>>Senate Republicans Release Several New Fraud Fighting Bills
(St. Paul, MN) – Senate Republicans rolled out several new bills today in St. Paul to stop the fraud problem in the state. The GOP says these bills will give the legislature more oversight of taxpayers’ dollars and the agencies that receive this funding. The Republicans priority list includes automatic audits and unannounced visits of social programs that receive funding, new updated technology to streamline verification and delivery of services, and criminal penalties for falsifying paperwork. The Republicans are also pushing for the House to pass the Office of Inspector General bill that easily passed their chamber last year.
>>Senate Democrats Unveil Bills to Protect Minnesotans from ICE Agents
(St. Paul, MN) – Senate Democrats outlined a number of proposals to protect Minnesotans from federal immigration operations. They include keeping ICE out of hospitals, schools, daycares, courthouses and colleges. Other bills include banning face masks on federal agents, allowing the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) access to the same evidence following a crime, and giving Minnesotans the chance to sue the federal government when their constitutional rights have been violated. Another bill would require federal agents to attempt to give medical care to a person shot during an incident. The bills are expected to get their first look Friday morning during a Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee hearing.
>>Hearing on House Office of Inspector General Bill ends Abruptly
(St. Paul, MN) – A House Committee hearing on creating an Office of Inspector General bill abruptly ended when the two co-chairs disagreed over an amendment. Republican Jim Nash (R-Waconia) said he wanted to ask questions about the amendment but that was rejected by the Democratic Chair Ginny Klevorn (DFL- Plymouth). The amendment was blocked along party lines. House Republican leaders have called passing an OIG bill a priority after it was blocked last session by House Democrats who said the bill was too expensive. The Senate passed the bill last year by a 60-7 vote. No word when this bill will come up for further discussion.
>>Omar and Craig to Conduct Oversight at Whipple Detention Center
(Minneapolis, MN) — Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Angie Craig plan to visit the Whipple Detention Center Friday at Fort Snelling. The Minnesota Democrats say they plan to conduct oversight at the ICE processing center. Omar and Craig were both previously denied entry to the building. Congresswoman Kelly Morrison has visited the facility and said detainees were not being treated humanely. The Department of Homeland Security has denied the allegations.
>>Semi and MnDOT Plow Collided Head-on in Kandiyohi County
(Atwater MN) — No one is injured after a semi and a snowplow collided early this morning in Kandiyohi County. The State Patrol says a MnDOT plow and semi crashed head-on just before 5 a.m. on Highway 12 near Atwater. The semi was eastbound on 12 when it crossed into the westbound lane. Emergency medical services were dispatched, but neither driver was transported for treatment. The 48-year-old Blaine man driving the semi was ticketed for failure to “drive with care.”
>>US Women’s Hockey Beats Canada in OT to Win Olympic Gold Medal
(Milan, Italy) – The U-S women’s hockey team is bringing home the gold medal after beating Canada 2-1 in overtime in the Olympic final today in Italy. Megan Keller scored the game-winning goal in O-T for the Americans. Team U-S-A trailed 1-0 with two minutes remaining in regulation before Hillary Knight tipped in a shot by Laila Edwards. Eight Minnesota players are celebrating the gold medal win including Taylor Heise (HY-zee), Grace Zumwinkle, Lee Stecklein, Kelly Pannek, Rory Guilday, Gopher forward Abbey Murphy, and Kendall Coyle Schofield (SKO’-field) and Britta Curl of the Frost.
