You Didn’t Learn This in School: State Agencies

Virtual Event – Live/Online

Fee: $50 for MCN members / $70 for nonmembers

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State government doesn’t need to be a mystery! No matter where you went to school, chances are good you didn’t learn more about state government than the fact that there are three branches. In this session, we’ll look at Minnesota’s Executive branch, focusing on the state agencies set up under the Office of the Governor and Lt. Governor.

There are around two dozen state agencies, including the Department of Corrections, Department of Human Services, Department of Transportation, and the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. These agencies are tasked with implementing laws passed by the Legislature. Many nonprofits interact with state agencies through funding partnerships, licensing processes, and Rules, but we rarely have an opportunity to look at the big picture of where these agencies sit within state government.

We’ll look at what it means to implement law through the example of Paid Family Medical Leave, a law passed by the Legislature in 2023, and now being implemented by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. We’ll also look at capital-R Rules and the Rulemaking process.

If you’ve ever wished to know more about the workings of state agencies, this is your chance! Our main speaker, Marie Ellis, is committed to making state government more accessible, especially for those who may feel disconnected or unfamiliar with its processes.

Event Details

This virtual event will take place on the Zoom platform. Your access link will be emailed to you the day before the event after 12 p.m.

This session will be recorded. The recording will be available to registrants for 14 days after the live event.

Captioning is provided automatically through Zoom. For information on requesting CART, ASL, or another accommodation, please visit our Registration Policies page.

To learn more about events, registration, and payment, visit our Event & Registration FAQ page.

Speaker Information

Marie Ellis, public policy director, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, advances the mission and work of MCN and Minnesota’s nonprofit sector through developing MCN’s policy priorities, advocating on those issues at the state, local, and national levels, and assisting members in effectively advocating on behalf of their organizations and stakeholders. Marie is committed to continuing MCN’s work to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all individuals and participates in overall organizational leadership and management at MCN as part of the leadership team.