On the afternoon that the House cast its historic vote in favor of gay marriage — completely monopolizing attention at the Capitol — the Senate quietly debated a bill overhauling the state’s campaign finance rules. Most notably, the bill would significantly increase caps on spending and contributions for political campaigns.

The Senate passed a higher education finance bill that includes $250 million in additional funding and a tuition freeze at the state's public colleges and universities by a 44-22 vote on Friday. Six Republicans joined all DFLers in voting for the measure.

With a quick swipe of his pen, Gov. Mark Dayton made Minnesota the 12th state in the nation to allow same-sex marriages as a crowd of more than a thousand watched on the front steps of the Capitol Tuesday.

The Senate passed legislation increasing campaign spending and contribution limits. The House is yet to take up companion legislation on the floor by a 36-28 vote on Thursday.

In an embarrassing misstep, the Senate’s omnibus tax bill was initially defeated on a 34-32 vote Monday. But after a brief caucus meeting, DFLers returned to the floor and passed the bill on a 35-31 vote.

**UPDATED** In an embarrassing misstep, the Senate’s omnibus tax bill was initially defeated on a 34-32 vote on Monday. Seven DFLers joined all but one GOP legislator in voting against the bill, which raises $1.9 billion in additional revenue.

A revamped proposal to help the Mayo Clinic build a "destination medical center" was vetted at the Senate Taxes Committee on Monday. The legislation now largely parallels the House version of the bill, with the state's share of the $5.5 billion project shrinking considerably.

It was hardly a secret that the Mayo Clinic’s plan to create a “destination medical center” in Rochester was never going to make it through the House Taxes Committee as originally conceived. Rep. Ann Lenczewski, DFL-Bloomington, the influential chair of the committee, was extremely blunt about the problems she saw with the proposal.

A few Minnesota lawmakers are experiencing déjà vu this session as they take up a bill to help pay for a $6 billion project to build up Rochester and boost the Mayo Clinic.

Senate Republicans will have 38 slots to fill when the Legislature convenes on January 8. That’s down from the 43 staffers that DFLers were able to employ while serving in the minority over the past two years.