Minnesota lawmakers likely to spend $100 million on broadband. How far will that go?
Gov. Tim Walz and some legislators had originally proposed $276 million in state spending on broadband this year.
Walker Orenstein
Walker Orenstein reports on the state Legislature for MinnPost, with a particular focus on covering issues affecting Greater Minnesota. He can be reached at worenstein@minnpost.com, and you can follow him on Twitter at @walkerorenstein.
Lawmakers consider influx of cash for Minnesota cities, counties facing inflation
One bill would significantly boost Local Government Aid, a subsidy that primarily benefits Greater Minnesota.
Senate GOP blocks infrastructure bill amid pressure campaign on rural Minnesota lawmakers
Republicans held firm in voting against bonding in an effort to advance tax cuts at the Legislature.
Critical of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, some DFLers want to revive citizens board idea
The proposed eight-member “community board” would vote alongside the MPCA commissioner on permits for things like new dairy farms and mining projects.
Having reporters at the Capitol is critical
MinnPost journalists are your guide to the fast-paced and jam-packed legislative session, telling you not only what’s happening, but why.
One year after Ukraine War, has Minnesota fully divested from Russia and Belarus?
Officials on Minnesota’s State Board of Investment now say the state’s holdings were worth far less than previously estimated. And while the SBI has sold off most of those assets, it’s had trouble fully divesting.
DFL lawmakers want to end a state report on abortion data in Minnesota
The bill is meant to safeguard the privacy of patients, and Democrats contend the data collection is intrusive and unnecessary. But the proposal has also drawn the ire of both transparency advocates and Republican lawmakers.
Why a group of rural Republicans helped the DFL pass a bonding bill in the Minnesota House
Votes from House Republicans in favor of a bonding bill were notable in an era of political gridlock, but Senate Republicans still aren’t on board.
Public Utilities Commission vice chair on how regulators will approach Minnesota 100% carbon-free law
MinnPost caught up with PUC vice chair Joe Sullivan last week about whether the electric sector can hit goals in the landmark climate law and whether he’s concerned about reliability of the grid.
‘It’s not dead.’ Where repealing Minnesota’s Social Security tax stands at the Legislature
Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, said a bill to eliminate the state tax will be part of a larger tax plan advanced by Senate Democrats in negotiations with House DFLers and Gov. Tim Walz. Key Democrats, including Walz, still oppose the idea.
With carbon-free law in place, Minnesota Democrats now debating whether to mandate energy storage
A thorny debate has been emerging at the Legislature over whether lawmakers should pass more regulations on the electricity sector after requiring utilities to be carbon-free by 2040. One Democrat hopes to jumpstart construction of batteries to store wind and solar power.
Minnesota Democrats might spend big in bid to fix a struggling child care industry
Gov. Tim Walz has proposed billions to expand a child care tax credit, increase subsidy rates for low-income families and provide monthly payments for child care teachers. How much will pass the Legislature?
How small city utilities are grappling with Minnesota’s new 100% carbon-free standard
Hibbing has a biomass plant, while Princeton has backup diesel generators. Could they and other city utilities be forced to find alternative power sources?
Gun politics are tricky at the Minnesota Legislature. Why DFLers hope they can pass a ‘red flag’ law
The legislation would allow a judge to take firearms away from someone deemed a threat to themselves or others, and supporters argue similar laws around the country have stopped mass shootings, suicides and other gun violence.
Democrats wrestle with studying ‘advanced’ nuclear energy in wake of Minnesota carbon-free bill
The research might be something of an olive branch from Democrats to minority Republicans, who lambasted the DFL for refusing to lift a ban on new nuclear plants in the landmark electricity regulations signed by Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday.
Why Walz wants to spend $276M on broadband on top of nearly $1 billion in federal funds
The money would propel the state toward its goal of having universal access to high-speed internet by 2026, which might cost $426 million in the next four years, according to one estimate by the state’s broadband task force.
Minnesota’s carbon emissions on track to meet climate goals set in 2007
It’s a significant moment for DFL lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz’s administration as they push to slash pollution that causes climate change, but the news comes with significant caveats, including pandemic-related reductions.
What a new abortion law says about changing DFL politics in Minnesota
Minnesota’s new law establishing a fundamental right to an abortion — signed by Gov. Tim Walz at the Capitol on Tuesday — would not have passed the DFL-controlled House just one year ago.
A guide to the Minnesota DFL’s 100% carbon-free standard
The bill, which would steer utilities toward a carbon-free electric grid is simple in concept, but is full of exceptions, carve-outs and off-ramps.
Why Budget Day (days, really) was so much fun for Gov. Tim Walz and how surplus spending will make Minnesota history
A $17.6 billion surplus means Walz gets to both spend money on new programs and cut taxes. In fact, the fun volume for Walz this year is at levels perhaps never seen before, as past state surpluses have mostly been in the $1 billion range.
