In an effort to capture the most vivid images, contemporary bird photographers sometimes go to elaborate lengths to draw their subjects close. Some of those methods—specifically, those used to efforts to lure wild owls into the range of a shutterbug’s viewfinder – could soon be illegal.

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.

With most major finance bills clearing the House and Senate floors, attention will now turn towards conference committees this week. Conferees on several bills have already been appointed by legislative leaders.

A ten-member conference committee has been named to hash out differences between the House and Senate versions of the health insurance exchange bill.

With DFLers back in control of the House and Senate, many familiar faces will be wielding key gavels when the Legislature convenes on January 8.

The House passed a flurry of finance bills in the early morning hours of Thursday, including the health and human services conference report. The chamber also passed legislation appropriating funds for state government and jobs and economic development.

On Tuesday morning, members of the Health and Human Services conference committee met for the eighth time since forming last month to merge the House and Senate proposals. But that busy schedule shouldn't be seen as an indication that the committee will soon be forwarding a bill to Gov. Mark Dayton for consideration.

The House health and human services finance bill passed in the wee hours of the morning on a nearly party-line 70-62 vote. But four legislators strayed from their party's voting block.

The $10.6 billion health and human services finance bill cleared the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday morning. The revamped proposal -- which repeals the early expansion of Medicaid for roughly 90,000 poor, childless adults -- passed on a largely party-line 16-11 vote.

House GOP leaders released "phase one" of their proposed budget for health and human services on Monday morning. The proposal calls for spending $10.7 bill during the next biennium, a reduction of $1.6 billion from the projected health and human services budget.