The Minnesota Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on June 13 adopted the chamber's biennial budget and approved a set of personnel and administrative changes, including a committee resolution on staff compensation, updates to comp-time and per-diem rules, and the restoration of Senator Bobby Joe Champion as chair of the subcommittee on ethical conduct.

The actions were taken during a hybrid meeting convened by Senator Murphy (chair of the Rules and Administration Committee). After brief staff presentations, the committee voted to adopt the Minnesota Senate Biennial Budget document dated 06/13/2025. Senator Johnson asked for a comparison to the prior biennium and said, "Here we have 77,928,000. Do you remember what the total was for the previous?" Committee staff said they would supply an offline comparison because member-related expenses have been moved to a statutory appropriation and make direct comparisons more complicated. Senate controller Betty Myers said the newly added PFLMA item is calculated as "0.0088 of the salary line's number." The budget adoption was passed by roll call with 10 ayes and no nays.

The committee also approved the senate employee roster dated 06/06/2025. Committee staff noted the roster was reviewed for correct name spellings and that the roster does not yet reflect the changes in the compensation resolution being considered that day.

On compensation, the committee adopted Committee Resolution 17, the management-advisory-committee-backed package for employee pay and benefits. Secretary Bodnar told the committee the package reflects recommendations from the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) and includes a 3.5% across-the-board salary increase and the establishment of a 2% merit salary pool effective immediately. The resolution keeps a technology and communications stipend of $50 per month per employee, continues a deferred-compensation option that offers either a $1,150 employer match or an exchange of 50 hours of vacation/comp time, and permits a one-time cash-out option for up to 40 hours of accumulated comp or vacation time. Secretary Bodnar said the changes are intended to preserve recent gains in staff recruitment and retention; he said, "I'm really pleased the legislature found a way, to arrive at some salary increases that will do a lot for the senate."

The committee approved a permanent policy change to comp-time accrual that raises the cap in budget years from 220 hours to 260 hours, while retaining a 220-hour cap in non-budget years. Senator Marty, who moved the change, asked that it be applied retroactively to Jan. 14, 2025; the committee adopted the motion. Committee staff said the change responds to a marked increase in overtime and comp-time accumulation during the recent session and special session.

The panel also approved updated interim travel and per-diem rules dated 06/13/2025. Counsel Miss Stengel said the updates primarily raise the hotel allowance from $150 to $200 per night, set the mileage reimbursement to the current IRS rate of $0.70 per mile, explicitly reference that travel is governed by both senate policy and Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) policy, and change an airfare reference from "coach" to "economy." The travel changes were approved without extended debate.

On committee organization, the panel moved to restore Senator Bobby Joe Champion as chair of the subcommittee on ethical conduct. Several senators asked questions before the vote about Champion's prior recusal and the reasons he had earlier stepped aside; Champion said his earlier removal was at his request so an advisory opinion could be completed and that this was his second instance of involvement with advisory/complaint matters, the first occurring about 10 to 11 years earlier. Senator Johnson asked how many ethics complaints had been filed against Champion; Champion replied the count was two and that "there was no finding in either." Some senators expressed concern about optics; Senator Frentz argued returning Champion would signal that ethical rules are enforced and said he supported the reinstatement. The appointment was decided by roll call and passed 7 ayes to 3 nays.

The committee adjourned after completing the administrative agenda.

Votes at a glance
- Adopt Minnesota Senate Biennial Budget dated 06/13/2025; mover: Senator Marty; outcome: adopted by roll call (10 ayes, 0 nays). Vote participants recorded in the roll call included Senator Murphy (Aye), Senator Champion (Aye), Senator Coleman (Aye), Senator France (Aye), Senator Johnson (Aye), Senator Limmer (Aye), Senator Marty (Aye), Senator Miller (Aye), Senator Pappas (Aye), Senator Rest (Aye).
- Approve senate employee roster dated 06/06/2025; mover: Senator Rest; outcome: adopted (voice vote).
- Adopt Committee Resolution 17 (employee compensation: 3.5% across-the-board, 2% merit pool, deferred-comp options, $50/month stipend, 40-hour cash-out option); mover: Senator Rest; outcome: adopted (voice vote).
- Amend senate policy 2.4 to change comp-time cap to 260 hours in budget years, retroactive to 01/14/2025; mover: Senator Marty; outcome: adopted (voice vote).
- Approve interim travel expenses and per diem letter dated 06/13/2025 (hotel $200 limit, IRS mileage $0.70/mile, economy airfare reference, explicit LCC policy reference); mover: Senator Estes; outcome: adopted (voice vote).
- Remove Senator Pappas as acting subcommittee chair and appoint Senator Bobby Joe Champion as chair of the subcommittee on ethical conduct; mover: Senator Pappas; outcome: adopted by roll call (7 ayes, 3 nays). Vote record included: Senator Murphy (Aye), Senator Champion (Aye), Senator Coleman (No), Senator France (Aye), Senator Johnson (No), Senator Limmer (No), Senator Marty (Aye), Senator Miller (Aye), Senator Pappas (Aye), Senator Rest (Aye).

What this means
The committee approved administrative measures that change staff pay and benefits, adjust rules for accrued comp time in heavy session years, and update travel reimbursements. The restoration of Senator Bobby Joe Champion to the ethics subcommittee chair was the single item that drew extended discussion and a recorded roll-call split vote. The committee repeatedly noted that some budget comparisons are complicated this cycle because member-related expenses have shifted to a statutory appropriation.