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Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, Minnesota House of Representatives

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Minnesota House

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Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee Children and Families Finance and Policy Climate and Energy Finance and Policy Committee Commerce Finance and Policy Committee Education Finance Committee Education Policy Committee Elections Finance and Policy Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee Ethics Committee Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee Health Finance and Policy Committee House Capital Investment Committee House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee House Housing Finance and Policy Committee House Taxes Committee House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee Human Services Finance and Policy Committee Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee Legacy Finance Committee Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Finance and Policy Committee Rules and Legislative Administration Committee State Government Finance and Policy Committee Transportation Committee Ways and Means Committee Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy Committee
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TheCommerce Finance and Policy Committee (formerly the Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee) is astanding committee of theMinnesota House of Representatives.

Per Rule 6.01 of the House Rules, standing committees of theMinnesota House of Representatives are appointed by thespeaker of the house.^[1] Committees are appointed at the beginning of each biennial session. Up to 30 days before the session, the speaker-designate is to submit a list of proposed standing committees and divisions to all minority caucuses. Up to 15 days before the session's start, theminority leader may submit proposed minority assignments to the speaker-designate, who must comply in keeping with attaining proportionate representation. With the exception of theCommittee on Rules and Legislative Administration, one may not serve as chair of a committee or another with a similar jurisdiction for longer than three consecutive two-year sessions.^[2]

See rules:House Rules

Function

“

The committee holds public hearings on bills to put each bill into its best form. During the bill's hearing, the committee can take testimony from the bill's sponsors, the general public and experts in the areas the bill affects.

The committee has several courses of action it can take:

amend the bill;
combine two or more bills under one file number;
recommend a bill to pass as introduced;
recommend it be passed as amended;
send it to another committee for consideration;
vote not to approve the bill; or
table it, which in essence delays action.^[3]^[4]

”

Membership

2025-2026 legislative session

Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, 2025-2026
Democratic members (10)	Republican members (10)	Third-party members(0)
Kaohly Her Co-Chair Steve Elkins Co-Vice Chair John Huot Zack Stephenson Andy Smith Liz Reyer Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn Leigh Finke Alex Falconer Ethan Cha	Tim O'Driscoll Co-Chair Bernie Perryman Co-Vice Chair Max Rymer Ron Kresha Josh Heintzeman Jeff Dotseth Greg Davids Nolan West Keith Allen Scott Van Binsbergen

2023-2024 legislative session

Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, 2023-2024
Democratic members (10)	Republican members (7)	Third-party members(0)
Zack Stephenson Chair Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn Vice Chair Tina Liebling Larry Kraft Ginny Klevorn Erin Koegel Mike Freiberg Ethan Cha Robert Bierman Brad Tabke	Brian Pfarr Bernie Perryman Harry Niska Anne Neu Brindley Jeff Dotseth Kurt Daudt Tim O'Driscoll

2021-2022 legislative session

Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, 2021-2022
Democratic members (6)	Republican members (7)	Third-party members(0)
Zack Stephenson Chair Ruth Richardson Dave Lislegard Fue Lee Erin Koegel Liz Olson	Tim O'Driscoll Ranking Member Tama Theis Jordan Rasmusson Brian Pfarr Eric Lucero Barb Haley Calvin Bahr

Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (D, Vice Chair) left this committee on January 03, 2023.

Andrew Carlson (D) left this committee on January 03, 2023.

Jim Davnie (D) left this committee on January 03, 2023.

Steve Elkins (D) left this committee on January 03, 2023.

Leon Lillie (D) left this committee on January 03, 2023.

2019-2020 legislative session

Commerce Committee, 2019-2020
Democratic members (12)	Republican members (8)	Third-party members(0)
Laurie Halverson Chair Zack Stephenson Vice Chair Brad Tabke Ruth Richardson Tim Mahoney Dave Lislegard John Lesch Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn Michael Howard Steve Elkins Raymond Dehn Andrew Carlson	Tim O'Driscoll Republican Lead Chris Swedzinski Marion Rarick Ron Kresha Barb Haley Pat Garofalo Greg Davids Tama Theis

2017 legislative session

The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2017 legislative session.

Commerce and Regulatory Reform Members, 2017
Democratic members (8)	Republican members (13)
•Linda Slocum	•Joe Hoppe, Chair
•Susan Allen	•Kelly Fenton, Vice chair
•Jon Applebaum	•Sarah Anderson
•Laurie Halverson	•Regina Barr
•Debra Hilstrom	•Greg Davids
•Sheldon Johnson	•Mary Franson
•Dave Pinto	•Ron Kresha
•Paul Rosenthal	•Jenifer Loon
	•Bob Loonan
	•Jim Nash
	•Tim O'Driscoll
	•Dennis Smith
	•Chris Swedzinski

2015 legislative session

The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2015 legislative session.

Commerce and Regulatory Reform Members, 2015
Democratic members (7)	Republican members (13)
•Joe Atkins, DFL Lead	•Joe Hoppe, Chair
•Jon Applebaum	•Tim O'Driscoll, Vice Chair
•Raymond Dehn	•Sarah Anderson
•Sheldon Johnson	•Greg Davids
•Leon Lillie	•Laurie Halverson
•Linda Slocum	•Ron Kresha
•Mike Sundin	•Jenifer Loon
	•Bob Loonan
	•Tim Sanders
	•Peggy Scott
	•Dennis Smith
	•Chris Swedzinski
	•Tama Theis