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Week in Review: Feb. 17-21

By Lisa Kaczke
University of Minnesota officials present an overview of the university’s request for a $265 million funding increase during a Feb. 20 meeting of the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee. (Photo by Michele Jokinen)
University of Minnesota officials present an overview of the university’s request for a $265 million funding increase during a Feb. 20 meeting of the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee. (Photo by Michele Jokinen)

Lawmakers debated, rejected and tabled their first bill on the House Floor this week. HF20 would make data collected by the attorney general’s office classified as private only if it were truly data “on individuals.” After it failed to receive the 68 votes needed to pass, a motion to reconsider the bill prevailed and the bill was then tabled on a split-voice vote.

Crowds showed up to testify in several committee hearings this week. It was standing room only in the House Education Policy Committee Wednesday when a bill to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports in Minnesota was sent to the House Floor on a party-line vote.

Have a restful weekend before another busy week next week.

Here’s a look back at what happened over the last few days.
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Recent Dailies

Long bus rides, short on funds: House bills seek school transportation fix
By Lisa Kaczke
Minnesota school districts covering large geographic areas face a funding gap between their costs and state dollars received. HF52 and HF53, heard Feb. 18 in the House Education Finance Committee, aim to fix that. (House Photography file photo) The 825-square-mile Bemidji Area School District has about the same number of students as the Richfield School District. If overlaid on a map of the Twin Cities, it would stretc...
Legislators raise concerns over governor’s proposed sales tax changes
By Rob Hubbard
“Goods and services” is a common term when discussing what sales taxes Minnesotans should pay. But Gov. Tim Walz’s administration believes that we should focus less upon goods a...
Legislation proposes $1.5 million grant to boost work of Hmong American Partnership
By Margaret Stevens
May yer Thao, president and CEO of Hmong American Partnership, testifies Feb. 18 before the House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee in support of HF110, sponsored by Rep. Samakab Hussein, left. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Mo Chang’s dream started with her parents, who sold fruits and vegetables at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market. She opened Mo’s Tropical Market, with a range of ingredients and pr...
Bill to create new state watchdog post advances in House
By Mike Cook
(House Photography file photo) Creating a new office could save state dollars. Targeting fraud has been a target for House Republicans, a point emphasized by the first bill introduced in the 2025 session....
More than $1 million boost proposed for farm business management programs
By Tim Walker
Hannah Barnhardt, who raises grass-fed beef and lamb and pastured pork, testifies with Keith Olander, executive director of the Northern Agricultural Center of Excellence, before the House agriculture committee Feb. 17. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) In the not-so-distant past, farm kids were likely to follow in the footsteps of their parents by taking over the farm when mom and dad retired. When that time came, the offs...
House lawmakers eye higher fees for electric vehicle owners
By Rob Hubbard
Nick Haeg, senior associate of electric vehicles for Fresh Energy, testifies before the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee against HF189 that would modify surcharges and highway funding related to electric vehicles. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) The move toward electric vehicles has been afoot on Minnesota roads for at least the last decade. But Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar (R-Fredenberg Township) believes that how the state...
State-funded organizations could be barred from making political contributions
By Brian Basham
Rep. Elliott Engen listens Feb. 17 as an amendment is offered to HF72, a bill that would prohibit any entity or organization that receives state funding from making campaign expenditures or spending money for political purposes. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) Rep. Elliott Engen (R-White Bear Township) believes there is a conflict of interest when a nonprofit or other organization receives state funding, then is allowed to donate that...
Week in Review: Feb. 10-14
By Lisa Kaczke
Gov. Tim Walz hands out bars to Rep. Paul Torkelson before the Feb. 10 floor session. This week marked the first full week of the 2025 session with both DFL and Republican members in attendance. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) It was a busy first week for House committees, with several going into the evening. Committees heard presentations about budget proposals and topic overviews as lawmakers pr...
House Republicans push for streamlined environmental permitting process
By Tim Walker
Rep. Josh Heintzeman (R-Nisswa) believes businesses needing environmental reviews and permits to operate in Minnesota are hampered by unnecessarily lengthy and burdensome permit...
Energy committee signs off on regulatory shortcuts for data centers
By Rob Hubbard
Sydnie Lieb, an assistant commissioner with the Commerce Department, testifies before the House energy committee Feb. 13 on a bill to provide data center energy generation redundancy. Rep. Shane Mekeland, right, sponsors the bill. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) If you own a smart phone, then you have a little computer in your pocket, quite an advance from the 1940s, when a computer could take up an entire floor of a building. But if yo...
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Priority Dailies

Full House convenes for first time in 2025, elects Demuth speaker
By Tim Walker
DFL, Republicans convene with a quorum for the first time in 2025 session after agreeing to a power-sharing deal.
Walz proposes slimmed-down 2026-27 state budget, sales tax changes
By Tim Walker
This is an odd-numbered year, and so the Legislature is constitutionally required to craft a budget to fund the state government for the next two fiscal years. Gov. Tim Walz...

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