Ryan Winkler

May 6, 2013

Campaign finance bills move to the House and Senate floors

Campaign finance legislation that’s proposing to increase fundraising limits for candidates has passed to the House and Senate floors. The House and Senate bills allow spending and contribution increases to give candidates a chance to compete with big-spending outside groups.

May 3, 2013

House passes minimum wage increase off the floor

A bill that would bump the state minimum wage up to $9.50 an hour has cleared the floor of the Minnesota House.

Apr 29, 2013

Amended minimum wage bill heads to House floor

Legislation that would significantly raise the state's minimum wage for the first time in eight years is headed to the House floor. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, cleared the Ways and Means Committee on a voice vote Monday.

Apr 23, 2013

Union leaders push ahead on legislative agenda

Union leaders say they are moving full speed ahead with their legislative agenda this year, despite recent comments from Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk that many issues on their wish list will not pass this session.

Apr 10, 2013

Bonding 2013: Dayton, House go large

When it comes to bonding in Minnesota this year, everyone can agree on one thing and one thing only: Capitol restoration. The slated set of repairs to the 108-year-old building has support from Gov. Mark Dayton and Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate.

Apr 8, 2013

Dayton proposes $750 million package of construction projects

Lawmakers don’t typically bond for projects in odd years, but Dayton said there’s a backlog of projects that need work around the state after years of gubernatorial vetoes and reluctance to move major bonding projects during the last two years of GOP legislative control

Mar 27, 2013

House, Senate gird for battle over wage

Midway through a March 13 hearing in the Senate Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, Sen. Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point, asked about the thought process behind a proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage. Chief author Sen. Chris Eaton, DFL-Brooklyn Park, explained to Ruud that she had set a minimum level of $7.75 because it was thought to be “harmless” to the state’s busines[...]

Mar 13, 2013

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.

Feb 27, 2013

Rochester wants $585M TIF plan, with Mayo

A few Minnesota lawmakers are experiencing déjà vu this session as they take up a bill to help pay for a $6 billion project to build up Rochester and boost the Mayo Clinic.

Feb 6, 2013

Gun bills give rural DFLers ‘heartburn’

Paul Marquart knows that when it comes to the gun debate at the Capitol, most of it boils down to matters of region and culture.

Jan 2, 2013

Gun bills will resurface in ’13 session

In recent years there has been little interest at the Capitol in proposals to curtail the availability of guns. Most bills that have been introduced have made little progress.

Dec 21, 2012

Pressure builds to revise conflict of interest rules

A glance through the Legislature’s official 2012 Election Directory offers few details on what, exactly, a large number of lawmakers do for a living. Of the legislators who will take a seat in the upcoming session, a dozen list their occupation as “consulting,” and 19 more describe their profession as a “small-business owner,” or, in some cases, simply, “business.”