House committee advances bill to clarify Minnesota lobbyist registration after 2023 changes

A House committee on March 24 recommended passage of House File 2105, a bill from Rep. Nolan Nash that would change how Minnesota determines who must register as a lobbyist by adding time-based and role-based thresholds and exemptions to the 2023 expansion of registration requirements.

The bill was recommended to pass on a recorded roll call, 6–5, and will be referred to the State Government Committee. Committee members who voted yes were Chair Quam, Vice Chair Altendorf, Rep. Davis (recorded as “I”), Rep. Gordon, Rep. McDonald and Rep. Roach; members voting no were Rep. Acom, Rep. Coulter, Rep. Greenman, Rep. Lee and Rep. Verneig.

Supporters, led by the Minnesota Governmental Relations Council (MGRC), told the committee the patchwork of statutory changes enacted in 2023 left many paid professionals and unpaid subject-matter experts unsure whether routine contacts with officials required registration.

"Since the law passed, MGRC has worked very closely with the campaign finance board…and despite these efforts, further statutory clarification is needed," said Amy Walstein, vice president of MGRC. She urged passage, saying the bill "is balanced, necessary reform that clarifies lobbying regulations, protects free speech, and ensures transparency without discouraging participation."

Paul Cassidy, a lawyer with the Stinson Law Firm and MGRC member, said practitioners from nonprofits to engineers "have consistently struggled with uncertainty and…