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Minn. Rules Committee approves calendar slot for HF14 amid dispute over fiscal note and referral
Summary
The Minnesota House Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration voted 8-6 to designate Feb. 24 for consideration of HF14 and imposed a 24-hour prefiling requirement for amendments. Members debated whether the bill should have a fiscal note and be referred to the Government Operations or Ways and Means committees.
The Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration voted 8-6 on Thursday to place HF14 on the calendar for floor consideration on Monday, Feb. 24, and to establish a 24-hour prefiling requirement for amendments.
The move drew objection from several members who said the bill could affect roughly $30,000,000 in unspent general fund appropriations and may have a local fiscal impact on Hennepin County, and who argued the measure should have been routed to the House Government Operations (GovOps) or Ways and Means committees for further review.
The committee chair moved adoption of the calendar for the day under House Rules 1.21 and 3.33. Representative Robbins, identified in committee as the bill’s chief author, told members she was comfortable sending the bill to the floor and said transportation — which had been the primary referral — had discussed the measure with chairs of GovOps and Ways and Means who “didn’t feel the need for the bill to come before them.” Representative Cagle responded that GovOps should have jurisdiction because, in his view, the bill “is restricting their act, their right to act.”
Representative Lee Long and other members pressed for a fiscal note before the bill moved to the floor. Representative Lee Long said the bill would “impact $30,000,000 in unspent general fund appropriations” and noted a possible local fiscal effect on Hennepin County. Representative Robbins said a fiscal note had been requested but had not yet been returned. The committee chair reported that the fiscal analyst had told the committee there was no fiscal note. Representative Lee Long nonetheless objected to proceeding without a fiscal note and asked for a roll call vote.
Representative Lee Long framed his objection as concern over procedural shortcuts. “It seems like we should at least take the correct stops, wait for the fiscal impacts, go to ways and means,” he said. Representative Engen expressed gratitude that members had access to the bill text before the vote. Representative Nash and other members pushed back at Lee Long’s characterization of past practice, and the committee proceeded to a roll call.
On the roll call, votes recorded in the transcript were: Chair (aye); Vice Chair Engen (aye); Representative Lee Long (no); Representative Colter (no); Representative Frederick (no); Representative Hollins (no); Representative Howard (no); Representative Jacob (yes); Representative Cagle (no); Representative Nash (aye); Representative Schultz (aye); Representative Scott (aye); Representative Steer (aye); and Representative Zeland Stakar (aye). The motion passed, 8–6. Committee staff announced that a 24-hour prefiling requirement for amendments to HF14 is now in place.
The meeting began with approval of minutes from Feb. 18, 2025, and adjourned after the calendar vote. The committee did not take final action on HF14 itself; the vote only set the scheduling and amendment filing rule for the floor consideration on Feb. 24.
Members’ recorded objections centered on committee jurisdiction and the absence of a fiscal note; supporters cited prior consultation among committee chairs and the transportation committee’s primary referral. The transcript does not record a completed fiscal note or subsequent referral to Ways and Means or GovOps during the meeting.
