January 19, 2023
Legislation (HF 16 - Hollins, DFL – St. Paul), that would prohibit the use of conversion therapy for individuals under the age of 18 received its first committee hearing in the Minnesota House of Representatives on January 18.
Similar legislation has passed the House in previous sessions. However, the bill never received a hearing in the Senate during that time, and therefore never became law in Minnesota. With current DFL control of the Minnesota House and Senate, the bill is likely to be heard in both bodies, and is on route to passing this year.
“Conversion therapy can lead to poor self-esteem, self-harm, guilt, anxiety, depression, and possibly suicide, all while being wholly ineffective in its intended purpose,” stated MMA President Will Nicholson, MD, in the MMA’s letter of support for HF 16. “There is no scientific evidence to support a need for conversion therapy. The concept of conversion therapy lacks scientific credibility and clinical usefulness.”
Several specialty medical societies, including the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Pediatricians, and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, also shared letters of support for HF 16.
On a 7-5 party line vote, HF 16 was referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee.
March 5, 2026
On March 2, the Minnesota House Health Finance and Policy Committee heard HF 3668 (Bierman, DFL – Apple Valley), a bill that would establish a statewide Office of Gun Violence Prevention to research and reduce gun violence and firearm-related deaths, lead public health awareness campaigns, and serve as a resource for lawmakers.
March 5, 2026
The MMA submitted a letter opposing SF 1084 (Kupec, DFL – Moorhead), which would change the statutory title of “physician assistant” to “physician associate.” The bill was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 4.
March 5, 2026
On March 2, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) filed a federal lawsuit against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for attempting to withhold $243 million in Medicaid payments from the state of Minnesota.