Tax Bill Matching Up Minnesota, Federal Code Steams Ahead

Minnesota lawmakers moved Tuesday to set up swift approval of tax deductions and credits affecting thousands of people and business owners getting ready to file 2014 forms. Tax committees in the House and Senate advanced legislation that lines Minnesota's code up with some recent federal changes. Final votes in each chamber could come later this week, sending the bill to a supportive Gov. Mark Dayton before personal income tax filing season begins next week.

• Jan 13, 2015

Chorus Of Lawmakers Want Money For Minnesota's State Band

Minnesota's state band rehearses in a basement cafeteria, stores its music in a hard-to-reach closet and can't afford a marimba. But it could get some official appreciation if a pair of state House bills quietly introduced Thursday become law. A group of DFL lawmakers wants to throw the band $50,000 over the next two years and guarantee free rehearsal space.

• Jan 10, 2015

Tuition Breaks, Nursing Home Help Among Session's 1st Bills

Minnesota lawmakers dangled the possibility of free vocational college tuition, student-loan forgiveness in certain career fields and tax breaks for the agriculture, mining and timber industries as potential uses for a $1 billion projected surplus.

• Jan 8, 2015

Tuition Breaks, Nursing Home Help Among Session's 1st Bills

Free vocational college tuition for Minnesota high school graduates? Student-loan forgiveness for working in specialized fields or rural communities? Tax breaks for the mining and timber industries? A prohibition on performance bonuses for Minnesota health exchange executives?

• Jan 8, 2015

If 2015 Goes Well, Minnesota Lawmakers May Skip 2016 Session

Top Minnesota lawmakers have had early discussions about cramming more work into the next five months so they could skip a 2016 session amid a construction-ravaged Capitol. Senate Minority Leader David Hann raised the prospect Tuesday, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk hasn't ruled it out. Bakk acknowledged having preliminary talks with House Speaker Kurt Daudt about that option.

• Jan 6, 2015

LEGISLATURE '15: Budget, Bridges, Booze And More

The strike of a gavel Tuesday will start Minnesota's Legislative session, a marathon of bills, amendments, debate and disagreements that will run into the spring. Here's a taste of what may be brewing at the Capitol this year.

• Jan 3, 2015

Dayton Aides: Money There To Cover Flood Costs

Existing emergency accounts are probably sufficient to cover state costs related to severe June flooding and avoid the need for a special session of the Minnesota Legislature. That message was delivered Tuesday by Gov. Mark Dayton's administration.

• Sep 9, 2014

Minnesota Budget Reserve Bumped By $150M

Minnesota's defense against future budget shortfalls is a bit sturdier. State finance officials said Tuesday they deposited $150 million more into Minnesota government's main rainy-day account.

• Jul 1, 2014

Dayton Signs Session's Biggest Money Bills

Gov. Mark Dayton has signed a trio of major bills that he says will help Minnesota's economic growth. The governor was surrounded by legislative Democrats on Tuesday as he signed the tax, budget and construction project bills without a single line-item veto.

• May 20, 2014

In Minn., A Short & Productive 2014 Legislative Session

Minnesota lawmakers are gone from the Capitol after ending the 2014 session on Friday night. It was an unusually short and productive session. Included on the completed list is the bill to legalize medical marijuana, which became among the most publicly visible -- and contentious -- issues of the year.

• May 19, 2014

With Time To Spare, Lawmakers End 2014 Session

Sensing an imminent finish to their legislative session, Minnesota lawmakers took stock Friday of accomplishments and potential campaign liabilities in a year marked by Democratic drives to boost the minimum wage and target school bullying as well as bipartisan efforts to legalize medical marijuana, fix public infrastructure and deliver tax cuts using surplus money.

• May 16, 2014

Adjournment Fever Hits Legislature, Pace Quickens

Last-minute deals are coming together at Minnesota's Capitol, which means final votes are closing in on $1 billion in construction authorization, a budget bill and tax cuts. The pace quickened Thursday as lawmakers faced a weekend deadline to complete their session.

• May 15, 2014

Minnesota Lawmakers Strike Medical Marijuana Deal

Minnesota lawmakers have a deal on a medical marijuana bill that would set up eight distribution sites and allow qualified patients to access the drug in oil, pill and vapor form. The agreement announced Thursday was crafted to suit concerns of Gov. Mark Dayton, who backs it.

• May 15, 2014

Lawmakers To Vote On Mandatory Home Fire Sprinklers

Dozens of firefighters from across Minnesota arrived at the State Capitol on Wednesday to talk about the importance of fire sprinklers. According to fire crews, a deadly fire last weekend could have been prevented if the home had fire sprinklers.

• May 7, 2014

Priorities Planned As House Bonding Bill Advances

In a preview of the floor debate ahead, a Minnesota House committee has advanced a plan to have the state finance $1.1 billion in construction projects amid misgivings over priorities. The plan combines cash financing and borrowing.

• May 6, 2014

Plan For Shelling Out Rest Of Minn. Surplus Set

Leading lawmakers have announced how they will dispense with what remains of Minnesota's $1.2 billion budget surplus, a framework that suggests the election-year legislative session is moving toward conclusion. The agreement released Friday by Democratic leaders would allow for $103 million more in tax breaks on top of the $447 million already enacted this year.

• May 2, 2014

Minn. Senate Panel Approves Medical Marijuana Bill

With just three weeks left in this year's session, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed a new version of the bill that includes a state study on how medical marijuana availability would impact Minnesota.

• Apr 25, 2014

Dayton Circles Date For State Of State Speech

Gov. Mark Dayton has circled a date on his April calendar to deliver a State of the State speech to a joint session of the Minnesota Legislature. Dayton said Wednesday that he's prepared to give the address on April 23.

• Apr 2, 2014

GOP Presses For Resolution On Building Controversy

Legislative Republicans pressed Monday for a speedy resolution to a controversy over a proposed Senate office building, making clear they oppose its construction. Several GOP lawmakers said the state should make do with the space it has, and reconfigure Capitol renovation plans if necessary.

• Mar 24, 2014

Quick-Moving Tax Bill Put To Minnesota House Vote

Barely a week into the legislative session, a $500 million package of tax cuts and repeals is being put to a vote in the Minnesota House. The Legislature is racing to undo some business sales taxes adopted last year, including one on warehousing services that will kick in April 1.

• Mar 6, 2014

Veterans Day Off? Bill Would Grant It For Vets

Legislation giving military veterans a legal right to Veterans Day off from work is advancing in the Minnesota Legislature. The bill cleared a state House committee on Wednesday and was also getting consideration in the Senate.

• Mar 5, 2014

Dayton's 'Unsession' Plan Tackles Laws Deemed Old, Outdated

Gov. Mark Dayton's administration is laying out a list of ideas for pruning Minnesota's statute of duplicative, outdated or problematic laws. The so-called "unsession" agenda is likely to touch most areas of state government. Three Dayton commissioners were planning to roll it out Tuesday.

• Mar 4, 2014

Lawmakers Eye Higher Bar To Constitutional Changes

Minnesota lawmakers who saw colleagues put several hot-button political issues on the statewide ballot in 2012 are now mulling proposals that would make it harder to do that again.

• Mar 3, 2014

Minn. Republicans On $1.2B Surplus: 'Give It Back'

Republican leaders in the Minnesota Legislature say the $1.2 billion budget surplus is no cause for celebration because it shows state government overtaxes its citizens. Republicans unveiled their response Friday to news of the enhanced surplus: "Give it back."

• Feb 28, 2014

Minn. Leaders Try To Steer Around Session Pitfalls

Make no waves. That's a guiding principle for the Democrats in charge of Minnesota's Legislature, which gathers Tuesday for an annual session that could extend into mid-May. Party leaders are eager to prevent, or at least contain, controversy that can leave a bad taste for voters or alienate important constituencies in a year when the Democratic House majority and Gov. Mark Dayton's re-election are on the line.

• Feb 23, 2014

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