A state task force will discuss adjusting sentencing guidelines or probation practices, building more jail cells or leasing an empty private prison in Appleton.

Near the end of a public, off-site meeting for the Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee on Monday night, a public health advocate for ...

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 7-3, across party lines, to move the languishing proposal forward. It has so far passed one committee in the House. Sen. Scott Dibble, the measure's chief Senate sponsor, called the proposal a "responsible bill."

The news drew a positive reaction from Gov. Mark Dayton.

In a statement following the decision, DHS Commissioner Lucinda Jesson echoed the call for legislative action this spring.

It’s been 14 years since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in the matter of Olmstead v. L.C. In that case, the high court found that states cannot continue to house disabled citizens in isolated, state-run institutions if those people are capable of thriving in a more independent setting.

Just over two months remain before MNsure, the state’s federally mandated health insurance marketplace, is slated to open for business. But there remain numerous tasks that need to be completed before the Oct. 1 rollout.

Over the past year, there have been more than 60 hours of settlement talks between lawyers representing nearly 700 civilly committed sex offenders and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. On Thursday, they will meet again to try to negotiate an end to a class-action lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the troubled Minnesota Sex Offender Program.

At a Friday morning committee hearing, just 10 days before the close of the legislative session, Rep. Steve Drazkowski offered an idea for dealing with the state’s troubled civil commitment program for sex offenders. Drazkowski proposed creating a bipartisan task force to recommend changes to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program.

The Senate passed legislation on Tuesday making significant changes to the state's trouble civil commitment program for sex offenders with bipartisan support. The House version of the bill continues to face opposition from Republicans.