Cost, ineffectiveness as deterrent cited.

Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, plans to introduce legislation that would cut down on the need to call the Legislature back to the Capitol to deal with the nearly annual occurrence of damaging storm systems that rip through the state.

A recent KARE-11 report about the secretive use of cellphone tracking devices by Minnesota law enforcement agencies has sparked calls for hearings from lawmakers and outraged open-government advocates.

A committee responsible for recommending enhanced safety procedures at the Capitol is advocating a big increase in security spending, but remains deeply divided over the issue of firearms inside the Capitol.

Though the ink has long since dried on the Minnesota Vikings stadium legislation, there is still sufficient action on several stadium-related fronts to keep Vikings lobbyists employed for the foreseeable future.

Right out of the box, Maplewood's new anti-vehicle-theft technology has proved its effectiveness. The system - essentially three camera-bearing, Spam-can shaped boxes hanging off the city's unmarked squad car - nabbed a stolen vehicle two days after it was deployed earlier this month.

The shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz., has pushed the issue of security at the Capitol onto the front burner. But it is hardly a new subject:

A proposal that would require all convicted DWI offenders in Minnesota to either use breath-activated ignition systems or have their licenses suspended for a longer period of time was announced this afternoon by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.