Bakk has said on multiple occasions that he would like to devote the surplus in part to enlarging the state’s budget reserve.

Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Newport, announced on Friday that she would not seek the Lieutenant Governor position.

The House passed a health and human services finance bill that reduces anticipated spending by $50 million on a 73-61 party line vote on Friday night. The legislation, which includes a 5 percent rate increase for nursing homes, is now headed to the Senate.

Democrats in the House have approved an $11.2 billion health and human services budget bill that would trim $150 million from spending over the next two years while also making first-ever investments in mental health programs in schools.

The bill passed off the House floor Monday night on a 70-64 vote after more than nine hours of debate. The bill would provide a 3 percent increase to cost-of-living for nursing homes and a 2 percent increase for long-term care providers while cutting about $150 million from projected HHS spending.

Growing pressures on Minnesota’s water supply are bound to be a key issue for environmental committees at the Minnesota Legislature this session.

The House and Senate appear to be heading for a conference committee battle over the marquee land-acquisition proposal in this year’s Legacy bill.

House and Senate races across the state are rapidly shaking out after the release of the 2012 legislative map last month. And with local endorsing conventions set to take place throughout March, incumbents and challengers alike have little time to make decisions about their political futures.

House and Senate races across the state are rapidly shaking out following the release of new legislative maps.

Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Nelson Township, announced today he will move to the new House District 16B that includes New Ulm and Redwood Falls. In doing so he will run for an open seat and avoid running against fellow GOP Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, with whom he was paired in the new redistricting maps.