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Committee advances bill to restrict assignment of legislative email, phone and office resources to non‑staff
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Summary
The Senate Rules Committee advanced Senate File 48‑98 after adopting two amendments that sharpen enforcement and explicitly include interns. The bill would prohibit assigning legislative email addresses, phone numbers or office space to people who are not members, officers or employees and direct chambers to adopt implementing rules.
The Minnesota Senate Committee on Rules and Administration advanced legislation aimed at preventing outsiders from using official legislative contact information and space. The committee on April 23 adopted two amendments and recommended Senate File 48‑98, as amended, for passage to the next stage.
The bill sponsor described the measure as "the quintessential, good governance bill," saying the core aim is to ensure that when a constituent receives an email from "minnesotasenate.gov" or sees a caller ID that says "Minnesota Senate," they can trust the contact represents the legislative body or its staff. The sponsor summarized the bill's four main parts: it would bar members, officers or employees from establishing legislative email addresses or assigning legislative telephone numbers to people who are not members, officers or employees; clarify that legislative telephone numbers are assigned to a member's district and are for exclusive use by the member or authorized staff; forbid allowing contractors or other outsiders to occupy office space assigned to the legislature without written notice to caucus leaders; and require both chambers to adopt rules and remedies to implement and enforce the provision.
Committee questioning focused on the scope and necessity of putting the rule in statute rather than handling it through chamber rules. One senator asked whether the concern could be addressed within existing rules; the sponsor said a statutory directive would ensure consistent adoption and provide enforceable remedies. The sponsor also offered a concrete example: she said the other body previously provided official house email addresses and phone numbers to outside parties tied to a law firm, and those contacts were used on filings in the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Two amendments were adopted before final action. The A3 amendment (a delete‑everything replacement) was adopted by voice vote after debate and questions. A subsequent A5 amendment was adopted to clarify that interns — who nonpartisan staff said are not technically employees but require access to email, phones and workspace — are included in the bill's access rules.
After amendments, the committee voted to suspend routine procedural requirements and advance the committee report, as amended. The advancement occurred by voice vote; the committee record does not include a roll‑call tally in the transcript.
Next steps: the committee report for SF 48‑98, as amended, was adopted and the bill will proceed according to the Senate's process.
Quotes in this story come from the committee hearing transcript and are attributed to speakers by title used in the hearing.
