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Deadline brings action on flurry of bills
As the first committee deadlines of 2013 loom, Minnesota legislators have spent the week holding hearings on high-profile legislation ranging from the legalization of same-sex marriage to state funding for a Mayo Clinic-driven “destination medical center” development push in Rochester.
DFL lawmakers propose raising miniumum wage to $9.50
The bill, which supporters are calling the Family Economic Stability Act, was introduced in both chambers on Wednesday. In addition to raising the minimum wage, the bill would fund childcare assistance programs and provide per-child tax credits for families.
Utilities brace for 2013 energy-policy battles
The outlook for energy policy is quite different as DFLers get set to take control of both the House and Senate in the 2013 legislative session. Business groups that had pursued an aggressive agenda in the last two years of GOP control will likely adopt a more defensive posture.
Minnesota’s DFL majorities face social issues pressure
As they prepare to take the reins of state government starting in 2013, Minnesota Democrats are attempting to strike a delicate balance between erasing a projected budget deficit and handling pent-up demand to tackle liberal social issues after two decades of divided control in St. Paul.
Both parties eye pickups in District 36 contest
Over the past decade, Senate District 47 — stretching around north metro area cities like Champlin, Coon Rapids and Brooklyn Park — has been a place where moderate Democrats could prosper despite the district’s slight GOP tilt.
Election strategists sort out House swing races
The last two election cycles have witnessed wave elections for both parties that tilted the Minnesota House of Representatives in polar opposite directions.
Tax commission, anyone?
Talk of tax reform created a few pariahs during the 2011 session. A handful of moderate Republicans, including Senate Taxes Chairwoman Julianne Ortman and Finance Chairwoman Claire Robling, proposed reviewing the hundreds of tax breaks on state books.
2012 legislative races start to take shape
Nobody knows what the legislative maps will look like in 2012. The politically charged redistricting process will almost certainly be decided by the courts, most likely in February. But that uncertainty over legislative district boundaries hasn’t stopped numerous challengers on both sides of the aisle from declaring their candidacies.
House GOP shapes key committees for budget battle
There were few surprises when the Minnesota House GOP released committee rosters last week. Legislators, Republican and Democrat alike, landed in spots where they've sat before, or - in the case of new lawmakers - where they have accrued relevant experience in their professional and personal lives.
Thissen names House DFL leadership team
House Minority Leader Paul Thissen named five fellow Democratic representatives that will join him in leading the caucus next session.
Number of votes by which DFL lost House majority: 694
The House DFL caucus will meet tonight at 7 to review election results and select a new minority leader from the caucus. As we tweeted a few minutes ago, the rumored candidates include the three people who were angling to be Speaker Tony Sertich's number two: Reps. Steve Simon, Melissa Hortman, and Erin Murphy. But Tina Liebling (Rochester) and Paul Thissen (Minneapolis) are also said to be in the[...]
House and Senate caucuses to choose leadership
The Democratic and Republican caucuses in the House and Senate are meeting between now and Sunday to organize and decide on leadership after a presumed DFL-stronghold in the Legislature fell into the GOP's hands Tuesday night.
Top News
- Target faces ‘non-drowsy’ meds suit
- Melodie Rose named president at Fredrikson
- Supreme Court lawyers have rituals of their own
- Minnesota artists consider what’s next in AI copyrights
- Defining ‘and’ in sentencing statute falls to Supreme Court
- Hashtag rates higher libel protection
- Court: Performance issues, not bias, prompted union to fire organizer
- Robot milker case yields $122M
Expert Testimony
- Briefly: A chat with Supreme Court Commissioner Tim Droske
- Perspectives: Oral arguments at high court stir lively debates
- Quandaries & Quagmires: Advance waivers: Lessons from Paul Hastings vs. Coca Cola
- Perspectives: Recent cellphone ruling recalls high court cases
