Republican legislators and conservative groups filed a lawsuit this week aimed at suspending an online voter registration program that they claim was improperly implemented by Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a DFLer, without legislative approval.

The system launched under Secretary of State Mark Ritchie in late September has so far accepted more than 1,100 applications, 200 of which have come from new registrants.

In a letter sent to Legislative Auditor Jim Noble’s office on Monday, GOP leaders said Ritchie “unilaterally” started the program without vetting the proposal in committee hearings. The program allows new voters to register online or returning voters to update their information.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk said the $500,000 set aside for legal fees was not intended to be used for a settlement.

Rachel Larson Bohman wasted no time getting into the race for Minnesota secretary of state. Within an hour of DFL officeholder Mark Ritchie’s Tuesday announcement that he would not seek a third term in 2014, Bohman released a statement putting her name in the ring as a Democrat.

A proposed constitutional amendment that would give an independent panel the authority to set salaries for House and Senate members passed the Senate on Monday morning by a 43-23 vote margin. The amendment is expected to be on the ballot in 2016.

Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Newport, removed all controversial provisions from the omnibus elections bill when it came up for a vote on the floor Wednesday evening. The stripped down legislation passed unanimously.

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.

GOP attorney Fritz Knaak was notified of the dismissal in a letter from the board dated Oct. 23, according to documents obtained by rural DFL blogger Sally Jo Sorensen. The senators have accused Ritchie of using his office to speak out against the voter ID constitutional amendment on this fall’s ballot.

Sens. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, and Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, have filed a complaint with the Office of Administrative Hearings alleging that Secretary of State Mark Ritchie has abused his office by using it to speak out against the voter ID amendment.