Minn. House Rules committee adopts calendar placing HF14 on Feb. 24 floor agenda after debate over fiscal note and committee jurisdiction

The Minnesota House Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration voted 8-6 to adopt the calendar for the day and place HF14 on the floor calendar for Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, establishing a 24-hour prefiling requirement for amendments.

The vote came after representatives debated whether HF14 should be referred to the House Committee on Government Operations or Ways and Means because members said the bill would limit an agency's authority and could affect unspent general fund appropriations. Representative Cagle argued the bill “needs to go to GovOps,” saying it was “limiting what that Met Council can do.” Representative Robbins, the bill’s chief author, said he was “comfortable with it going to the floor,” and that transportation was the primary jurisdiction and the transportation chair had consulted other chairs and did not request additional referral.

Representative Lee Long raised fiscal concerns, saying the bill “would impact $30,000,000 in unspent general fund appropriations” and asked why there was no fiscal note. The committee chair responded that “the fiscal analyst has told us that there is no fiscal note.” Representative Long and others urged waiting for or routing bills with fiscal impacts to Ways and Means, with Long saying the apparent fiscal impact “should be going to ways and means.”

Several members objected to what they described as chairs skipping committee jurisdiction for expediency. Representative Lee Long asked for a roll-call vote after saying the committee was “cutting corners once again.” Representative Engen and others also noted procedural concerns about access to fiscal information and committee consultation.

After discussion, the chair renewed the motion to adopt the calendar and the Committee recorded an 8-6 roll-call vote to approve. The committee clerk announced there were eight votes in favor and six against; the motion prevailed. Members were told that a 24-hour prefiling requirement for amendments to HF14 is now in place.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Adopt calendar and designate Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, for HF14 and establish prefiling requirement for amendments. Outcome: approved, 8 yes, 6 no. Pre-filing window: 24 hours (now in place).

Why it matters

Placing HF14 on the floor calendar moves the bill toward a House vote. Committee members’ objections focused on procedural questions — whether the bill’s subject matter and potential fiscal effect require referral to other committees that typically review administrative limits and budgetary consequences. Those concerns could affect floor debate or subsequent procedural challenges if the bill’s fiscal impacts are later revised or clarified.

What the committee did not resolve

The committee did not produce or publish a fiscal note on the record during the meeting. Members quoted a fiscal analyst’s statement that no fiscal note exists at this time, but some members said a fiscal note had been requested and not returned. The committee did not take further formal action to refer HF14 to Ways and Means or Government Operations before sending it to the floor.

Next steps

HF14 is scheduled for floor consideration on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, with a 24-hour prefiling requirement for amendments. If a fiscal note is later issued showing budgetary impacts, members said that could prompt referral to Ways and Means or renewed procedural motions on the floor.