Rules committee adopts permanent House rules, eliminates fiscal and consent calendars; moves package to floor Jan. 27

The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration of the Minnesota House of Representatives adopted a package of permanent House rules and two author's amendments during a meeting, and moved the package to the House floor for consideration on Jan. 27, 2025.

House Research staff summarized the proposed changes, which carry forward temporary rules and add several substantive amendments. Key changes described include elimination of House Rule 1.22 (the fiscal calendar) and House Rule 1.23 (the consent calendar); an amendment to House Rule 2.01 clarifying that members are not entitled to per diem reimbursement on days they are absent from a House floor session; revisions to the house germaneness rule in House Rule 3.21; codification of an election-challenge procedure previously adopted as a temporary rule in new House Rule 3.50; updates to the list of committees under House Rule 4.03 to reflect the leadership-approved committee structure; and new language in House Rule 10.05 governing remote participation and votes, including a requirement that the House Journal identify remote attendees and whether the remote attendance was for health- or safety-related reasons.

Matt Gehring of House Research summarized the packet and identified the substantive items the committee would consider. The committee adopted an author's amendment (a 6) that clarifies the per-diem exception applies only to days a member attends and votes by remote means during a floor session. Representative Schultz offered the a 4 amendment to expand public access to members and legislative offices; she said, "this is a very important amendment as we look towards a new day in the Minnesota House of Representatives and an opportunity to engage and invite the public to be a greater part of our process with excellent access to public officials, elected officials, and that the people be able to speak with and reach their members, in their legislative offices." Both amendments were adopted by voice vote with no recorded roll call.

The committee first approved the minutes from Jan. 15, 2025 on a motion by Representative Steer. After adopting the two author's amendments, the committee adopted the permanent rules as amended on a voice vote. The meeting record shows no public testimony and no extended member debate on the amendments or the final adoption; the chair noted the rules as adopted would be taken up by the full House during session on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025.

The committee's actions change internal House procedures and procedural calendars; they do not by themselves change statutes. The rules package includes the codified election-challenge procedure that had appeared in the temporary rules earlier in the session. The committee meeting concluded after the adoption of the rules and the chair adjourned the meeting.