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
Week in Review: April 22-26 (4/26/2024 1:08:00 PM) Transportation policy bill flies through conference committee (4/25/2024 5:46:00 PM) Labor, industry conferees begin work on striking agreement (4/25/2024 3:00:00 PM) With finish line in mind, ways and means committee melds eight supplemental spending bills into three (4/25/2024 12:12:00 PM) House workforce panel approves proposed updates to paid leave law (4/25/2024 10:32:00 AM) Bill to update law around family court proceedings about 'what's best for the kids' (4/24/2024 6:22:37 PM) House passes protections for renters embroiled in utility disputes (4/24/2024 6:09:00 PM) Education policy conference committee lays out differences in House, Senate bills (4/24/2024 5:58:00 PM) Northern MN helium discovery prompts proposed regulatory framework for gas, oil production (4/24/2024 2:57:00 PM) Week in Review: April 15-19 (4/19/2024 4:17:00 PM) House Taxes Committee sends its final bill onward (4/19/2024 4:03:00 PM)
Photography
This week's slideshow,
photo gallery and
Capitol area images
Live Video
Event Schedule
Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 8:30 AM
Watch: Live Event
- Update from the State Board of Investment.
- Informational Item: SF1386 (McEwen) Restoring augmentation to retirement annuities for members who left public employment before January 1, 2019, when vested but not yet at retirement age.
- Action Item: Resolution directing the executive directors of MSRS, PERA, TRA, and Saint Paul Teachers to correct errors as provided in current law, as amended by Article 8, Section 12, of the 2024 Pension and Retirement Policy and Supplemental Budget Bill.
- Discussion: Pension options for public safety and public safety adjacent positions in the PERA General Plan such as 911 telecommunicators, probation and parole officers, and county child support agents.
- Projects and work groups for the 2024-2025 legislative interim.
Session Daily Update
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 10:55 AM
Watch: Live Event
Updates from the House
House Floor Session - part 1*
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 11:00 AM
Watch: Live Event
*It is anticipated the House will recess.
House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee*
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 11:15 AM
Watch: Live Event
*Committee will convene five minutes after the Floor Session recesses.
Calendar for the Day – Wednesday, May 1
House DFL Press Conference
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 12:15 PM
Watch: Live Event
Legislation to prevent gun violence scheduled for House floor debate.
House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF5381 (Youakim) Department of Education Office of the Inspector General authority expanded.
HF5363 (Frazier) Minnesota Paid Leave Law; paid leave provisions modified.
Conference Committee on SF3852*
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
Committee will meet at 1 p.m., or at the call of the Chair.
SF3852 (Nelson, M./McEwen) Labor policy bill.
- Adopt remaining provisions.
- Potential adoption of Conference Committee Report.
House Capital Investment Committee
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF5220 (Lee, F.) Capital investment bonding bill.
- Walk-through of the delete-all amendment.
HF5162 (Lee, F.) Capital investment General Fund bill.
House Ways and Means Committee
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 1:00 PM
Watch: Live Event
HF5247 (Gomez) Taxes supplemental budget bill.
HF4411 (Freiberg) Elections supplemental budget bill.
HF3449 (Hassan) Workforce development supplemental budget bill.
HF5205 (Hassan) Economic development supplemental budget bill.
•HF3449 and HF5205 will be merged into one jobs supplemental budget bill, using HF5205 as the primary vehicle.
House Floor Session - part 2*
Monday, April 29 2024 4/29/2024 3:30 PM
Watch: Live Event
*Floor Session will reconvene at the call of the Speaker, approximately 3:30 p.m.
SF3204 (Olson, L.) Public employees insurance program modifications made.
HF4247 (Liebling) Transfer care specialist registration established, behavior analysts licensure established, veterinary technician and veterinary institutional license established, veterinary supervision provisions modified, specialty dentist licensure and dental assistant licensure modified, physician assistant collaboration additional requirements removed, social worker provisional licensure modified, guest licensure established for marriage and family therapists, pharmacy provisions modified, and money appropriated.
HF3567 (Hollins) Assisted reproduction rights and responsibilities updated, surrogacy agreement requirements created, and recordkeeping and information sharing provided for genetic donation.
HF4444 (Greenman) Misclassification of employees prohibited, penalties imposed, and data classified.
HF4300 (Becker-Finn) Firearm safe storage standards established and criminal penalties provided for failing to meet those standards.
HF601 (Her) Lost and stolen firearms required to be reported promptly to law enforcement.
HF2609 (Berg) Gun trafficking investigations and firearm seizures report required by Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Violent Crime Enforcement Teams, trigger activator definition amended, and transferring firearms to persons who are ineligible to possess firearms penalties increased.
HF3757 (Demuth) Felony offense established for reporting a fictitious emergency and directing the emergency response to the home of other individuals, and conforming change made.
News and Notes
Bill Introductions: HF5424-HF5426
2024 Session
The 2024 legislative session must end by May 20. The 2025 session will begin Jan. 14, 2025.
2024 committee deadlines
- March 22: Committees in both bodies must act favorably on bills that are not major appropriation or finance bills
- April 19: Committees in both bodies must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills
Member retirements
The Legislative Reference Library maintains a list of members not seeking re-election in 2024.
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Resources
Want to contact your U.S. representative, the governor or a state agency? Click here for a roster of federal and state contacts.