The 2014 Minnesota legislative session will open officially on Feb. 25, but House Speaker Paul Thissen has alerted House members and staff that committee hearings can begin meeting a month earlier.
In an email, Thissen sets Jan. 27-30 as the target week for committees to meet ahead of time.
A House Public Information Services item quotes Thissen’s email:
“The reserved week is intended to enable committees to begin work early (including informally hearing previously introduced or pre-filed bills); and maximize time during the legislative session. I’m hoping that designating a week will ease travel for members, make planning around other jobs easier, and improve attendance. If committees decide to meet, they will convene according to our usual session committee schedule.”
Other interim committee meetings, he notes, can always be called by committee chairs as needed.
This is fairly normal in even-numbered years.