State Government Finance Committee lays over series of administrative bills, adopts technical amendments

The House State Government Finance and Policy Committee on Tuesday, March 25 laid over a slate of bills that would change administrative timelines, reporting duties and court terminology for state administrative bodies, adopting several technical amendments and setting multiple bills for possible inclusion in the committee's policy omnibus.

The most prominent measures the committee advanced include House File 1151, which would change the Compensation Council's reporting date; House File 1239 and House File 1240, which amend reporting requirements and create a permanent special reviews division in the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA); House File 2020, which would allow some retirees' spouses to continue buying retiree health coverage in limited circumstances; and House File 2451, which renames the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) the Court of Administrative Hearings and clarifies remand authority. Committee members also moved several technical "vehicle" bills to the General Register or laid them over for possible inclusion.

Why it matters: the measures are largely technical and administrative but affect how courts, auditors and state agencies coordinate with state budget and executive offices. Several changes are intended to clarify reporting paths and timing so state budgeting and oversight can incorporate newly generated data.

Committee action and key points

- Judges' compensation timing (House File 1151): Representative Quam moved House File 1151, described by the bill sponsor as requested by Minnesota judges. District Judge Jeremy Kleinfalter testified on behalf of the Minnesota District Judges Association (MDJA), saying the bill would change the Compensation Council timetable from producing recommendations by April 1 in odd-numbered years to September 1 in even-numbered years so the council's recommendations can inform the administration's mid‑October budget preparations. Kleinfalter said the bill "opens up a timeline for the compensation council to review, consider, and recommend pay raises" and that MDJA and the Judicial Council would be able to weigh recommendations before the governor's budget numbers are prepared. The committee adopted an A1 amendment to clarify judges may present to the Compensation Council in public testimony and to avoid concerns about ex parte communication; the amendment was engrossed by voice vote. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion.

- Reporting to legislative auditor (House File 1239): Legislative Auditor Judy Bridal presented House File 1239 to align reporting requirements to the legislative auditor with existing language in Minn. Stat. § 609.456 that governs reporting to the state auditor. Bridal said the change would make clear that personnel who find evidence of theft, embezzlement or unlawful use of public funds must promptly report to law enforcement and to the legislative auditor. Several members raised questions about the practical meaning of "law enforcement" and whether the language should specify reporting to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) or local police; Representative Cleburne and others requested more time to work out precise language. The author and the auditor agreed to continue working on wording; the bill was laid over for possible inclusion.

- Office of the Legislative Auditor special reviews (House File 1240): House File…