With significant questions about its implementation and cost, the Senate Finance Committee sent a Voter ID constitutional amendment to the Rules Committee.

The Senate has repassed its bills from last year that overhaul the civil justice system. The votes drew opposition from most, but not all, DFLers.

It was supposed to be such a nice session. Or at least that’s what Capitol watchers and many lawmakers were expecting after last year’s bitter shutdown fight. Nor was that the only wound still in need of closing.

Minnesota lawmakers want to get in and out of the Capitol as quickly as possible this year, a fact that’s evident in skimming through the first bills of the 2012 session.

The upper chamber introduced just more than 50 bills for the first day of session, covering everything from judicial election reforms and bonding projects to proposals that aim to temper the impact of another government shutdown.

In its first year at the helm of the chamber, the Senate Republican caucus has faced two ethics complaints and could be looking at a third in the wake of former Majority Leader Amy Koch’s sudden resignation after being confronted about an inappropriate relationship with a male staffer who reported to her.

A suit filed by six Republican members of the Legislature will proceed to arguments before the Supreme Court July 27.

Citing the potential that the constitutional rights of Minnesotans could be violated if the courts were not operational,a judge the courts will remain funded in a shutdown.

Four GOP senators were rebuffed, as they were last week in the main shutdown case, in their effort to join as separate parties.

The dismissal, issued without prejudice, leaves the lawmakers to take up their claim with the rest of the shutdown case in Ramsey County Court, but also leaves the door open to refile after that decision is handed out.