The Senate passed a measure on Tuesday that would enhance the regulation of cell-phone tracking devices currently used by at least two law enforcement organizations in the state. The Senate version, however, was amended at the last minute to weaken the legal standard allowing only limited access to citizens' location information, according to privacy advocates

Sen. Katie Sieben, who heads the Senate Subcommittee on Elections, will not hear a bill that would let cities adopt ranked choice voting.

MNsure board chair Brian Beutner told reporters that he was sad to see Todd-Malmlov leave.

State lawmakers have been active in recent legislative sessions banning synthetic marijuana and other so-called designer drugs. But as soon as the Legislature adds new chemical compounds to the statutes governing controlled substances, the drug makers cook up a new molecular recipe to skirt the law.

DFL House Speaker Paul Thissen this week created a temporary committee on controlled substances and synthetic drugs that will hold hearings over the interim on drug abuse issues. Rep. Erik Simonson, DFL-Duluth, will chair the committee, which has to present a report to the speaker by the time session starts in February next year.

As he talked about meeting with thousands of potential voters on the campaign trail, Jason Metsa found himself using a certain word, and paused to acknowledge what it meant. “Those people are now my constituents,” he said.

Continuing a streak of endorsing more conservative candidates, the Duluth News Tribune on Thursday endorsed independent write-in candidate and Duluth City Councilor Jay Fosle for the House District 7B race over the endorsed GOP and DFL candidates.

The Supreme Court of Minnesota issued an order today removing the name of Kerry Gauthier from the House District 7B ballot, to be replaced by that of Erik Simonson.

DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin, teaming up with the House DFL caucus and Erik Simonson's campaign, said Friday that they are petitioning the Minnesota Supreme Court to challenge the St. Louis County Auditor's move to deny a withdrawal affidavit from Kerry Gauthier and a certificate of nomination for Simonson.

Duluth assistant fire chief and union leader Erik Simonson won the backing of area Democrats over the weekend as the party attempts to execute what would likely be the first successful write-in campaign for the Legislature in Minnesota history.