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 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.
Gov. Tim Walz and some legislators had originally proposed $276 million in state spending on broadband this year.
One bill would significantly boost Local Government Aid, a subsidy that primarily benefits Greater Minnesota.
Republicans held firm in voting against bonding in an effort to advance tax cuts at the Legislature.
The proposed eight-member “community board” would vote alongside the MPCA commissioner on permits for things like new dairy farms and mining projects.
MinnPost journalists are your guide to the fast-paced and jam-packed legislative session, telling you not only what’s happening, but why.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Hibbing has a biomass plant, while Princeton has backup diesel generators. Could they and other city utilities be forced to find alternative power sources?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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By Walker Orenstein | Staff Writer
March 24, 2023