The Minnesota Legislature is back in session at the State Capitol in Saint Paul. The main task of the 2020 legislative session is a bonding bill for state public works projects — but there’s a big spread in the dollar amount the parties are talking about. Some Democrats have mentioned about three-and-a-half billion dollars, Governor Tim Walz has proposed about two billion, but Senate Republicans say under a billion. And there are big differences over what to do with the state’s expected one-point-three-billion-dollar budget surplus. House Democrats say, beef up funding for early childhood education. Senate Republicans say, give a good amount of it back to Minnesotans, including phasing out state income tax on Social Security benefits.
Among many other issues on lawmakers’ plates this session: insulin assistance, gun laws, recreational marijuana, a late-term abortion ban, voter photo I-D, and issues surrounding Minnesota’s March 3rd “Super Tuesday” presidential primary.