1) The state Senate passed its version of a measure meant to increase protections for working women, the St. Cloud Times reports. Those protections, which ...

1.) A bid to expedite the passage of a tax-cuts bill through the Minnesota Senate ran aground Thursday when the chamber’s Republican minority refused to ...

Hundreds gathered for the afternoon rally held in the rotunda to push back against the recent introduction of bills in both chambers to legalize same-sex marriage. The rally was held at the same time House and Senate members were holding floor sessions.

After House and Senate DFLers announced the introduction of their gay marriage bill on Wednesday, it didn’t take long for the reaction to make itself felt.

Minneapolis DFL lawmakers Karen Clark and Scott Dibble released the language of the bill at a Capitol news conference on Wednesday. They were joined by Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-Hopkins, who will also sponsor the bill, as well as clergy members and gay couples and their families. Republican Sen. Branden Petersen was not present, but released a statement making his support official.

DFL legislative and party leaders and Gov. Mark Dayton plan to tour swing districts throughout the state in the six days before the Nov. 6 general election.

The Apple Valley-area seat is open due to Chris Gerlach’s retirement.

On Tuesday hundreds of labor unions, business groups, lobbying shops and other independent political organizations submitted reports detailing how much money they’ve raised so far this year, what they’ve already spent and how much they have in the bank.

While legislative leaders haggled in private regarding the 2012 session’s marquee legislation, rank-and-file legislators spent long hours on the floors of the House and Senate processing members’ pet bills.

The intra-party battle for the Republican nomination in the district is shaping up to pit three Republicans against one another.