delete “house” and insert “body”
THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.

Representative Freiberg renewed his motion to adopt the HF0496DE1 amendment, as amended. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Klevorn presented HF 496, as amended.

Testifying on HF 496:
• Ken Peterson, Board Member, Clean Elections Minnesota
• Jeff Sigurdson, Executive Director, Minnesota Campaign Finance Board

Representative Freiberg renewed his motion that HF 496, as amended, be placed on the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 477 (Wolgamott); A bill for an act relating to elections; allowing voters to join a permanent absentee voter list; requiring absentee ballots to automatically be sent before election to voters on permanent absentee voter list; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 201.071, subdivision 1; 203B.04, subdivision 5; 203B.06, subdivisions 1, 3; 203B.121, subdivision 2.

Representative Freiberg moved that HF 477 be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Representative Freiberg moved the HF0477A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Wolgamott presented HF 477, as amended.

Testifying on HF 477:
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State
• Stephane Stoessel, Election Judge, St Paul
• Lilly Sasse, Executive Director, We Choose Us
• Elena Niehoff, Resident, Rochester

Representative Greenman moved the amendment HF0477A2. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Freiberg renewed his motion that HF 477, as amended, be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Representative Torkelson requested a roll call on the motion to re-refer HF0477, as amended, to the Committee on Ways and Means.

AYES:
Freiberg
Greenman
Agbaje
Bahner
Coulter
Frederick
Pursell
Stephenson

NAYS:
Torkelson
Altendorf
Bliss
Davis
Quam

There being 8 ayes and 5 nays, THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 95 (Frederick); Elections; prohibitions clarified on soliciting at or near a polling place.

Representative Frederick moved that HF 95 be placed on the General Register

Representative Frederick presented HF 95

Testifying on HF 95:
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State
• Elena Niehoff, Resident, Rochester

Representative Frederick renewed his motion that HF 95 be placed on the General Register.

Representative Greenam requested a roll call on the motion to place HF 95 be placed on the General Register.

AYES:
Freiberg
Greenman
Torkelson
Agbaje
Altendorf
Bahner
Bliss
Coulter
Davis
Frederick
Pursell
Quam
Stephenson

NAYS:
None

There being 13 ayes and 0 nays, THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 AM.


_____________________________________
Representative Mike Freiberg, Chair


______________________________________
Mike Hermanson, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF95 (Frederick) - State Canvassing Board required to declare candidates duly elected who received highest number of votes for each federal and state office.
  • HF477 (Wolgamott) - Voters allowed to join permanent absentee voter list, and absentee ballots required to automatically be sent before election to voters on permanent absentee voter list.
  • HF496 (Klevorn) - Contributions made to attend an event or gain access during legislative session prohibited.
Documents:
Audio:
Listen Now
House TV Video:
View Archive

00:30 - HF496 (Klevorn) Types of contributions that grant registered lobbyists or other individuals special access to a meeting room, hospitality area, or other event space where public officials are likely to gather and the primary purpose of granting that special access is to facilitate informal meetings or socialization with public officials limited.
13:31 - HF477 (Wolgamott) Voters allowed to join permanent absentee voter list, and absentee ballots required to automatically be sent before election to voters on permanent absentee voter list.
1:03:42 - HF95 (Frederick) State Canvassing Board required to declare candidates duly elected who received highest number of votes for each federal and state office.
Runs 1 hour, 18 minutes.

HF477 (Wolgamott); Voters allowed to join permanent absentee voter list, and absentee ballots required to automatically be sent before election to voters on permanent absentee voter list.

HF496 (Klevorn); Types of contributions that grant registered lobbyists or other individuals special access to a meeting room, hospitality area, or other event space where public officials are likely to gather and the primary purpose of granting that special access is to facilitate informal meetings or socialization with public officials limited.

HF95 (Frederick); State Canvassing Board required to declare candidates duly elected who received highest number of votes for each federal and state office.

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

If you would like to testify or provide handouts to the committee please email simon.brown@house.mn.gov no later than 5pm the night before, and preferably 24 hours prior to the hearing.

To learn more about requesting an accommodation, please visit the FAQs for Disability Access. If you have further questions on accommodations or accessibility, please contact the Committee Administrator.

The hearing will be broadcast through House Information Services, for more information visit: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/hinfo.asp