Chair Baker and the House Workforce, Labor and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee on Thursday adopted an author's amendment to House File 110 increasing a planned appropriation for the Hmong American Partnership and then laid the bill over for future consideration.

The amendment, offered by Representative Hussain, changed the appropriation from $500,000 in fiscal year 2026 to $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2027. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote; no recorded roll-call was taken. After testimony, Representative Hussain moved to lay the bill over for possible inclusion in a later omnibus bill.

The bill's testifiers described Hmong American Partnership (HAP) as a workforce and community development organization serving Hmong and other immigrant and refugee populations. Mains Atal, identified in testimony as HAP president and CEO, said the organization has helped nearly 3,000 Minnesotans through workforce programs, with more than 630 enrolling in job training and a 74% program completion rate. Atal told the committee that about 65% of Hmong Minnesotans live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and that nearly 20% of Hmong adults 25 and older lack a high school diploma.

Atal said program participants who completed training earned industry-recognized credentials and saw average wages around $20.25 per hour. She added that HAP also operates as a community development financial institution and has provided more than $1,100,000 in microloans since July 2023 while leveraging more than $6,000,000 in additional funds and creating over 60 jobs in conjunction with that lending.

Small-business owner Mo Chang testified to HAP's role in his business expansion. Chang said HAP exceeded its usual lending limit to provide $100,000 that helped him secure a 28,000-square-foot wholesale facility; he said his two businesses now employ more than 75 people and serve over 500 businesses.

Committee members asked for current tax filings and metrics; Representative Hussain requested updated 990s and HAP agreed to provide them to the committee administrator. Representative Lee Pinto asked about HAP's revolving loan fund model; Atal explained that repaid loans are recycled into new lending and that HAP provides pre- and post-loan technical assistance and reviews loans through a loan committee.

No formal final appropriation was adopted by the committee; the bill, as amended, was laid over for future inclusion in an omnibus bill.

The committee record shows the amendment was moved by Representative Hussain and adopted by voice vote; the bill was then laid over for future consideration.