The Minnesota House of Representatives on Jan. 14 elected Patrick Duffy Murphy as chief clerk and Lori Hodap as chief sergeant at arms and approved a slate of other House officers, clearing formal steps for the 94th regular session to begin.

Lawmakers cast a roll-call vote for chief clerk Patrick D. Murphy, with the chief clerk declared elected after “there being 67 ayes and 0 nays.” Representative Cresha (District 10A) nominated Murphy; Representative Nadeau seconded the nomination. Murphy was then sworn into office.

The election of other front-desk officers was carried by a slate motion offered by Representative Niska and approved by the chamber. The House also elected Lori Hodap as chief sergeant at arms after a roll-call vote that produced the same recorded outcome given for the chief clerk: 67 ayes and 0 nays. Representative Nash nominated Hodap; Representative Witty seconded the nomination.

Why it matters: electing officers and adopting organizing resolutions formally constitute the House’s internal organization and allow it to receive messages from the governor and the senate and to proceed with committee business.

Nominations and remarks focused on nominees’ institutional experience and public-facing roles. In nominating Murphy, Representative Cresha praised his long service and work with youth programs, saying that “Pat gives you the respect, first of all, as a human being and second, as, a government elected official.” Cresha described Murphy’s work during the COVID period to preserve legal voting integrity and highlighted his involvement with youth-in-government efforts at the Minnesota State Fair and local schools.

Majority Leader Niska described the slate resolution as a routine, time-saving step to allow the House to “elect the rest of the front desk staff … so that we can work as expeditiously as possible to organize the House and get to work for the people of Minnesota.”

Procedural actions taken by the House included two formal resolutions: directing the chief clerk to inform the senate that the House is duly organized, and appointing a four-member committee to notify the governor. Representative Anderson later reported that the governor had been notified the House is organized and ready to begin the session.

Members also paused for a moment of silence to honor former Representative Mary Murphy, who served from 1977 until 2022; that observance was made during announcements.

The House concluded business by adopting a motion to adjourn to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.

Votes at a glance

- Election of chief clerk: Nomination of Patrick Duffy Murphy (mover: Representative Cresha; second: Representative Nadeau). Tally: 67 yes, 0 no. Outcome: elected and sworn. Note: sworn in immediately following the vote for the 2025–26 session.

- Election of other officers (slate): Motion to elect 1st assistant chief clerk Stephanie Miller; 2nd assistant chief clerk Kathy Carlson; assistant sergeants at arms Erica Brynelson and Andrew Olsen; index clerk Carl Hamrey; and other nominated staff as a slate (mover: Representative Niska). Outcome: slate adopted; numerical tally: majority (numeric count not specified on the record).

- Election of chief sergeant at arms: Nomination of Lori (Lori) Hodap (mover: Representative Nash; second: Representative Witty). Tally: 67 yes, 0 no. Outcome: elected and sworn.

- Resolution to inform the senate that the House is duly organized (mover: Representative Niska). Outcome: adopted (voice vote).

- Resolution to appoint a committee to notify the governor that the House is duly organized (mover: Representative Niska). Outcome: adopted (voice vote); committee named and reported that the governor was notified.

Context and background

Patrick D. Murphy (elected using the name recorded in the proceedings as Patrick Duffy Murphy) has a long tenure in the House clerk’s office dating to the late 1970s and has served previously as chief clerk in multiple sessions. During remarks, members highlighted his work with youth-in-government programs and his role in maintaining procedural integrity during remote voting in the COVID period.

Lori Hodap was introduced by Representative Nash with a summary of a law-enforcement background and Capitol security experience; nominators emphasized her work to maintain order and safety in the chamber.

No substantive policy debates or committee referrals took place during the organization actions; the items were procedural and limited to nominations, elections, and short explanatory remarks.