New rule requires state senators to reveal if they’re voting from outside Minnesota
Since both the Minnesota House and Senate began allowing lawmakers to vote remotely, being “present” doesn’t require the 201 members to be, well, present.
Peter Callaghan
Peter Callaghan covers state government for MinnPost. Follow him on Twitter or email him at pcallaghan(at)minnpost(dot)com.
Minnesota to receive at least $3 billion from federal COVID stimulus passed in December
An unemployment benefit bump makes up the largest amount of money, though there is also funds for rental assistance, public schools, higher education, child care, COVID testing, vaccination programs, transit and highways.
Emergency powers, elections and violent rhetoric: Why it may be hard to get anything done at Minnesota Legislature this year
A heated media forum Monday with the governor and the four legislative leaders featured a back and forth about the invasion of the U.S. Capitol and whether lawmakers’ rhetoric contributed to it. But it was sometimes hard to distinguish between anger over the attack and frustration over the state’s response to COVID-19.
In wake of U.S. Capitol riot, Walz, GOP leaders tried to discuss Minnesota’s 2021 Legislature. It didn’t go well.
Walz had been on the teleconference for more than 20 minutes before he spoke. When he did, he unloaded. “How do we find common ground when we have people who won’t say the election was fair?” Walz asked.
State board proposals would change how lobbying activities are reported in Minnesota
Among other reforms, one proposal would require lobbyists — and groups that hire them — to say how much they spend on television or radio ads advocating for or against particular legislation.
Minnesota’s 2021 Legislature starts today. Here are five factors that will dominate the session
The bad news: Minnesota lawmakers will once again be sequestered from the public unless they venture out beyond the chain-link fence that now surrounds the Capitol. The good news? Parking shouldn’t be a problem.
Year in Review: Five big political stories overlooked amid the pandemic
As much as COVID-19 and the homicide of George Floyd dominated government and politics in 2020, there were other stories that seemed important at the time — and will likely return to prominence after the pandemic is over.
COVID relief bill offers Minnesota budget officials a deadline reprieve (for whatever that’s worth)
State and local governments didn’t get a hoped-for second infusion of money in the $900 billion COVID relief package passed by Congress earlier this week, but they did get word that they didn’t have to spend CARES Act money within the calendar year.
Unemployment benefits pumped an estimated $9.5 billion into Minnesota’s economy in 2020
About $2.4 billion of that money came from the state system, with the rest coming from federal contributions adopted in response to the economic fallout from COVID-19.
‘We were turning over rocks’: How the state of Minnesota managed to buy more than $100 million in critical COVID supplies
A Q&A with Alice Roberts-Davis, who oversees Minnesota’s Critical Care Supplies Working Group.
What the new federal COVID relief bill means for Minnesota
Among other things, the bill will provide the state with a share of $25 billion for rental assistance. Missing, however, is any direct aid to state and city governments.
What you need to know about Minnesota’s latest order for bars, restaurants, gyms and social gatherings
Though the severity of the pandemic has shown signs of lessening in recent weeks, there are still high rates of COVID-19 test positivity, signaling that the outbreak hasn’t receded to levels seen over the summer.
Businesses that defy COVID restrictions to get money under Minnesota Legislature’s relief plan
Meanwhile, the legislation — which passed late Monday night — did not include a proposal to provide one-time $500 checks to those in the Minnesota Family Investment Program, which provides assistance to low-income families with children.
Legislative leadership gets together to push Minnesota’s vaccine efforts — and a possible COVID relief bill
Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders have pledged to come up with a bill to help bars, restaurants and other businesses closed in the latest pandemic shutdowns.
Census delays could hamper Minnesota lawmakers’ ability to redraw state political map
The data needed to draw political districts is supposed to be delivered by the Census Bureau by April 1.
As deadline looms, Minnesota struggles to spend COVID funds set aside for rental, mortgage assistance
The plan was to use $100 million of Minnesota’s federal CARES Act money to pay for the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program.
How Minnesota went from projecting a surplus to a deficit to a surplus again — over the course of 10 months
Welcome to the world of economic forecasting in the midst of a global pandemic.
Minnesota’s budget forecast projects $641 million surplus
State officials released the latest forecast for revenue and spending on Tuesday, and it offered better news for a governor and state Legislature seeking ways to help those hurt by the latest pandemic-related closures.
ACLU appeals dismissal of lawsuit over voting rights for Minnesota felons
In its appeal, the ACLU restates its claim that voting is a fundamental right — and that the state has not provided a rational reason for denying that right to those who’ve been released from incarceration.
Walz, Republicans propose plans to help Minnesota businesses affected by COVID restrictions
Whether the proposals will lead to actual legislation is unclear, but both sides were hopeful that a special session to hammer out a deal could be held as early as next week.
