House panel approves bills blocking local bans on natural gas and propane hookups

The House Election Finance and Government Operations Committee on March 3 recommended passage of two related bills that would bar local governments from banning natural gas or propane hookups in new residential construction and forwarded both measures to the House Housing Committee after separate 6–5 roll-call votes.

Representative Shane Mecklen, sponsor of House File 484, told the committee the bill is intended to preserve “affordable and reliable fuel source options” for home construction and to protect consumer choice for heating during cold weather. Mecklen said the measure responds to a national movement by some cities and counties to prohibit new natural gas hookups and that the bill would preempt local prohibitions.

The committee heard similar testimony for House File 483, which Representative Gordon described as a related measure that specifically includes propane and contains grandfathering provisions. Mark Foster, vice president of legislative and political affairs for Housing First Minnesota, testified in support and said residential construction costs and a housing shortage mean policy changes should be viewed through an affordability lens. Dave Wager, executive director of the Minnesota Propane Association, also testified in favor, arguing that propane and natural gas provide reliability during electrical outages and citing increased electricity demand from proposed data centers.

Supporters cited several data points during testimony: U.S. Energy Information Administration figures that they said showed 65% of residential energy use in Minnesota came from natural gas in 2022; a statewide median new single-family home price cited as north of $540,000; and reporting that multiple proposed data centers in the Twin Cities could add roughly 3,800 megawatts of demand. Wager and others argued that those trends make continued consumer access to gas and propane important for reliability and affordability.

Opponents and skeptical members, including Representative Acum and Representative Coulter, urged deference to local governments and questioned the need for a statewide preemption. Representative Acum noted legal uncertainty about bans on gas hookups outside certain federal circuits and emphasized local zoning and land-use authority. Representative Coulter and others asked why infrastructure and hookup issues could not remain a local decision and raised concerns about restricting municipal authority to respond to community preferences.

In committee action, Representative Davis moved that House File 484 be recommended to pass and be referred to the Housing Committee. The roll call recorded six ayes and five nays; the clerk announced the bill passed and was re-referred to housing. A separate motion to recommend House File 483 (including propane and grandfathering language) also passed by a 6–5 roll call and was re-referred to the Housing Committee.

The measures now move to the Housing Committee for further consideration.