A ban on abortions when there’s a fetal heartbeat, or at 20 weeks and after — both were voted down THursday night as the Democrat-controlled Minnesota House passed a major health and human services funding bill. Andover Republican Peggy Scott appealed to colleagues, “This child at 20 weeks, it’s 100-percent human. It feels pain.” But […]

Lawmakers say they’ll tighten hiring procedures for state jobs — that after former state representative Joe Radinovich resigned from a six-figure staff job on the Iron Range Board (IRRR) because he allegedly didn’t go through the normal hiring process. Republican Representative Sandy Layman from Cohasset promises a bill to require high-level public job openings be […]

The Democrat-controlled Minnesota House on a party-line vote Thursday night approved a major health and human services funding bill, which Rochester D-F-Ler Tina Liebling says “makes a great step toward the future of allowing every Minnesotan to get the health care that they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford.” House […]

All Minnesota workers could have up to 48 hours of paid sick time per year to care for themselves or a loved one — plus the state would set up a more expansive paid family and medical leave program using contributions from workers and employers. That’s under a measure the Democrat-controlled Minnesota House passed last […]

Republicans tried again to clear the way for Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline by cutting off funding for the Walz administration’s legal challenge — but Democrats said “no” when they passed a major jobs-and-energy budget bill Wednesday night. Clearbrook Republican Matt Grossell says Line 3 “means jobs in my district: families, trades, union workers, people being […]

Do something about high prescription drug prices, say citizens at the State Capitol before tonight’s Minnesota House vote on a major health and human services funding bill. Claire Henn from Saint Paul, who has severe rheumatoid arthritis, says her medication co-pay went from 60 dollars a month to 14-hundred. “While I was off the medication […]

Family members looked on from the gallery as the Minnesota House today honored D-N-R Conservation Officer Eugene Wynn. Lawmakers paused for a moment of silence as an honor guard entered the House Chamber. Colonel Rodmen Smith says its a sad time for conservation officers. “When we get a call of somebody that’s in need, we […]

Value-added agriculture, farm mental health, and more options for affordable housing — features Republicans highlight in a 258-million-dollar agriculture/rural development/housing bill the Minnesota Senate passed Tuesday night. There’s also money for expanding broadband Internet access in Greater Minnesota and Elbow Lake Senator Torrey Westrom says, “30 million dollars is a strong investment. The governor’s got […]

Democrats in the Minnesota House drew official battle lines with the Senate Tuesday night, passing a major funding bill that would give public schools a significantly larger increase than Republicans propose. House Speaker Melissa Hortman says the Senate has an “austerity budget” when it isn’t needed. “Minnesotans are not asking for that. Minnesotans are asking […]

More than a million dollars to the U-of-M to help fight chronic wasting disease… and funding for state parks is maintained at current levels — among notable features of an environment program appropriations bill the Minnesota Senate passed Tuesday night. Two-line angling would be allowed, but Alexandria Republican Bill Ingebrigtsen says the harvest won’t increase […]