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Minnesota House of Representatives

Children and Families Finance and Policy

TWELFTH MEETING

2025-2026 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 19, 2025

STATE OF MINNESOTA TWELFTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION


CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FINANCE POLICY MEETING MINUTES

Representative Kotyza-Witthuhn, Chair of the Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Room 123 of the Capitol Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

KOTYZA-WITTHUHN, Carlie, Co-Chair
WEST, Nolan, Co-Chair
HANSON, Jessica, Co-Vice Chair
NELSON, Nathan, Co-Vice Chair
ALTENDORF, Pam
COULTER, Nathan
HEMMINGSEN-JAEGER, Amanda
HICKS, Kim
MCDONALD, Joe
NADEAU, Danny
OLSON, Bjorn
PÉREZ-VEGA, María Isa
SENCER-MURA, Samantha
ZELEZNIKAR, Natalie

A quorum was present.

Representative Coulter moved the minutes of March 18, 2025. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 2362 (Feist) - Youth intervention programs funding provided, and money appropriated.

Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn moved that HF 2362 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Children and Families Finance and Policy committee omnibus bill.

Representative Feist presented HF 2362.

Testifiers:
? Paul Meunier (he/him/his), Executive Director, Youth Intervention Programs Association
? Bernadette Foh (she/her/hers), MBA, JD, CPPM - Executive Director, Mediation and Restorative Services
? Miranda Sheffield, Senior Campaign Management, National Center for Youth Law

Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn renewed the motion that HF 2362 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Children and Families Finance and Policy committee omnibus bill. THE BILL IS LAID OVER.

HF 2136 (Johnson) - Grant funding provided for forensic interview training
scholarships, and money appropriated.

Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn moved that HF 2136 be re-referred to the committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy.

Representative Johnson presented HF 2136.

Testifiers:
? Wade Rasch, Division Commander, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office
? Kari Hohn, Program Manager, Child Protection, Olmsted County
? Marcia Milliken, Executive Director, Minnesota Children’s Alliance

Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn renewed the motion that HF 2136 be re-referred to the committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 1316 (Curran) - Independent contractors and payors added to the centralized work reporting system, and payors required to report independent contractors to the centralized work reporting system.

Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn moved that HF 1316 be re-referred to the committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.

Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn moved the A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Curran presented HF 1316 as amended.

Testifiers:

? Trish Skophammer, Ramsey County Child Support Services Director
? Melissa Froehle, Human Services Program Consultant, Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF)

Chair Kotyza-Witthuhn renewed the motion that HF 1316 as amended be re-referred to the committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF1614 (Kraft) - Child in need of protection or services definition modified to clarify when a child is considered to be without the special care made necessary by a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn moved that HF1614 be re-referred to the committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law.

Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn moved the DE1 Amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Rep. Kraft presented HF1614 as amended.

Testifiers:

? Sue Abderholden, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Minnesota
? Michelle Wood, Parent
? Lisa Antony-Thomas, Deputy Ombudsman, Minnesota Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
? Argie Manolis, Parent
? Angie Thies, Child Wellbeing Policy Analyst, Association of Minnesota Counties

Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn renewed the motion that HF1614 as amended be re-referred to the committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 2009 (Hanson) - Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson funding provided, and money appropriated.

Rep. Hanson moved that HF 2009 as amended be laid over for possible inclusion in the Children and Families Finance and Policy committee omnibus bill.

Rep. Hanson presented HF 2009.

Testifiers:
? Misty Coonce (she/her/hers), MSW, LISW, Ombudsperson for Foster Youth, Office of the Ombudsperson for Foster Youth
? Vivian Dudley (she/her), Foster & College Ambassador
? Travis Matthews (he/him), Foster

Rep. Hanson renewed the motion that HF 2009 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Children and Families Finance and Policy committee omnibus bill.THE BILL IS LAID OVER.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:53PM.


_________________________________________
Representative Kotyza-Witthuhn, Chair


________________________________________
Caleb Rohrer, Committee Legislative Assistant


More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF1614 (Kraft) - Child welfare; neglect definition modified to clarify when a child is considered to be without the special care made necessary by a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
  • HF1316 (Curran) - Independent contractors and payors added to the centralized work reporting system, and payors required to report independent contractors to the centralized work reporting system.
  • HF2009 (Hanson) - Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson funding provided, and money appropriated.
  • HF2136 (Johnson) - Grant funding provided for forensic interview training scholarships, and money appropriated.
  • HF1918 (Hanson) - Department of Children, Youth, and Families policy language; TEACH early childhood program, great start compensation support payment program, child welfare policies, and out-of-home placement plans updated; and provisions to prevent foster care placements modified.
  • HF2362 (Feist) - Youth intervention programs funding provided, and money appropriated.
Documents:
Audio:
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House TV Video:
View Archive

00:38 - HF2362 (Feist) Youth intervention programs funding provided, and money appropriated.
27:43 - HF2136 (Johnson) Grant funding provided for forensic interview training scholarships, and money appropriated.
45:30 - HF1316 (Curran) Independent contractors and payors added to the centralized work reporting system, and payors required to report independent contractors to the centralized work reporting system.
1:02:58 - HF1614 (Kraft) Child in need of protection or services definition modified to clarify when a child is considered to be without the special care made necessary by a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
1:36:23 - HF2009 (Hanson) Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson funding provided, and money appropriated.
Runs 1 hour, 53 minutes.

HF2362 (Feist) Youth intervention programs funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF2136 (Johnson) Grant funding provided for forensic interview training scholarships, and money appropriated.
HF1316 (Curran) Independent contractors and payors added to the centralized work reporting system, and payors required to report independent contractors to the centralized work reporting system.
HF2009 (Hanson) Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1918 (Hanson) Department of Children, Youth, and Families policy language; TEACH early childhood program, great start compensation support payment program, child welfare policies, and out-of-home placement plans updated; and provisions to prevent foster care placements modified.
HF1614 (Kraft) Child in need of protection or services definition modified to clarify when a child is considered to be without the special care made necessary by a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

TESTIMONY AND MATERIALS SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Individuals wishing to testify or submit written testimony for the hearing must email the committee administrator, Colie Colburn, colie.colburn@house.mn.gov by 8:00 AM on the day of the hearing. Handouts must be in PDF format with OCR capability. In-person testimony may be limited due to committee time constraints.


AMENDMENTS: Amendments must be emailed to the committee administrators by 3:00 PM the day before the committee hearing
Colie Colburn, DFL Committee Administrator, colie.colburn@house.mn.gov; and Lauren Hayward, GOP Committee Administrator, Lauren.Hayward@house.mn.gov