[0:10] >> 2026 to 11:00AM or excuse me

[0:13] 11:00:02AM, and effect called

[0:15] the Minnesota Senate Committee

[0:16] and rules and Ministration to

[0:18] order.

[0:19] Thank you members for joining.

[0:21] We have 3 items on our agenda

[0:24] today dealing primarily with

[0:26] our employees and compensation.

[0:29] We're going to have secretary

[0:30] batter and and must and will

[0:32] join us.

[0:34] And the materials that we're

[0:37] discussing today were sent to

[0:38] everybody last Thursday and

[0:40] again again this morning.

[0:41] So hopefully you all have

[0:42] before you what it is that you

[0:44] need.

[0:46] We're going to begin and with

[0:47] the committee resolution and

[0:48] compensation and now Collin

[0:50] Secretary battering.

[0:52] >> Good morning. Madam Chair

[0:53] members, you have a document

[0:56] available to the COVID CR 0, 1,

[0:59] 9, Dash 20.

[1:01] That's a Senate Committee

[1:02] resolution of proposed

[1:03] resolution that provides cut 8%

[1:06] in a place at 10,

[1:08] much the same form as

[1:10] resolution approved last year.

[1:12] I can walk you through what in

[1:14] the document. The most

[1:16] important component of

[1:17] documents course annual salary

[1:19] increases for Senate employees.

[1:22] The document provides a 2%

[1:23] across the board increase for

[1:25] Senate employees and America

[1:27] full 1.5% of salaries.

[1:34] A word or 2 about the process

[1:37] used to arrive. Those numbers

[1:39] management advisory committee

[1:41] BN meeting earlier this year

[1:43] and that's about 4 times to

[1:46] consider how to set those

[1:47] amounts.

[1:49] The pressure is on the Senate

[1:50] budget at the outset of the

[1:52] year.

[1:54] Primarily health insurance

[1:56] increases were greater than had

[1:58] been forecasted for calendar

[2:00] year. 26 27

[2:03] and security costs have

[2:05] increased significantly.

[2:07] So

[2:08] the management advisory

[2:09] committee had to deal with

[2:11] trying to write it would be a

[2:13] competitive and also

[2:14] sustainable number for those

[2:16] increases

[2:19] before you get too much further

[2:20] of say this every time. But

[2:21] just to be sure of the

[2:23] management advisory committee

[2:25] is composed of myself, the

[2:26] director of human resources,

[2:28] director skirt and the Chiefs

[2:31] of staff of each caucus.

[2:32] Generally we operate a matter

[2:34] of the try-line consensus.

[2:36] My proposal is for the rules

[2:37] committee.

[2:39] So walking you through the

[2:41] document itself. Paragraphs

[2:43] were beginning on line. 1.8

[2:45] item provides the salary

[2:47] increases that I've just

[2:48] mentioned and provides the

[2:49] terms for the Indian minister.

[2:53] The document does call for the

[2:56] preparation of America plan by

[2:58] the director of human resources

[3:00] to provide guidance on how the

[3:02] merit increases are

[3:03] administered. That document,

[3:04] although does not need further

[3:06] proof of what it was committed

[3:07] is available to you in draft

[3:09] form. The documents that have

[3:10] been sent to you

[3:13] walking surely quickly to the

[3:15] document online. 1.2 1, her

[3:17] ready for tonight's treatment

[3:18] for employees who are at that.

[3:20] We max, that's consistent with

[3:22] what has been done in past

[3:23] years. Harris fighting online.

[3:26] 1.2 3 alliance allows is for

[3:29] technical adjustments to wages

[3:30] to keep them where they need to

[3:32] be in relation to each other

[3:36] and care at the VA and page

[3:38] July one

[3:40] and provides the authority for

[3:42] development of the mayor of

[3:43] plan that I referred to a

[3:45] moment ago

[3:47] being an ally to point age

[3:50] the authorizations provided for

[3:52] sending plays too

[3:56] up to 20 hours of cop or

[3:59] vacation time

[4:01] and what to what 1, 6, provides

[4:03] a standard language on it for a

[4:05] calm matches. That's

[4:08] and play option for either 1150

[4:11] in matching or up to 50 hours

[4:13] of vacation account it.

[4:16] And lastly, Paragraph B, it

[4:19] point to 6 provides the

[4:20] technology and communication

[4:22] station for another fiscal year

[4:24] in the same form that has been

[4:26] provided in the past.

[4:28] Happy to take any questions.

[4:31] >> Thank you, Secretary Bowden

[4:32] members to have questioned

[4:34] Senator Limmer.

[4:35] >> Yes, I do a secretary

[4:39] butter. And

[4:41] when we total the cost of

[4:43] health insurance expenses

[4:48] and then the let's say the cost

[4:50] of

[4:52] inflation.

[4:55] When you combine those costs,

[4:56] you know what that rate would

[4:58] be compared to

[5:00] the 2% that we're offering our

[5:02] employees.

[5:05] >> Secretary bothered.

[5:07] >> The senator, I want to make

[5:08] sure I understand the question.

[5:11] Are you referring to

[5:13] the expected health insurance

[5:15] premium increase that employees

[5:16] will be expected to pay their

[5:18] share the premium in addition

[5:20] to inflation?

[5:22] >> No, I was I was kind of

[5:25] playing off your words as you

[5:27] were explaining health care

[5:29] costs.

[5:30] And I'm I'm just wondering, are

[5:33] we

[5:34] or we'd this year even keeping

[5:36] up with inflation

[5:38] for our employee benefit?

[5:42] >> Sandra Bowden, thank you,

[5:44] Madam Chair. And senator,

[5:47] what I would say that is, you

[5:49] know, at this point, I think

[5:50] inflation has been pretty fluid

[5:51] number. It seems to be perhaps

[5:55] increasing, I think, the last

[5:57] month or to pay careful

[5:59] attention to that. Much of this

[6:01] will depend on the slate of

[6:02] time that you included within

[6:05] the previous year. I think what

[6:07] I would say senators were

[6:08] trying to do our best

[6:10] and recognize that. And I think

[6:13] also that

[6:15] most said employees are doing

[6:17] fairly well with the additional

[6:18] one have percent available and

[6:21] applaud the mayor of plan.

[6:23] So that provides yeah. In other

[6:25] words, it would look only at

[6:26] that 2% number when you're

[6:27] thinking about what's

[6:28] available, too, I would say

[6:30] almost all us and employees and

[6:32] hope that's helpful. It's

[6:33] really about the best they can

[6:33] do the other.

[6:35] >> The other question I would

[6:37] have to ask is, is the merit

[6:38] increases?

[6:41] Is it typical that every

[6:43] employee gets a merit

[6:45] recognition?

[6:47] >> Thank you, Senator Lemur

[6:48] center secretary about him.

[6:50] >> So said number,

[6:52] there's basically 3 levels what

[6:54] America plan theirs, not

[6:57] meeting expectations where

[6:58] there's still some possible

[7:00] amount available performance

[7:02] has met expectations that's

[7:03] very, really use. That would be

[7:04] think memory serves about up to

[7:06] one percent

[7:08] meeting would get into a

[7:10] believe 1.5

[7:14] and I may have misspoken

[7:15] anything not meeting. There's a

[7:17] range available up to 1.5

[7:19] meeting with a 1.5 and

[7:21] exceeding anywhere up to 2.5.

[7:24] Historically, you know, if

[7:25] you're looking for said the

[7:26] distribution of the plays,

[7:28] I would say

[7:29] most employees to see maybe not

[7:31] to the full extent of the 2 and

[7:34] a half percent. If you are

[7:36] doing some very rough for it,

[7:37] may take it. You know, I think

[7:40] it's reasonable to use the 1.5%

[7:42] for what's available to most

[7:44] almost all.

[7:47] >> Thank you, Senator Lugar,

[7:48] Senator Martin.

[7:49] >> And Secretary modern to be

[7:52] clear that 1.5% is the pool

[7:55] that's available. So in other

[7:56] words, the DFL Caucus, the

[7:58] Republican caucus are

[7:59] non-partisan. But average you

[8:02] has to average 1.5% of can't go

[8:04] above that. Have some are

[8:06] getting more equal. The number

[8:08] of to get less

[8:11] secretary about him.

[8:12] >> Madam chair to rage. That is

[8:14] in essence, correct. The pool

[8:16] provides, you know exactly what

[8:17] that is like a total dollar

[8:18] amount. And then the mayor of

[8:20] plan provides the limitations

[8:22] on should have minimum and

[8:24] maximum amounts within those

[8:27] ratings. So you're correct.

[8:29] And it's all balance out that

[8:30] the pulsar is a limiting

[8:31] factor.

[8:35] >> And members there is a memo

[8:36] and in our materials stay from

[8:39] Darren, half from human

[8:40] resources. If you have other

[8:42] questions after this meeting,

[8:45] he is a good resource for us.

[8:48] Are there other questions

[8:50] and the committee resolution on

[8:52] compensation

[8:55] seeing no questions and Senator

[8:57] rest moves to Adapt Committee

[8:59] resolution 19,

[9:02] all those in favor. Please say

[9:03] Aye, aye.

[9:07] And those opposed say no.

[9:09] And that motion is adopted.

[9:11] Thank you, members. Next, we'll

[9:13] move to that committee adoption

[9:15] of the Senate employee Rester

[9:17] and before I move to Secretary

[9:19] bad and that this is in our

[9:21] packets

[9:22] and this is a document that is

[9:24] sensitive in that it names

[9:26] members and salaries.

[9:28] So it is not distributed

[9:30] publicly, but it is available

[9:31] to the public. And if you'd

[9:32] like it, please reach out to

[9:35] our committee administrator as

[9:37] Rachel Carlson, you can find

[9:39] her e-mail online

[9:41] and because we want to make

[9:42] sure that if people want it,

[9:44] they can get their hands on it.

[9:45] But it is not something we

[9:46] readily distribute everybody

[9:47] because it contains sensitive

[9:50] personal information about

[9:51] salaries.

[9:53] And I think to turn now to

[9:54] Secretary Battered.

[9:57] >> Thank you, Madam Chair.

[9:58] So you have in the materials

[10:00] provided to you. The Senate

[10:02] roster dated 6/1/2026.

[10:07] is picking up on some of what

[10:09] Senator Murphy said. But the

[10:11] chair said if this is sensitive

[10:13] information, if you have

[10:15] questions about, but the

[10:17] practice for the rules

[10:18] committee has been to away

[10:20] referenced individual employees

[10:21] possibly may have questions,

[10:23] but, you know, a group or class

[10:25] of employees and certainly also

[10:27] happy to take questions offline

[10:28] as well as their individual

[10:29] concerns. We made every effort

[10:32] to make sure that the

[10:33] information is correct. The

[10:35] director of human resources and

[10:36] his team go out of their way to

[10:38] certainly this and give the

[10:41] Chiefs of staff the director's

[10:43] chair for myself the

[10:44] opportunity to review it and

[10:45] make sure all the information

[10:46] is accurate. It is a snapshot

[10:48] in time that has to be

[10:50] emphasized. So, you know,

[10:52] for example, a number of

[10:54] employees, well, very good.

[10:55] 08:00AM to 10:00AM separation

[10:57] from service and then dollars

[11:00] an ounce.

[11:02] Well, Larry, a

[11:04] based on promotional increases

[11:06] as possible and play might be

[11:08] eligible for promotion increase

[11:09] the day after tomorrow. You

[11:11] would see that reflected on

[11:12] this roster. So keep that in

[11:14] mind as you're making

[11:15] comparisons and so forth.

[11:17] You know, as as we look through

[11:19] this document, as you look

[11:21] through it,

[11:22] the

[11:24] the one thing I want to say

[11:25] here and in keeping with its

[11:27] past salary increase and he's

[11:28] had received some feedback that

[11:31] has been generally very

[11:33] positive in terms of how the

[11:34] Senate is doing the city, the

[11:36] employment market.

[11:38] I think we're in a position now

[11:40] where Irene is more competitive

[11:42] edge. That's that's certainly

[11:44] what I've heard. I welcome any

[11:45] and all feedback that

[11:47] supervisors, others, any hiring

[11:49] managers, you know, any of you

[11:53] would have for me regarding

[11:54] that competitiveness. We're

[11:56] what we're trying to accomplish

[11:57] here is, you know that so

[12:01] careful line between keeping

[12:02] the Senate budget using that

[12:04] very sustainable fashion and

[12:05] remaining competitive with with

[12:07] the work that's been done in

[12:08] the previous years to improve

[12:10] Senate salary, competitive

[12:11] bids.

[12:12] That's what I would have to

[12:14] tell you about the roster and

[12:15] again, as always happy to take

[12:17] any questions.

[12:20] >> And really made you have a

[12:20] question or raise your hands to

[12:22] oh, I'm sorry. So no, I do not

[12:24] have a question. Thank you,

[12:26] Senator Murray.

[12:27] >> Thank you. Madam Chair and

[12:29] Secretary Modern appreciate

[12:32] hearing that you feel they're

[12:34] fairly that our wages are

[12:35] getting more competitive out of

[12:37] curiosity.

[12:39] Is there anybody maybe they're

[12:40] in part for some of the tracks?

[12:42] How many people are losing to

[12:44] other positions that we think

[12:46] are leaving because of wages

[12:49] and sort of thing or is that I

[12:51] haven't heard a lot of people I

[12:52] left to take a much better

[12:53] paying job somewhere else.

[12:55] And I know that happens.

[12:57] But curious if there's if you

[12:59] know, sit down, tick in the

[13:00] number of people doing that.

[13:04] >> And Marty Sex, a sick

[13:05] Secretary Bowden.

[13:06] >> Thank you. Madam Chair, out

[13:07] of practice your apologists

[13:09] tonight, Renee. So summer

[13:12] anecdotally, I would say I

[13:13] think that's true. Retention

[13:15] has improved clay,

[13:19] you know, certain for more

[13:21] comprehensive look at the debt

[13:22] or something more grounded.

[13:23] And, you know, let's say the

[13:24] experience the past 6 months,

[13:27] they can check in with the

[13:29] director of human resources and

[13:30] just follow up more informally

[13:32] with you. I think it's a good

[13:33] question and maybe we need to

[13:35] be very mindful of that.

[13:36] Again, we want to retain the

[13:38] advantage that has been

[13:39] created.

[13:44] >> Thanks, Senator Marty.

[13:45] And I know there's been a real

[13:46] effort on the part of the

[13:48] Senate, too,

[13:51] make sure that the salaries are

[13:52] competitive.

[13:54] So we retain a talent.

[13:57] Are there other questions

[14:01] and seeing no questions.

[14:02] Senator Marty moves

[14:04] to approve the Senate employee

[14:06] roster dated 6/1/2026.

[14:10] seeing no questions. All those

[14:11] in favor. Please say Aye.

[14:13] Aye, aye.

[14:15] And those opposed say no.

[14:17] And that motion is adopted.

[14:19] Thank you, members

[14:21] and last and we'll take up this

[14:24] ended Senate in travel

[14:25] expenses, improved an memo and

[14:28] now turned to Director Stengel.

[14:32] >> Thank you, Madam Chair.

[14:33] This is the interim travel

[14:35] expense and pretty memo.

[14:37] This is very similar to what

[14:39] you've seen in past years.

[14:42] The first section talks about

[14:43] Purdue mileage, lodging and

[14:44] travel expenses. The next

[14:46] section talks about authorize

[14:47] reimbursements

[14:49] for certain types of business

[14:51] related to your position and

[14:52] its members. The communication

[14:54] reimbursement is the same as

[14:55] last year. Constituent service

[14:57] mileage is the next section.

[14:58] And then finally in in-state

[15:00] and out-of-state travel

[15:01] guidelines,

[15:02] this is all the same that

[15:04] you've seen in years past,

[15:05] except for the day to been

[15:06] updated. And the IRS mileage

[15:08] rate has been updated to match

[15:09] the current virus mileage rate

[15:11] and 72.5 cents per mile.

[15:14] And then there were some minor

[15:15] formatting changes from the

[15:16] memo from last year. But

[15:17] otherwise, the memo and its

[15:20] contents remain the same.

[15:23] >> Thank you, Istanbul,

[15:26] Senator Johnson.

[15:28] >> Thank you. Madam Chair.

[15:30] I just want him to make one

[15:32] point on here, too. I know this

[15:33] is this is not going to change

[15:35] in this year's document, but it

[15:38] was brought to my attention

[15:39] just

[15:40] a half an hour ago or so.

[15:42] >> That, you know, underneath

[15:44] the authorized reimbursements,

[15:46] if that bullet headline that's

[15:48] undermined,

[15:50] you know, there's a number of

[15:51] things that were authorized for

[15:53] reimbursement on

[15:56] back in 2022, the memo used to

[15:59] have a line in there that had a

[16:02] part of the reimbursement

[16:04] authorization was majority

[16:06] leader, assistant majority

[16:07] leader, president of the

[16:08] Senate, but that also minority

[16:10] leader for appropriate duties.

[16:12] And

[16:14] as we are, you know, having a

[16:16] few changes within our

[16:18] leadership staff right now are

[16:20] we're finding that, you know,

[16:21] there's there's more duties

[16:23] that I'm kind of been

[16:24] responsible for on this stuff.

[16:25] And so

[16:27] is there an opportunity here to

[16:29] to address at otherwise looks

[16:31] like everything else kind of us

[16:32] go through the majority leader

[16:34] and we're not sure

[16:36] those expenses are authorized

[16:39] to reimbursable

[16:41] for the minority leader duties

[16:43] to.

[16:47] >> The judge. Can you just you

[16:49] draw my attention to where in

[16:50] the memo to a chill.

[16:52] >> So that that's yeah, I'm

[16:53] sorry. She clarified so in the

[16:54] current mental there's hasn't

[16:56] been a change or a thing.

[16:57] And this year I think this

[16:58] happened probably back in 23 or

[17:00] 24

[17:03] but are littered. It's about

[17:04] time.

[17:06] But we're just comparing notes

[17:07] between the 2022 mammal,

[17:10] which we can send it over to

[17:12] you. I just received it here a

[17:14] few minutes ago.

[17:16] And so there's a line that was

[17:18] taken out that just highlights

[17:20] majority leader, Assistant

[17:22] majority leader, president of

[17:23] the Senate minority leader for

[17:25] their appropriate duties with

[17:27] then their caucus structures.

[17:30] And so just wondering if that's

[17:32] something that we could maybe

[17:34] I will time to reflect on a

[17:37] going forward here

[17:39] just that we know because we

[17:40] just don't have clarity on on.

[17:42] Are those duties the left come

[17:44] down and address or those

[17:47] covered or not?

[17:48] >> Okay, that you're looking

[17:49] for a pretty Senator Johnson

[17:51] for those days.

[17:52] >> Well, this is the author as

[17:54] reimbursements. So it will be

[17:56] those expenses that are

[17:57] incurred in the duties of

[17:59] coming down.

[18:01] >> Thanks for raising it,

[18:02] Senator Johnson and yes,

[18:03] let's talk it through

[18:05] to make sure. And I I just like

[18:06] to see where I was back there.

[18:08] >> I appreciate those already

[18:10] do this. I just want to talk

[18:12] about this today. It's OK,

[18:15] I'm happy to take it up with

[18:16] you,

[18:19] Senator Front.

[18:20] >> Thank you, Madam Chair.

[18:21] Thank you. Senator Johnson.

[18:22] I'm interested in hearing or as

[18:24] well figures minority in the

[18:26] way we provide for some very

[18:28] important Senator Johnson

[18:31] to know when that change was

[18:32] made, it was president 2022,

[18:35] do we know at what point there

[18:37] was up

[18:38] removal? That's the right term.

[18:40] Thank you, Madam Chair. That

[18:41] under Johnson.

[18:43] >> To Johnson. Yeah. It and I

[18:45] don't know the exact the

[18:47] interment that was made.

[18:48] It was either in the 23 in term

[18:51] were the 24 inter. So I'm not

[18:54] sure which one it was, but we

[18:56] can get that information over.

[18:58] >> Thank you, Senator Johnson,

[19:00] that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

[19:01] Looking forward to that

[19:02] discussion.

[19:04] >> And Madam Chair, Senator

[19:05] Johnson, I just got a text that

[19:07] said it was the 23

[19:10] after the 23 year.

[19:15] >> Thank you, Senator Johnson,

[19:16] thank you. Senator France will

[19:18] have that follow-up

[19:19] conversation and I'm glad to

[19:20] call that out.

[19:21] On that note,

[19:25] as we're talking about changes

[19:27] we wear in order to maintain

[19:29] the stability of our budget.

[19:32] In a news that of hiring pause.

[19:36] I'm not a freeze

[19:38] but a pause and with the

[19:40] intention of making sure if we

[19:42] have positions to fill that

[19:43] there's a process for the Mac

[19:45] to do that. And I think it is

[19:47] important to acknowledge day

[19:49] since departure right at the

[19:50] end of session and then

[19:51] important role to be filled.

[19:53] And so while we have often used

[19:55] to freeze and just said no

[19:57] hiring

[19:58] and we're going to pause, but

[19:59] we want to make sure there's a

[20:00] process by which the Mac can

[20:02] take up those questions.

[20:04] So we have to compliment to

[20:05] staff necessary for caucuses

[20:11] chair.

[20:12] >> Senator Reid should

[20:13] appreciate the recognition and

[20:15] accommodation for

[20:18] for our group or 2. So

[20:20] absolutely in conversations as

[20:22] things kind of progress here.

[20:23] Thank you.

[20:26] >> Are there any questions on

[20:27] the interim travel expenses and

[20:29] pretty a memo

[20:32] and seeing no questions.

[20:33] Senator Pappas moves

[20:35] to approve the interim travel

[20:37] expenses and pretty letter

[20:38] dated 6/1/2026. All those in

[20:41] favor. Please say Aye. Aye.

[20:44] And the House I know.

[20:47] And that motion is adopted

[20:49] there being no further business

[20:51] before the Rules Committee.

[20:52] This meeting is adjourned.

[20:53] Thank you. Members

[20:55] have a good summer

Committee on Rules and Administration

Agenda

Transcript