STATE OF MINNESOTA TWELFTH 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 March 17, 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
STEPHENSON, Zack
Excused:
QUAM, Duane
A quorum was present.
HF 2765 (Coulter); A bill for an act relating to ethics in government; prohibiting certain contributions made to attend an event or gain access during the legislative session; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 10A.273, subdivision 1.
Testifying on 2765:
• Barb Weckman Brekke, Commissioner, Scott County
• Michael Stalberger, Minnesota Association of County Officers
• Terri Spangrud, City Clerk, New Brighton
• Steve Simon, Secretary of State, Minnesota
• Nicole Freeman, Government Relations, Minnesota Secretary of State
Representative Coulter moved that HF2765 be laid over for possible inclusion in an Elections omnibus bill.
Representative Coulter moved the H2765DE2 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Chair Freiberg moved the H2765A2 amendment.
Chair Freiberg withdrew the H2765A2 amendment.
Representative Coulter renewed the motion that HF2765, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in an Elections omnibus bill.
HF 2486 (Frazier); A bill for an act relating to elections; providing for ranked choice voting in elections for federal and state offices; establishing a Statewide Ranked Choice Voting Implementation Task Force; authorizing jurisdictions to adopt ranked choice voting for local offices; establishing procedures for adoption, implementation, and use of ranked choice voting for local jurisdictions; allowing local jurisdictions to use electronic voting systems with a reallocation feature; authorizing rulemaking; requiring a report; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 204B.35, subdivision 1; 204C.19, by adding a subdivision; 204C.21, by adding a subdivision; 204C.24, subdivision 1; 204D.11, subdivision 1; 205.13, subdivision 2; 206.57, subdivision 6; 206.58, subdivision 1; 206.83; 211A.02, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 206; proposing coding for new
law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 204E.
Chair Freiberg moved that HF2486 be re-referred to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy.
Chair Freiberg moved the H2486DE3 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifying on HF 2486, as amended:
Congresswoman Peltola
Kim Nelson, Business Owner
Lynn Eaton, City Councilmember, Bemidji
Jonathon Wharton, Volunteer, FairVote Minnesota
Storm Novak, Student, Mankato
Henry Jimenez, Resident
Steve Simon, Secretary of State, Minnesota
Brian Cook, Director of Elections Policy, Chamber of Commerce
Jonathan Aanestad, Chair, Minnesota Election Integrity Solutions
Linda Blair, Election Judge, Bloomington
Mark Bornhorst, Resident, Minneapolis
David Clark, Executive Chair, Residents for a Better Bloomington
Annette Meeks, CEO, Freedom Foundation
Karin Miller, Election Judge, Dakota County
Ellen Cousins, Resident
Dale Witherington, Chief Steward, Restore Minnesota
Chair Freiberg renewed the motion that HF2486 be re-referred to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy, as amended.
Representative Torkelson requested a roll call on the motion to re-refer HF2486 to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy, as amended.
AYES:
Chair Freiberg
Vice Chair Greenman
Bahner
Coulter
Frederick
Pursell
Stephenson
NAYS:
Minority Lead Torkelson
Altendorf
Bliss
Davis
EXCUSED:
Agbaje
Quam
There being 7 Ayes, 4 Nays, and 2 Excused, THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Chair Freiberg recessed the committee at 10:38am.
Chair Freiberg reconvened the committee at 10:45am.
HF2802 (Frederick); A bill for an act relating to elections; modifying the definition of major political party; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 200.02, subdivision 7.
Representative Frederick moved that HF2802 be laid over for possible inclusion in an Elections omnibus bill.
Representative Frederick moved the H2802A2 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED, THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifying on HF2802, as amended:
Oliver Steinberg, Founder, Grassroots Legalize Cannabis Party
Chris Holbrook, Independent
Chip Tangen, Libertarian
Cara Schultz, City Councilmember, Burnsville
Samantha Pree-Stinson, Board President, Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation
Rebecca Whiting, Resident, Bemidji
Steve Patterson, Resident, Minnesota
Sean Sullivan, Member, Libertarian Party
Trenton Hawthorne, Veteran, Navy
Chris Wright, Resident, Minnesota
Dennis Schuller, Member, Legal Marijuana Now Party
Phillip Fuehrer, State Chair, Independence-Alliance Party
Representative Bliss moved the H2802A1 amendment.
Representative Bliss requested a roll call on the H2802A1 amendment.
AYES:
Minority Lead Torkelson
Altendorf
Bliss
Davis
NAYS:
Chair Freiberg
Vice Chair Greenman
Bahner
Coulter
Frederick
Pursell
Stephenson
EXCUSED:
Agbaje
Quam
There being 4 Ayes, 7 Nays, and 2 Excused, THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL, THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ADOPTED.
Representative Frederick renewed the motion that HF2802 be laid over for possible inclusion in an Elections omnibus bill, as amended.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:42 AM.
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Representative Mike Freiberg, Chair
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Mike Hermanson, Committee Legislative Assistant