House Energy Committee adopts 'lights on' amendment to House File 2442, lays bill over

The Minnesota House Committee on Energy on Wednesday adopted the DE3 amendment to House File 2442, the energy finance bill, and laid the bill over after brief discussion about maintaining base funding for upcoming biennia.

Ms. Adrienne, a committee staff member, told the panel the bill’s funding target would keep current levels unchanged: “The target for the energy finance bill, was no change from base funding in both the ’26 and ’27 biennium as well as the ’28 and ’29 biennium.”

The amendment — described to the committee as a “lights on” budget based on the February forecast — was moved by Representative Cherrycumbe. Representative Torkelson characterized the measure as keeping core operations funded ahead of conference committee work, saying, “The chair is correct that this is a lights on bill.” The committee adopted the DE3 amendment by voice vote; no roll-call tally was provided in the hearing record.

Representative Ekom, identified in committee as the bill’s author, gave closing remarks after the vote, saying the session’s priority was to keep government operating: “I came into session this year with the hope of passing [a] budget, because keeping government going is really the top priority this year. And so I feel like we are 1 step closer to that and that this has been a successful session so far.”

After adopting the amendment, the committee laid House File 2442 over. The layover preserves the bill for further action and does not by itself enact any spending changes beyond the amendment adopted in committee.

What the committee did not resolve in the hearing were outstanding negotiations referenced by members; Representative Torkelson said there had been “a number of points … negotiated, but [a] resolution was unable to be reached.” The transcript and committee record provided no vote roll call or further detail about which provisions remained under negotiation.

The proceedings in committee focused on process and funding level rather than programmatic changes. The committee’s description of DE3 indicates the amendment funds the Department of Commerce Division of Energy Resources at base levels for the two biennia named and relies on the February budget forecast for assumptions. No additional budget amounts, statutory changes, or specific program increases were specified on the record.

The bill remains active for future committee or floor action; committee members indicated the measure will proceed toward conference with the other legislative body.