Capitol artwork panel hears what citizens want hanging on the walls

With most major finance bills clearing the House and Senate floors, attention will now turn towards conference committees this week. Conferees on several bills have already been appointed by legislative leaders.

The next frontier in the battle over tax increases emerged subtly, almost imperceptibly, at the tail end of a Monday evening floor session.

On Sunday, incoming House Majority Leader Erin Murphy congratulated the new assistant leaders over Twitter, naming Reps. Carly Melin (Hibbing), John Ward (Baxter), Leon Lillie (North St. Paul), Kim Norton (Rochester), John Persell (Bemidji), Diane Loefller (Minneapolis) and freshman Jacob Isaacson (Shoreview).

Despite the relatively low public profile of legislative races in the dog days of summer, Republicans are starting to prime the issue of the Affordable Care Act for this fall’s general election.

The uproar over debt collection practices at Fairview Health Services hospitals in the Twin Cities intensified in St. Paul as U.S. Sen. Al Franken convened a field hearing at the state Capitol to listen to patients’ stories of being accosted by employees of Accretive Health Inc

At least three strong DFL challengers — Jacob Frey, Cordelia Pierson and Peter Wagenius — are seeking the Minneapolis Senate seek vacated by Larry Pogemiller. The three-decade veteran legislator announced last week that he was resigning to serve as director of the state’s Office of Higher Education.

Long-time DFL operative and Minneapolis city hall staffer Peter Wagenius will run for the open state Senate seat in District 59. Wagenius, 40, who is the son of Rep. Jean Wagenius is running in a special election to replace former majority leader Larry Pogemiller.

Responding to potential proposals for new casinos and racinos that would finance a Minnesota Vikings stadium, a group of legislators from both parties spoke this morning against expansion of gambling in Minnesota.