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Tag Archives: John Ward

MN United PAC releases ‘Minnesota 15’ list

On the same day the U.S. Supreme Court struck struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the Minnesotans United PAC released the full "Minnesota 15" list of pro-gay marriage legislators who will be made "priorities" in their reelection campaigns. That list includes the five legislative Republicans who voted in favor of the bill and 10 rural Democrats serving in the House who could be vulnerable after casting their "yes" votes.

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Lawmakers aim to tackle synthetic drug use in Minnesota

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.

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2013 session leaves unfinished business

Whether the 2013 legislative session in Minnesota was a successful one depends on which Democrat you ask. While many long-sought DFL priorities were achieved at the end of the five-month session, including gay marriage and increased spending on education, a handful of high-priority issues were ultimately shelved in 2013 in the hustle and bustle of crafting a $38 billion budget.

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HIX bill nears Dayton’s desk

On Thursday night the Minnesota House of Representatives gave final passage to the bill establishing a state-run health-insurance marketplace, leaving the long-disputed measure just a Senate vote away from reaching the governor’s desk.

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House DFL names assistant majority leaders

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).

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