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Elections Finance and Government Operations

FOURTEENTH MEETING

2025-2026 Regular Session - Wednesday, April 2, 2025

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


Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee

MINUTES

Representative Quam, Chair of the Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee, began the meeting at 12:59 PM, on ¬¬¬¬¬April 2, 2025, in Room G23 of the State Capitol Building. A quorum was present.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

QUAM, Duane, Chair
ALTENDORF, Pam, Vice Chair
FREIBERG, Mike, Chair
LEE, Liz, Vice Chair
ACOMB, Patty
COULTER, Nathan
DAVIS, Ben
GORDON, Jimmy
GREENMAN, Emma
McDONALD, Joe
ROACH, Drew
VIRNIG, Bianca

Excused Member:


Co-Chair Freiberg moved the minutes of March 26, 2025, be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 2792 (NISKA) CERTAIN LEGAL FEES AND EXPENSES RELATING TO MINNESOTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE V. CHOI FUNDING PROVIDED, AND MONEY APPROPRIATED.

Co-Chair Quam moved HF 2792 before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Testifier:
Brian Cook: Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Co-Chair Quam laid HF 2792 over for possible inclusion in omnibus bill.


HF 1917 (ANDERSON) DEFINITION OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL IN A CITY OR COUNTY MODIFIED.

Co-Chair Quam moved HF 1917 (Anderson) before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Testifier:
Cap O’Rourke, Minnesota Association of Small Cities

Co-Chair Quam laid HF 1917 over for possible inclusion in omnibus bill.


HF 2083 (ZELEZNIKAR) REVENUE THRESHOLD REQUIRING CITIES TO PERFORM ANNUAL AUDITS RAISED.

Co-Chair Quam moved HF 2083 before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Co-Chair Quam moved DE1 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.


Testifier:
Julie Blaha, State Auditor

Co-Chair Quam laid HF 2083, as amended, over for possible inclusion in omnibus bill.

HF 1665 (SHOMACKER) PUBLIC WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS AUTHORIZED TO INSTALL WATER AND SEWER PIPELINES IN PUBLIC ROAD RIGHTS-OF-WAY.

Co-Chair Quam moved HF 1665 before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Testifier:
Dominic Jones, Manager, Red Rock Rural Water System

Co-Chair Quam laid HF 1665 over for possible inclusion in omnibus bill.

HF 2709 (JONES) CANVASSING ACCESS TO MULTIPLE UNIT BUILDINGS BY CANDIDATES AND CENSUS WORKERS STANDARDS MODIFIED.

Co-Chair Quam moved HF 2709 before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Co-Chair Quam laid HF 2709 over for possible inclusion in omnibus bill.


HF 2098 (FREIBERG) METROPOLITAN COUNCIL; PROCEDURES AND REVIEW PERIOD FOR CERTAIN METROPOLITAN PROGRAMS MODIFIED, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPENDITURES MODIFIED, AND REPORT ELIMINATED.

Co-Chair Freiberg moved HF 2098 before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Co-Chair Freiberg moved DE1 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Altendorf moved the A2 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Davis moved the A4 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Altendorf moved the A5 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Davis moved the A6 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Co-Chair Freiberg moved that HF 2098, as amended, be placed on the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.


HF 1378 (FREIBERG) ELECTIONS; FILING DATES AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS MODIFIED.

Co-Chair Freiberg moved HF 1378 before the committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Co-Chair Freiberg moved DE5 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Testifiers:
Michael Stalberger, Minnesota Association of County Officers
Nicole Freeman, Government Relations Director, Office of the Secretary of State

Co-Chair Quam moved the A6 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Co-Chair Quam moved the A8 amendment. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Greenman moved the A3 amendment. A roll call was requested. The results were:
AYES
Acomb, Patty
Coulter, Nathan
Freiberg, Mike
Greenman, Emma
Lee, Liz
Virnig, Bianca

NAYES
Quam, Duane
Altendorf, Patty
Davis, Ben
Gordon, Jimmy
McDonald, Joe
Roach, Drew

With 6 AYES and 6 NAYES, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.

Representative Coulter moved the A5 amendment. A roll call was requested. The results were:

AYES
Acomb, Patty
Coulter, Nathan
Freiberg, Mike
Greenman, Emma
Lee, Liz
Virnig, Bianca

NAYES
Quam, Duane
Altendorf, Patty
Davis, Ben
Gordon, Jimmy
McDonald, Joe
Roach, Drew

With 6 AYES and 6 NAYES, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL. THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.


Co-Chair Freiberg moved that HF 1378, as amended, be placed on the General Register. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:32 PM.



Representative Duane Quam, Co-Chair




Rebecca Reiners, Committee Legislative Assistant

More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF2792 (Niska) - Certain legal fees and expenses relating to Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Choi funding provided, and money appropriated.
  • HF1917 (Anderson) - Definition of public official in a city or county modified.
  • HF2083 (Zeleznikar) - Revenue threshold requiring cities to perform annual audits raised.
  • HF1665 (Schomacker) - Public water and sewer systems authorized to install water and sewer pipelines in public road rights-of-way.
  • HF2709 (Jones) - Canvassing access to multiple unit buildings by candidates and census workers standards modified.
  • HF1378 (Freiberg) - Elections policy bill.
  • HF2098 (Freiberg) - Public data classification modified, authorized reimbursement amounts modified, audit amount threshold modified, qualified newspaper publishing notice requirements modified, special district and commission organization provisions modified, and rental licensing provisions modified.
House TV Video:
View Archive

00:43 - HF2792 (Niska) Certain legal fees and expenses relating to Minnesota Chamber of Commerce vs Choi funding provided, and money appropriated.
12:32 - HF2083 (Zeleznikar) Revenue threshold requiring cities to perform annual audits raised.
20:36 - HF1665 (Schomacker) Public water and sewer systems authorized to install water and sewer pipelines in public road rights-of-way.
25:47 - HF1917 (Anderson, P.H.) Definition of public official in a city or county modified.
35:08 - HF2709 (Jones) Canvassing access to multiple unit buildings by candidates and census workers standards modified.
38:11 - HF2098 (Freiberg) Metropolitan Council; procedures and review period for certain metropolitan programs modified, reporting requirements for expenditures modified, and report eliminated.
49:14 - HF1378 (Freiberg) Elections; filing dates and reporting requirements modified.
Runs 1 hour, 33 minutes.


I. Call to Order
II. Approval of Minutes
III. HF 2792 (Niska) Certain legal fees and expenses relating to Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Choi funding provided, and money appropriated.
IV. HF 1917 (Anderson) Definition of public official in a city or county modified.
V. HF 2083 (Zeleznikar) Revenue threshold requiring cities to perform annual audits raised.
VI. HF 1665 (Schomacker) Public water and sewer systems authorized to install water and sewer pipelines in public road rights-of-way.
VII. HF 2709 (Jones) Canvassing access to multiple unit buildings by candidates and census workers standards modified.
VIII. HF 1378 (Freiberg) Elections; filing dates and reporting requirements modified.
IX. HF 2098 (Freiberg) Metropolitan Council; procedures and review period for certain metropolitan programs modified, reporting requirements for expenditures modified, and report eliminated.


-HF 2098 (Freiberg) will serve as the vehicle for the Local Government Policy Omnibus
-HF 1378 (Freiberg) will serve as the vehicle for the Elections Policy Omnibus
-HF 1378 will be heard pending rereferral.
-HF 1667 has been removed from the agenda.