MNsure aims to balance the risk pool by courting the young and healthy.

The successful effort to legalize gay marriage in Minnesota this session also turned out to be one of the most expensive lobbying efforts in 2013, with advocates and opponents spending nearly $2 million to try an influence legislators votes on the issue.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce was not impressed by the work of the DFL legislative majorities during the 2013 session.

Premiums remain a huge issue in the debate over Minnesota's health insurance exchange, MNsure. One fear is that it will potentially raise health insurance costs for all Minnesotans. Others argue the opposite, suggesting health costs will flatten as the exchange creates a wider marketplace.

State lawmakers are introducing a workers’ compensation proposal that business and labor leaders alike regard as the most significant change to the system in 18 years.

The new group running the ads, United for Jobs, was formed by the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and dozens of individual chambers from around the state. The campaign will feature two television ads, two radio spots and newspaper and online ads.

Legislation establishing a state-run marketplace where individuals and small businesses can purchase health insurance is on its way to Gov. Mark Dayton's desk. The Senate passed the bill on a 39-28 party-line vote on Monday.

The Democratic governor, speaking in front of members of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce on their day at the Capitol, outlined the broad strokes of his revised budget plan, due out this week. He said it will include about $1.8 billion in new revenue generated by an income tax increase on the top 2 percent of earners in the state and a proposed cigarette tax increase.

Rep. Joe Atkins (Staff photo: Peter Bartz-Gallagher) Legislation establishing a health insurance exchange cleared the House on a largely partisan vote on Monday evening. The 72-58 vote followed more than five hours of contentious debate over the proposal to provide a marketplace for individuals and businesses to purchase insurance products under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Legislation that would establish a marketplace where insurance for 1.3 million state residents is expected to be purchased cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday. The health care exchange bill passed out of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government on a 7-5 party-line vote.