Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Senate Judiciary Committee sent same-sex marriage bill to full Senate on 5-3 vote.
Despite Republican Sen. Dan Hall's no vote, a same-sex marriage bill moved from committee Tuesday to the full Senate. (Click on YouTube from The UpTake to see her comments, or watch them at YouTube.com.) The Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate File 925, a bill extending marriage rights to same-sex couples, on a party-line 5-3 vote Tuesday afternoon. Hall spoke against the bill, saying he was a nice guy—not a "bigot" as some have called him—but, he said, he has an opinion. To watch video of the committee's discussion and vote on the bill, click on the video at the top of this post or watch it at the UpTake's Livestream webpage. A highlight of the debate was extended back-and-forth between opponent Sen. Warren Limmer (R-…
Monday, March 11, 2013
Keep track of local politics with Patch's weekly southeast metro legislative review.
Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R) supports a proposal that would require facilities that perform 10 or more abortions a month to obtain a license from the Minnesota's health commissioner. Under the proposal, the commissioner of health would also be required to conduct surprise inspections at those clinics or health centers at least twice per year. The annual license fee for these facilities would be $3,712. In other political news from around the southeast metro: Rep. Sandra Masin (DFL) isn't a big fan of Minnesota's wolf hunting season. The Eagan legislator signed on as the co-author to a bill that would reinstate a five-year moratorium on wolf hunting in the state. After the five-year ban, the state could only open hunting seasons on wolves if …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Mary Liz Holberg (R), say a portion of the electorate that voted against the marriage amendment on limited government or constitutional grounds may be alienated by the Democrats' quick push for the legalization of same-sex marriage.
District 57A Rep. Tara Mack (R) wasn't surprised when Democrats unveiled a bill permitting same-sex marriage in Minnesota in late February, but the second-term legislator was certainly disappointed. Last year, Democrats accused Republicans of neglecting budget problems while they pushed a divisive social agenda, Mack said. Now, it appears that Democrats are doing the same thing, she added, despite an estimated $627 million budget deficit. Mack isn't the only Dakota County legislator who had plenty to say about the same-sex marriage bill, which was authored by District 61 Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL) and introduced last Thursday. The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary committee, but legislators believe it will likely be voted on later …
Monday, March 4, 2013
Keep track of local politics with Patch's weekly southeast metro legislative review.
A proposal to appropriate $15,000,000 for improvements to the Minnesota Zoo has the support of Rep. Sandra Masin (51A, DFL). Masin is listed as a co-author on HF 928, authored by District 56B Rep. Will Morgan (DFL). Under the bill's provisions, the money would be used to improve the infrastructure and exhibits at the zoo. In other political news from around the southeast metro: Forgot to load up on booze before your big Super Bowl party on Sunday? That may not be a problem, if a proposal authored by Rep. Pat Garofalo (58B, R) is approved. The bill, HF 912, would allow Sunday liquor sales at on-sale and off-sale businesses on Feb. 2, 2014—the date of next year's Super Bowl. Rep. David Bly (20B, DFL) believes the food and agricultural …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
In Dakota County alone, nine drivers prosecuted for careless driving have killed a total of 14 people in recent years, according to the county attorney.
Careless or reckless drivers whose actions cause a deadly accident or severe injuries could face steeper penalties under a new bill proposed by Sen. Greg Clausen (DFL), who represents Lakeville and Apple Valley. The bill, SF 206, was authored by Clausen and introduced to the Senate on Jan. 31. Senators Jim Metzen (DFL), Jim Carlson (DFL), and Katie Sieben (DFL) are listed as co-authors on the legislation. Current Minnesota laws prevent prosecutors from charging careless drivers with anything more significant than a misdemeanor—even if that driver's behavior caused a death or severe injuries. In Minnesota, the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor crime is 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Clausen's proposal would allow drivers whose careless …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton, in his first appearance since having back surgery late last year, will outline his proposed budget for the next two years.
Laying out financial plans for the next two years, and with a Democratic controlled Legislature out in front of him, Gov. Mark Dayton will address both the public and public servants at the Minnesota State Capitol this morning. You can watch streaming video, live, courtesy of the UpTake right here as Dayton will lay out a series of tax hikes, line-item increases and an expected payment shift for Minnesota schools in his address. It's the first public appearance for Dayton since he had back surgery in Rochester, MN last month. Media outlets such as Minnesota Public Radio are saying the budget could have a big impact on Dayton's political future. The first-term governor has not hinted whether or not he will run again for the state's top seat…
Friday, January 4, 2013
With so many challenges on the table, Patch wants to know what issues you think are most important.
With another legislative session just around the corner, senators and representatives have no shortage of challenges ahead of them. Lawmakers plan to convene hearings on gun control in the wake of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. They’ll review a recommendation from a governor-appointed task force to increase gas taxes and tab fees in response to a projected $50 billion shortfall in transportation funding. The DFL majority and defeat of the marriage amendment in the 2012 election could even prompt the Legislature to take up the issue of gay marriage. And looming over everything is a projected $1.1 billion deficit that legislators will have to close before adjourning for the year. With so many issues on the …
Monday, November 12, 2012
The newly elected DFL rep was elected last week, beating out Republican opponent Roz Peterson.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Monday, November 12, 2012
To the editor, I want to thank the voters of Burnsville and Lakeville for placing your trust in me to represent you in the Minnesota House of Representatives starting in January. I’m both humbled and honored to have the chance to serve this community once again. In the thousands of conversations I had at doors since last May I heard you and I will be your voice in our state legislature. I heard the voice of small business owners who want to eliminate wasteful spending and redundant regulations and cut through the red-tape so they can accelerate our economic recovery. I heard the voice of parents, grandparents and other concerned citizens who want to improve our schools, reduce class sizes and close the achievement gap. Most of all I heard …
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Democrats say the divisive amendments and the state shutdown may have contributed to heavy Republican losses.
After just two years at the helm of the Minnesota Legislature, Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate on Tuesday night—a defeat at least some Democrats are attributing in part to the marriage and Voter ID amendments. Going into Election Day, Republicans controlled the House 72-61 and the Senate 37-30. While votes in some districts were still being counted early Wednesday, Republicans conceded that they lost both majorities in the early morning hours, according to Twin Cities media reports. The DFL needed to pick up just four seats in the Senate and six seats in the House. "[Voters] spoke, and they spoke loudly. It was clear they wanted to see a different direction," ousted Eagan Sen. Ted Daley (R) said in an interview with…
Thursday, October 25, 2012
At a transportation forum on Wednesday night, the south metro's DFLers outnumbered GOP candidates 9 to 2, with only one incumbent legislator in attendance, Shakopee's Rep. Mike Beard.
Many of the south metro's Republican candidates were noticeably absent on Oct. 17, when a transportation forum drew just two of the 13 conservatives who had been invited to attend—Eric Pratt and Rep. Mike Beard, both of Shakopee. And while there were many hopefuls at the forum, few actual legislators made an appearance. Of nine incumbents, only one (Beard) came to the event at Burnsville's City Hall. None of Lakeville's sitting Republican legislators were at the forum. All GOP candidates for Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan and Burnsville were missing as well. The DFL in Lakeville was fully represented, though several of the party's candidates from elsewhere were also missing from the forum, which sponsored by the I-35W Solutions Alliance, a…
gary foxley
3:13 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013
instead of nipping around the edges of the abortion issue Holberg should introduce a bill to end abortion. Does anybody think Myhras bill to not use state money for funding abortion have a chance in he## of passing in a DFL controlled senate. I guess she is waging a war on women. more ›