Ethics Committee, Minnesota House of Representatives
The Ethics Committee is a standing committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Per Rule 6.01 of the House Rules, standing committees of the Minnesota House of Representatives are appointed by the speaker 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, the minority leader may submit proposed minority assignments to the speaker-designate, who must comply in keeping with attaining proportionate representation. With the exception of the Committee 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: |
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| “ | The Speaker must appoint a Committee on Ethics consisting of four members: two members from the majority political party caucus, and two from the minority caucus. One alternate from each caucus must also be appointed. The committee must adopt written procedures, which must include due process requirements, for handling complaints and issuing guidelines.
A complaint may be brought about conduct by a member that violates a rule or administrative policy of the House, that violates accepted norms of House behavior, that betrays the public trust, or that tends to bring the House into dishonor or disrepute. A complaint about a member's conduct must present with specificity the factual evidence supporting the complaint. A complaint must be in writing, under oath and signed by two or more members of the House, and submitted to the Speaker. Before submitting the complaint to the Speaker, the complainants must cause a copy of it and any supporting materials to be delivered to any member named in the complaint. Within seven days after receiving a complaint, the Speaker must refer the complaint to the Ethics Committee for processing by the committee according to its rules of procedure. The existence and substance of a complaint, including any supporting materials, and all proceedings, meetings, hearings, and records of the Ethics Committee are public; except that the committee, upon a majority vote of the whole committee, may meet in executive session to consider or determine the question of probable cause, to consider a member's medical or other health records, or to protect the privacy of a victim or a third party. A complaint of a breach of confidentiality by a member or employee of the House must be immediately referred by the Speaker to the Ethics Committee for disciplinary action. The committee must act in an investigatory capacity and may make recommendations regarding complaints submitted to the Speaker before adjournment sine die. With the approval of the Speaker, the committee may retain a retired judge or other nonpartisan legal advisor to advise and assist the committee, as the committee considers appropriate and necessary in the circumstances of the case, in conducting the proceedings and obtaining a complete and accurate understanding of the information relevant to the conduct in question. Ethics Committee recommendations for disciplinary action must be supported by clear and convincing evidence and must be reported to the House for final disposition.[5][4] |
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Membership
2025-2026 legislative session
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Ethics Committee, 2025-2026 |
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| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (3) | Third-party members(0) |
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2023-2024 legislative session
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Ethics Committee, 2023-2024 |
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| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (3) | Third-party members(0) |
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2021-2022 legislative session
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Ethics Committee, 2021-2022 |
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| Democratic members (0) | Republican members (2) | Third-party members(0) |
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Jim Davnie (D, Chair) left this committee on January 03, 2023.
Jamie Becker-Finn (D, Ranking Member) left this committee on January 03, 2023.
2019-2020 legislative session
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Ethics Committee, 2019-2020 |
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| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (3) | Third-party members(0) |
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2017 legislative session
The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2017 legislative session.
| Ethics Members, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (3) | |||
| • Mary Murphy | • Sondra Erickson, Chair | |||
| • Linda Slocum | • Paul Torkelson | |||
| • Raymond Dehn | • Marion O'Neill | |||
2015 legislative session
The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2015 legislative session.
| Ethics Members, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (1) | |||
| • Mary Murphy, DFL Lead | • Sondra Erickson, Chair | |||
| • Raymond Dehn | ||||
| • Joe Atkins, Alternate | ||||
Note: Tara Mack (R) and Tim Kelly (R) resigned from the Ethics Committee on September 14, 2015.[6]
2013-2014
The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2013 legislative session.
| Ethics Members, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (3) | |||
| • Jim Davnie, Chair | • Tim Kelly | |||
| • Mary Murphy | • Tara Mack | |||
| • Joe Atkins | • Kelby Woodard | |||
2011-2012
The following table describes committee membership for the 2011 legislative session.
| Ethics Members, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (2) | Republican members (2) | |||
| • Diane Loeffler | • Sondra Erickson | |||
| • Michael Paymar | • Steve Smith | |||
2009-2010
The following table describes committee membership for the 2009 legislative session.
| Ethics Members, 2009 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (3) | Republican members (3) | |||
| • Mary Murphy, Chair | • Steve Smith, Vice chair | |||
| • Tina Liebling | • Ron Shimanski | |||
| • Steve Simon | • Mary Liz Holberg | |||
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota House of Representatives, "Permanent Rules of the House 2021 - 2022," February 24, 2021 (Rule 6.01)
- ↑ Minnesota House of Representatives, "Permanent Rules of the House 2021 - 2022," February 24, 2021 (Rule 6.02)
- ↑ Minnesota House of Representatives, "Committees," accessed February 24, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Minnesota House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office, "Permanent Rules of the House 2013-2014," February 11, 2013. Accessed January 29, 2014 Rule 6.10
- ↑ inforum.com, "Minn. lawmakers accused of ‘making out’ resign Ethics Committee posts," accessed September 14, 2015
