Updates from the Government Relations team are sent periodically during the legislative session
Legislative Update: December 18, 2018

Governor-elect Walz makes first cabinet picks

Governor-elect Tim Walz announced his first five cabinet choices earlier this afternoon. He chose commissioners to head the Department of Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Housing Finance Agency, Metropolitan Council, and Minnesota Management and Budget.
 
Leading the Department of Administration will be Alice Roberts-Davis. She has served as an assistant commissioner at the Department, as well as worked at Target Corporation.


Margaret Anderson Kelliher will lead the Department of Transportation. Anderson Kelliher is the President and CEO of the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA). Prior to joining MHTA, Anderson Kelliher served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1999-2010, and served as Speaker of the House from 2007-2010. Anderson Kelliher has also served as a trustee on the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees.
 
The new commissioner for the Housing Finance Agency is Jennifer Leimaile Ho. Ho has held a top position in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under former President Barack Obama.
 
Nora Slawik will lead the Metropolitan Council as the new chair. Slawik recently won a second term as Maplewood mayor. She also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for multiple years: 1997-1998 and 2001-2012.
 
Myron Frans will remain as the Commissioner for the Department of Management and Budget, which will help provide some continuity between administrations.
 
While members of the cabinet are appointed by the governor, they are subject to confirmation by the Senate. They can serve without any action by the Senate, but a person cannot serve as a cabinet member if the Senate has voted to refuse to consent to their appointment.
 
Walz has many more positions to fill, including commissioners and hundreds of other appointments to commissions and boards. The appointments will take effect on January 7, 2019, when Walz is officially sworn in as governor.


House Republicans announce committee leads

House Republicans announced the committee leads for the 2019-2020 biennium. Committee leads will serve as the top-ranking Republicans on each of the House committees during the legislative session that begins January 8, 2019. The Republican lead for the Higher Education Finance and Policy Division is Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls. Rep. Nornes has served as chair of the committee in previous sessions.

In the news release, House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said, "Our committee leads bring a great deal of experience and expertise to the table, many having served previously as chairs or vice chairs of their respective committees. House Republicans are ready to roll up our sleeves this session and work with the DFL majority to solve the problems facing Minnesota families. If Democrats are working to lower health care costs and protect Minnesotans from unnecessary tax increases, we will gladly join them. However, if they vote to raise the cost of health care or vote to increase taxes on Minnesotans, House Republicans and our committee leads will be there to hold them accountable and oppose those damaging policies."
Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown

Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake

Rep. Dean Urdahl, R- Grove City

Rep. Tim O'Driscoll, R-Sartell

Rep. Ron Kresha, R- Little Falls

Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton

Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent

Rep. Dan Fabian, R-Roseau

Rep. Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin

Rep. Nick Zerwas, R-Elk River

Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck

Rep. Joe Schomacker, R-Luverne

Rep. Deb Kiel, R-Crookston

Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls

Rep. Tama Theis, R-St. Cloud

Rep. Bob Gunther, R-Fairmont

Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover

Rep. Jason Rarick, R-Pine City

Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa

Rep. Jerry Hertaus, R-Greenfield

Rep. Brian Johnson, R-Cambridge

Rep. Tony Albright, R-Prior Lake

Rep. Marion O'Neill, R-Maple Lake

Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria

Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia

Rep. Linda Runbeck, R-Circle Pines

Rep. Joe McDonald, R-Delano

Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen, R-Glencoe

Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston

Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska

Rep. Bob Dettmer, R-Forest Lake

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington
Rules and Legislative Administration

Agriculture and Food Finance & Policy Division

Capital Investment Division

Commerce Committee

Education Finance Division

Education Policy Committee

Energy and Climate Finance & Policy Division

Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division

Environment and Natural Resources Policy

Government Operations Committee

Greater Minnesota Jobs and Economic Development Finance Division
Health and Human Services Finance Division

Health and Human Services Policy Committee

Higher Education Finance & Policy Division

Housing Finance and Policy Division

Jobs & Economic Development Finance Division

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division

Labor Committee

Legacy Finance Division and the Subcommittee on Water
Property and Local Tax Division

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance & Policy Division
State Government Finance Division

Subcommittee on Corrections

Subcommittee on Early Childhood Finance & Policy

Subcommittee on Elections

Subcommittee on Legislative Process Reform

Subcommittee on Local Government

Subcommittee on Long-term Care

Taxes Committee

Transportation Finance & Policy Division

Veterans and Military Affairs Finance & Policy Division

Ways and Means
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Important Links
  • Committee schedules can be found HERE
  • Many committee hearings and floor sessions are streamed live via the web or broadcast on television. More information and a schedule can be found HERE
Government Relations team:
Bernie Omann –  Bernie.Omann@MinnState,edu
Melissa Fahning - Melissa.Fahning@MinnState.edu
Tina Firkus - T ina.Firkus@MinnState.edu
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