House MN
About the House Public Information Services Office
Mission Statement
The mission of Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services department is to provide credible and timely nonpartisan services that inform the general public of legislative actions, educate the public about the legislative process, and encourage public participation in the Minnesota Legislature.
About the department
We meet our mission by providing services in four main areas: Information and Outreach, Photography, Publications and Television.
Information and Outreach
House Public Information Services serves
as the general information contact point for the House of Representatives.
Answers to hundreds of questions are provided weekly to the public, such as who
their representatives are, what district they live in, when and where
legislative meetings are held, the status of bills and where to find how members
voted on specific legislation.
Services include:
- Workshops and presentations to organizations regarding the House
- Schedules of committee hearings and floor sessions
- A House of Representatives booth at the Minnesota State Fair
- Educational materials about the Legislature and the legislative process
Photography
House Public Information Services
photographers document House activities, including floor sessions, committee
hearings, press conferences and special events. They accept assignments from
House political caucuses, staff and other departments. Services provided by the
photographers include:
- House member "official" and candid photographs
- Photographs of members with constituents who come to the State Capitol
- Photographs for a variety of printed and online publications
Publications
Publication staff produces a variety of
publications for all ages that cover issues before the Legislature; provide
education about the legislative process; and offer information for those who
want to participate in the process. Some of the publications produced include:
- Legislative directories and rosters of elected officials
- Session Daily-electronic alerts when news from the House warrants
- Alerts through Facebook and Twitter when news from the House warrants
- Nonpartisan news releases regarding new laws and other general House information
Television
Television staff provides video coverage of select House activities. Streaming online is an important way for residents to access live video of significant happenings at the House. Services provided include:
- Live and taped unedited coverage of floor sessions and select committee hearings
- Coverage of issue-oriented press conferences and special events
- Video interviews with House members
- Broadcast, cable, mobile and Internet delivery of all programming
- Educational programming available on-demand
- Access to video archives
House Public Information Services seeks to serve as an informational resource for the public, legislators and staff.
Nonpartisan Code of Ethics
House Public Information Services staff are
public servants and have obligations and responsibilities to the general public,
legislators and fellow staff members. Responsibilities are expected to be
performed with the highest level of integrity and honesty.
House Public Information Services staff should be mindful that the public views
them as representatives of the Legislature as an institution. In keeping with
their responsibility to build and uphold the public's trust, staff should
provide accurate, useful and timely information.
House Public Information Services staff should always be vigilant to avoid any
conflicts of interest that may interfere with the work of the institution or be
contrary to the nonpartisan mission of the department. (The following are
examples of conduct that could impair a staff member's nonpartisan status:
serving as a campaign official for a candidate for partisan political office,
writing a letter to the editor in support of or in opposition to a candidate for
partisan political office, acting as a spokesperson for a special interest group
or performing freelance work in partisan political activities.)
Because of the position of responsibility, House Public Information Services
staff are expected to uphold the law and all applicable regulations. Resources
should always be used for the public good, not private gain.
This code is intended to supplement existing policies under which House staff
members are employed. These guidelines do not constitute any legal obligation.
These guidelines are subject to periodic review by the House Public Information
Services director.
Adapted from National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and NCSL
Legislative Information and Communications Staff guidelines
Session Daily
House panel hears assaults on prison staff up sharply (1/23/2019 5:56:23 PM) Labor committee advances bill to help land veterans construction apprenticeships (1/23/2019 5:10:27 PM) District court judges set to ask for 5 percent salary increase (1/23/2019 4:19:00 PM) U of M seeks funds to develop test for chronic wasting disease (1/23/2019 4:12:00 PM) Scarce affordable housing causing a crisis for urban, rural Minnesota families (1/23/2019 2:27:00 PM) Tax committee considers the fiscal upshots of non-conformity (1/23/2019 1:26:00 PM) More kids than ever need mental health services, members hear during joint meeting (1/22/2019 6:41:35 PM) Greenhouse gas emissions down -- but still falling short of goals (1/22/2019 6:24:38 PM) Federal shutdown environmental impact muted at state level, but lasting effects likely (1/22/2019 6:15:10 PM) Hands-free cellphone bill clears its first House hurdle (1/22/2019 5:57:00 PM) Anoka County landfill clean-up requires additional funding (1/22/2019 5:06:00 PM)
Photography
This week's slideshow,
photo gallery and
Capitol area images
Live Video
Event Schedule
House Capital Investment Division
Thursday, January 24 2019 8:00 AM
Watch: Live Event
A tutorial on how local units of government and political subdivisions navigate the complexities of submitting a capital investment budget request to the state.
- Minnesota Management and Budget.
Continuation of reports from January 15, 17 and 22 meetings, if needed.
House Taxes Committee
Thursday, January 24 2019 8:00 AM
Watch: Live Event
Continued public testimony on tax conformity.
Department of Revenue presentation on 2019 tax filing season.
House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division
Thursday, January 24 2019 9:45 AM
Watch: Live Event
HF232 (Poppe) Farm families and business operators mental health counseling support funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF82 (Kiel) Mental health counseling support to farm families and business operators funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF84 (Kiel) Mental health counseling support to farm families and business operators funding provided, and money appropriated.
Presentation on services for farm stress and rural mental health support.
- Thom Petersen, Commissioner, Department of Agriculture.
- Ted Matthews, rural mental health counselor.
- Connie Dykes, farm advocate.
- Meg Moynihan, Department of Agriculture.
House Energy and Climate Finance and Policy Division
Thursday, January 24 2019 9:45 AM
Watch: Live Event
Electrical power systems: how they work; present status in Minnesota; and our future with renewables.
- Doctor Ned Mohan, University of Minnesota.
- Mark Ahlstrom, NextEra Energy Resources, WindLogics.
- Jukka Kukkonen, PlugInConnect.
House Health and Human Services Finance Division
Thursday, January 24 2019 12:45 PM
Watch: Live Event
Results First presentation.
- Laura Kramer, Minnesota Management and Budget.
- Weston Merrick, Minnesota Management and Budget.
Health and human services overview from House Research.
- Elisabeth Klarqvist.
- Danyell Punelli.
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division
Thursday, January 24 2019 12:45 PM
Watch: Live Event
Presentation on the Closed Landfill Investment Fund and the Metropolitan Landfill Contingency Action Trust.
HF233 (Hansen) Authorized capital projects funding source changed, public land and buildings of a capital nature acquisition authorized, bonds issued, and money appropriated.
Session Daily Update
Thursday, January 24 2019 3:25 PM
Watch: Live Event
Session Daily Update
House Floor Session
Thursday, January 24 2019 3:30 PM
Watch: Live Event
House Floor Session
FRIDAY: House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee
Friday, January 25 2019 11:30 AM
Watch: Live Event
Adoption of preliminary committee budgets.
Adoption of recount resolutions.
Discussion of Permanent Rules of the House.
- Presentation on the Division structure currently in place under the temporary rules by House non-partisan staff.
- Public testimony.
* To sign up to testify, contact Will Blauvelt at will.blauvelt@house.mn or 651-296-3909.
* Priority will be given to testifiers that sign-up at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
* Testifiers will be limited to 2 minutes of testimony.
News and Notes
The 2019 Legislature must end by May 20.
Easter/Passover break
The 2019 Easter/Passover break will begin Saturday, April 13, and go through Monday, April 22. Legislative activity may resume at 8 a.m. April 23.
Bill Introductions: HF207-291
Did you know?
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Minnesota will be the only state with a divided legislature in the 2019-20 biennium. The last time there was only one divided state legislature in the country was 1914.
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Resources
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