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Would-be candidates sniffing out SoS race
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.
Proposed constitutional amendment dealing with legislator pay headed to ballot
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.
Minimum wage increase clears Senate, headed to conference committee
The Senate passed legislation by a 39-28 vote on Wednesday that will increase the minimum wage to $7.75 an hour for large employers by 2015. All DFLers voted in favor of the measure, while all Republicans cast dissenting votes.
Minnesota Sex Offender Program bill clears final Senate committee
Legislation that would change how dangerous sex offenders are indefinitely detained cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday with bipartisan support. The bill is now cleared to be taken up on the Senate floor.
Court-driven MSOP reforms still alive
When Rep. Tina Liebling’s bill proposing substantive changes to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP) came up for a committee hearing last month, she pleaded with legislators not to turn it into a political mallet.
Gay marriage foes marshal their forces
After House and Senate DFLers announced the introduction of their gay marriage bill on Wednesday, it didn’t take long for the reaction to make itself felt.
Lawmakers unveil bill to legalize gay marriage in Minnesota
Minneapolis DFL lawmakers Karen Clark and Scott Dibble released the language of the bill at a Capitol news conference on Wednesday. They were joined by Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-Hopkins, who will also sponsor the bill, as well as clergy members and gay couples and their families. Republican Sen. Branden Petersen was not present, but released a statement making his support official.
Despite legal peril, no movement on MSOP
On Wednesday, legislation dealing with the Minnesota Sex Offender Program was introduced in the House. Rep. Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Park, offered a bill that would require any civilly committed sex offender who is convicted of a felony while at MSOP to serve prison time.
Data privacy abuses spur bipartisan action
In recent months the headlines have been filled with stories that raise concerns about invasion of privacy, and legislators from both parties are taking notice.
What to watch for in Minnesota’s coming legislative session
Here’s a guide to key policy matters that are likely to be addressed and heavily lobbied in the 2013 legislative session.
Beyond the budget 2013
The path through any budget session leads to a negotiating table at which the governor and legislative leaders work out the most politically palatable taxing and spending deal they can muster. But the budget is never the only game in town. Before the session endgame gets played out, a network of committees will play host to various and sundry dramas involving policy issues before state government.[...]
Session ’13 politics: Let the games begin
The last time DFLers controlled all the levers of power at the Capitol, during the 1989-90 legislative session, Duane Benson was the Republican Senate minority leader. Benson recalls making a floor speech at the time comparing the dynamic to a basketball contest between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals.
Top News
- Court upholds sex-with-minor report submitted by man’s therapist
- Federal judge rules for students with disabilities in age-cutoff case
- Justices remand Duluth dispute
- Legal education for incarcerated students expands
- Hamline prof dismissed over Muhammad image can proceed with lawsuit
- Supreme Court backs woman’s false-reporting conviction
- Pot smell not enough for search
- Cash bail disproportionately impacts people of color
Expert Testimony
- Perspectives: Recent cellphone ruling recalls high court cases
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- Understanding the proposal to extend overtime
- Perspectives: Pill case may be a bitter one for abortion rights
