Minnesota Lawmakers Return To Work With Plenty Left To Do
One of the biggest items on their agenda: how to spend the state's $9 billion surplus.
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One of the biggest items on their agenda: how to spend the state's $9 billion surplus.
A deeply divided Minnesota Legislature returns from its Easter-Passover break Tuesday with just five weeks left to decide what to do with the state's $9.25 billion budget surplus plus $1.2 billion in unspent federal pandemic relief.
Minnesota lawmakers are mulling proposals aimed at providing relief to utility customers who are paying for surge charges incurred during a cold snap last February when a winter storm in Texas disrupted natural gas supplies.
Only 23% of Americans have access to paid family leave through their employer. But now in the Minnesota Legislature, there is a push by both parties to adopt some type of leave proposal.
Minnesota legislative leaders remain so far apart on a deal to avert a looming increase in unemployment insurance taxes on businesses that they couldn't even agree Thursday on whether the deadline is next Tuesday, or April 30.
A state Senate committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would block the authority of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to adopt "clean car" standards after rules established by the agency without the Legislature's input angered Republicans last summer.
A lead lawmaker in the Minnesota House expressed confidence that his proposal to legalize sports gambling in-person at the state's casinos and online will pass this year and get the necessary support from tribal nations, key stakeholders that have pushed back on the idea before.
Beginning this week, masks will no longer be required for Minnesota lawmakers and staff on the floor of the House of Representatives. Additionally, a return to work schedule is on the books for staff members at the Minnesota State Office Building.
Frontline workers were excited when the divided legislature struck a deal to pass bonuses for them. That promise came last summer, but today, still no checks.
Minnesota Senate Republicans on Monday released a $2.73 billion proposal to repay the state's debt to the federal government for unemployment benefits during the pandemic and prevent a looming tax hike on businesses.
Republicans and Democrats in the state Legislature are trying to solve law enforcement recruitment challenges felt in departments across the state, putting forward proposals as part of broader public safety plans deemed a top priority this year.
Lawmakers will be working with a $7.7 billion budget surplus. Both Republicans and Democrats say they want to do something about public safety.
For months, the legislature and the governor have been locked in a showdown over hero pay for front-line workers in the pandemic. With the Minnesota legislative session starting Monday, the debate will heat up again.
Here's what to expect as lawmakers convene on Monday for the 2022 session.
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday proposed spending $5.1 billion over the next three years for child care, teacher recruitment, mental health access in schools and a paid family and medical leave policy with funds from a record state surplus that will shape the debate at the capitol this year.
The Minnesota Legislature will enjoy a $7.7 billion surplus when it convenes Jan. 31, a strong financial position but one that is bound to set up clashes in this election year over whether to spend the money on plenty of needs or return it to taxpayers.
While some changes may go unnoticed by the majority of Minnesotans, others may directly impact you and your family.
The Minnesota Legislature's special session is now officially over after the Senate adjourned Wednesday instead of voting on the fate of some top government officials' jobs in Gov. Tim Walz's administration.
The Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate opened a fight Tuesday that could lead to the firing of one or more of Democratic Gov. Tim Walz's Cabinet members. Meanwhile, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Laura Bishop has already announced her resignation.
The debate continues about new police reforms passed in Minnesota.
Republicans blocked Democratic proposals for tax increases on the wealthy. Instead the highlight of the tax bill was $1 billion in tax cuts for businesses and workers hit by the pandemic.
Threats to derail parts of a delicately crafted $52 billion budget agreement loomed in the final hours of the special session, but the Minnesota Legislature successfully passed outstanding pieces of the two-year state spending plan and averted a partial government shutdown.
As the clock counts down to the midnight special session deadline, the Minnesota Legislature has made a number of last-minute changes, and Gov. Tim Walz has responded with an unexpected plan.
The Minnesota House and Senate Tuesday night and into early Wednesday morning approved a bill funding the state's prisons, courts and law enforcement agencies with some police accountability measures, though it fell short of what some DFL lawmakers and community activists were pushing for.
With just days to spare, state lawmakers have reached a deal to avoid a partial government shutdown. The agreement includes some police reforms, among them are regulations for no-knock warrants and modifications to the POST board's police misconduct database, creating an early warning system to keep bad officers off the streets.
Clouds will linger throughout Saturday with the high temperatures reaching in the low 60s.
A Minnesota family is finally welcoming home U.S Army Captain Willibald C. Bianchi, a war hero they waited more than 80 years to find.
The Minnesota Twins were beaten by the Rays 6-2 on Friday night in the first game of the series. Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda each hit two home runs for Tampa Bay.
Flooding at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Lake County, Minnesota, has made some trails in the area inaccessible.
The Philadelphia Eagles have acquired edge rusher Jonathan Greenard in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.
Clouds will linger throughout Saturday with the high temperatures reaching in the low 60s.
Law enforcement agencies are looking for an incarcerated man who fled from a community work crew in Plymouth, Minnesota, on Friday, according to the state's Department of Corrections.
The mother of the victim of a fatal shooting at a housing complex in Edina, Minnesota, on Wednesday is speaking out.
A lion at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory has been euthanized after he was diagnosed with an "untreatable tumor" within his nasal sinuses, according to officials with the St. Paul, Minnesota, facility.
Minnesota will be on center stage in just five years, playing host to a world fair.
Clouds will linger throughout Saturday with the high temperatures reaching in the low 60s.
A Minnesota family is finally welcoming home U.S Army Captain Willibald C. Bianchi, a war hero they waited more than 80 years to find.
Flooding at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Lake County, Minnesota, has made some trails in the area inaccessible.
A worker on a boom truck that was trying to help a commercial vehicle move through a western Minnesota intersection was thrown from the bucket Thursday afternoon, officials say.
When you think of masterful, memorable works of art, grain elevators don't typically come to mind. But in towns across the country, including in Minnesota, they're becoming an unlikely canvas for creativity.
Two Minnesotans were killed in a motorcycle crash Wednesday evening in western Wisconsin.
Matthew Keirans used William Woods's identity for decades, then manipulated police into prosecuting Woods, who spent 428 days in jail and 147 days in a mental hospital before DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Dozens of former employees are now suing their former bosses after they were all abruptly laid off from a metal fabrication plant in western Wisconsin.
Officials say more than 100 homes were damaged and one person was injured in a "significant tornado outbreak" across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa on Friday.
A woman was found dead at a complex on the Mississippi River in Winona County, Minnesota, on Wednesday morning.
Bobby Rogers once came to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to sketch and study; now he leads its design and editorial work, shaping what visitors see and experience.
Moses Cooper, who has cerebral palsy, met running partner Mark Hulsey through My Team Triumph Minnesota two years ago and the pair qualified for the Boston Marathon at Grandma's Marathon last summer.
Mackenzie Reed, head custodian at Shakopee East Middle School, has painted large-scale murals throughout the building she once attended as a student, creating a more welcoming space for current students.
Kristi comes to the Salvation Army not only to get food, but to shine her light. She talks with and encourages people waiting in line.
The way Mary Hernandez describes it, the effort to keep families off the street in Shakopee, Minnesota, is like trying to keep your head above water.
A bill to ban most bets on prediction markets is ready for a Minnesota Senate floor vote just days after a lawmaker sparked controversy by putting money on his own primary race for Congress.
Prediction markets are getting a lot of attention lately, especially after a Minnesota lawmaker put money on his own race. Now, a bill to ban most of that type of betting is ready for a vote on the state Senate floor. Caroline Cummings looks into the odds of it passing this year.
A bill honoring Kari Dziedzic and Melissa Hortman, including building renamings and other tributes, has passed a key Senate committee.
State lawmakers across the U.S. are increasing security measures as political violence rises.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said that the Federal Reserve's inspector general will investigate cost overruns in project to renovate the central bank's headquarters.
Some Trader Joe's shoppers will get a payout after a lawsuit alleged that the retailer's customer receipts put shoppers at risk of ID theft.
The bill would provide an average refund increase of $171 to homeowners after sharp property tax increases across the state this year.
The bills aim to close what supporters call a gambling law loophole, allowing for these prediction markets to flourish with no regulations.
It's a bittersweet changing of kegs and hands in northeast Minneapolis as HeadFlyer Brewing issued a permanent last call on Sunday.
Minnesota continues to beat the national gas price average, but there are still ways to save in the metro area.
Law enforcement agencies are looking for an incarcerated man who fled from a community work crew in Plymouth, Minnesota, on Friday, according to the state's Department of Corrections.
The mother of the victim of a fatal shooting at a housing complex in Edina, Minnesota, on Wednesday is speaking out.
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Maplewood, Minnesota, was arrested in Illinois Friday, the morning after the killing, police said.
State lawmakers across the U.S. are increasing security measures as political violence rises.
Improved response times, re-training and new strategies are part of Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara's stated commitment to helping victims of domestic violence. For the family members of two dead victims, the current efforts aren't enough.
Minnesota lawmakers are calling for the humanitarian release of a woman detained earlier this year amid Operation Metro Surge who is suffering from a tennis ball-sized ovarian cyst.
For more than 50 years, Steve Nesseth has answered the call, not for the recognition, but because for him service is simply a way of life.
The media we consume and how long we spend consuming it can impact our mental health. In a world where screens are scrutinized, what is the worst kind of screen time?
National Nurses United warns Hennepin County Medical Center could close following federal health care cuts under H.R. 1, threatening care across Minnesota and the Midwest.
Hundreds of nursing home workers from across the Twin Cities are on strike Monday.
Jake was at the funeral for one of his closest friends when he learned of his parents' deaths, he said.
A previously unreleased song is one of many ways Prince is being honored a decade after his death.
Bobby Rogers once came to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to sketch and study; now he leads its design and editorial work, shaping what visitors see and experience.
A video game is helping people experience the Ojibwe culture in a new way.
At Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, a new production is using the stage to explore the impact of immigration and displacement.
The Minnesota Twins were beaten by the Rays 6-2 on Friday night in the first game of the series. Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda each hit two home runs for Tampa Bay.
The Philadelphia Eagles have acquired edge rusher Jonathan Greenard in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.
A bill to ban most bets on prediction markets is ready for a Minnesota Senate floor vote just days after a lawmaker sparked controversy by putting money on his own primary race for Congress.
The Minnesota Vikings took a big swing in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, selecting the uber-athletic but injury-plagued defensive tackle Caleb Banks out of Florida.
Jaden McDaniels and the Minnesota Timberwolves flexed even more of their defensive muscle against the flagging Denver Nuggets and seized a 2-1 lead in the first-round NBA playoff series with a dominant 113-96 victory.
From the controversies to the name-calling to bathhouse proposals to perhaps not renewing Police Chief Brian O'Hara's contract, it seems the Minneapolis City Council is always giving us something to talk about.
From the controversies to the name-calling to bathhouse proposals to perhaps not renewing Police Chief Brian O'Hara's contract, it seems the Minneapolis City Council is always giving us something to talk about.
Both the DFL and GOP nominating conventions are the last weekend in May 7, and voting for the Aug. 11 primary begins in June.
Minnesota's hospitals are facing a growing financial crisis amid higher costs, fewer insured patients, shuttering clinics and federal Medicaid cuts.
Minnesota's hospitals are facing a growing financial crisis amid higher costs, fewer insured patients, shuttering clinics and federal Medicaid cuts.
When you think of masterful, memorable works of art, grain elevators don't typically come to mind. But in towns across the country, including in Minnesota, they're becoming an unlikely canvas for creativity.
At Arnie Lillo's Creations in Blue Earth County, you can visit a metal-scaled version of the Eiffel Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge. The works of art have taken on a shape of their own.
It's one of the largest musky hatcheries in the entire world. John Lauritsen shows us how the Spooner hatchery keeps fish healthy and anglers happy.
Shattuck-St. Mary's is more than a hockey school, but hockey has helped put the school on the map. They have banners and big names to prove it, though the real evidence lies with a man called Rooster.
Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins is almost here. And across town, the St. Paul Saints are getting ready for their season, too, with some added history.
The media we consume and how long we spend consuming it can impact our mental health. In a world where screens are scrutinized, what is the worst kind of screen time?
The pet insurance industry is relatively new, and experts say that's partly why there's a low number of policies, but it is growing.
The popular afternoon pick-me-up in a cup is like a super food, supplement and medicine cure-all.
One of the biggest obstacles to exercising can be finding enough time to work out. WCCO explores whether upping the intensity can give someone the same benefits in a shorter amount of time.
Filing your taxes can be stressful. But daydreaming about how to spend that refund makes it worthwhile.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
Clouds will linger throughout Saturday with the high temperatures reaching in the low 60s.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Rainy Saturday with temperatures in the low 60s. The rain will clear out for the afternoon but will return tonight. Sunday will be drier but still cloudy. Monday brings another round of rain which could bring up to an inch of rain. Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso shares the timing of it all.
Clouds will cover the Twin Cities on Saturday before rain moves into Minnesota on Sunday night, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.
Flooding at Gooseberry Falls State Park in Lake County, Minnesota, has made some trails in the area inaccessible.
Kirstoff the Magician stopped by WCCO and astounded Adam Del Rosso and Reg Chapman with a little trick.
The Gathered Table stopped by WCCO to discuss their Saturday event on May 2. They bring together the community through delicious and diverse food.
Rainy Saturday with temperatures in the low 60s. The rain will clear out for the afternoon but will return tonight. Sunday will be drier but still cloudy. Monday brings another round of rain which could bring up to an inch of rain. Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso shares the timing of it all.
WCCO's Reg Chapman shares the important news of the day.
Clouds will cover the Twin Cities on Saturday before rain moves into Minnesota on Sunday night, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Chris Shaffer.