Five state advisory councils brief committee on work and seek modest budget increases

Representatives of five state advisory councils appeared before the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee on March 11, 2025, to summarize agency missions, recent work and requests for additional resources in the next biennium. Each council described its statutory role, core activities and planned work for the year, and several requested incremental increases to staff or operating funds to expand capacity.

Why this matters: these councils are statutorily-created advisory bodies that provide culturally specific research, community engagement and policy advice to state government. Modest budget increases would fund staff and expanded programming that councils say would improve the states ability to serve diverse communities.

Highlights by council

Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans (CAPM)

Sia Her, Executive Director, said CAPM represents a diverse refugee-majority Asian and Pacific Islander population and is working on a "fiftieth anniversary" commemoration of the end of the conflict in Southeast Asia. The council requested a $370,000 increase over base to add one full-time employee and to bring its budget closer to parity with the other ethnic councils.

Council on LGBTQIA2S+…