Does at least 0.5% of Minnesota’s population identify as transgender?
Yes. About 29,500 in Minnesota identify as transgender, according to a June 2022 report by the Williams Institute, a LGBTQ+ think tank from UCLA.
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Did the second and third most deadly wildfires on record in the U.S. occur in Minnesota?
Yes. The second and third most deadly wildfires on record in the U.S. were the Cloquet and Moose Lake Fires of 1918 and the Great Hinckley Fire of 1894, respectively, which both occurred in Minnesota.
Does Minnesota’s new recreational marijuana law allow for one of the highest private possession limits nationwide?
Yes. Minnesota’s new recreational marijuana law allowing people 21 years or older to possess up to two pounds of marijuana in a private residence is the highest legal limit in the nation.
Has the Biden administration invested more in clean energy in red states than blue states?
Yes. Two August 2023 reports say the Biden administration has directed more Inflation Reduction Act climate change resources to so-called red states — those controlled by Republicans — than blue states, those run by Democrats.
Did a Moms for Liberty chapter quote Hitler?
Yes. An Indianapolis-area chapter of Moms for Liberty, described in June 2023 news stories as an emerging force in national Republican politics, published a quote attributed to Adolf Hitler in its inaugural newsletter.
Does Wisconsin own the stadium where the Milwaukee Brewers play?
No. The Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District (64%) and the Milwaukee Brewers (36%) own American Family Field.
Did police in the southeastern Minnesota town of Goodhue resign due to low wages?
Yes. Goodhue’s police chief and six other officers have submitted their resignations, citing low pay. The chief received a job offer with a neighboring department, the Star Tribune and KARE reported.
Is a name change on a Minnesota marriage license restricted to just the bride or surnames?
No. Generally, in Minnesota a person can change more than just their surname with a marriage license, but only in specific counties.
Has nearly one in five Americans lost a family member to gun violence?
Yes. A nationally representative poll of U.S. adults in March 2023 showed 19% answered “yes” to a question about a family member being killed by a gun, including suicide.
Has Nevada banned Trump from the ballot?
No. Nevada has not banned the former president from the 2024 ballot, because no candidate is as yet on the state’s ballot — formal candidate filing for the 2024 presidential election will not open until October.
Has Wisconsin been decided by less than 1 percentage point in four of the last six presidential elections?
Yes. The candidate who carried Wisconsin in the 2020, 2016, 2004 and 2000 presidential elections won the state by less than 1 percentage point.
Has college tuition increased four times the rate of inflation since Ronald Reagan was president?
No. Nationwide, college tuition has increased about three times as much as inflation since Ronald Reagan’s presidency ended in January 1989.
Was Minnesota one of the top states for COVID-19 deaths?
No. States with the highest COVID-19 death rates in the years 2020 and 2021 include Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, and California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Does Iowa have higher reading and math scores, on average, than Minnesota?
No. On average over the last decade, Minnesota’s scores for fourth and eighth grade math and reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have been slightly higher than Iowa’s.
Is Minnesota among the most expensive states for child care?
Yes. Minnesota is ranked fourth for day care costs, following the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and California, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Does Wisconsin’s constitution ‘clearly’ say the Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice administers the Supreme Court?
No. Wisconsin’s constitution says: “The chief justice of the Supreme Court shall be the administrative head of the judicial system and shall exercise this administrative authority,” but adds “pursuant to procedures adopted by the Supreme Court.”
Has the number of police officers in Minneapolis declined by more than a third in recent years?
Yes. The Department of Justice reported that as of May 2023, there were 585 sworn officers in the Minneapolis Police Department compared to a force of 892 in 2018, a decline of about 34%.
Have at least 230 people been killed in encounters with law enforcement in Minnesota since 2000?
Yes. Based on data collected by the Star Tribune, at least 230 people have been killed in encounters with law enforcement in Minnesota since 2000.
Does a new state law increase the cost of vehicle registration taxes in Minnesota?
Yes. Vehicle registration tax changes will go into effect for the period starting on Jan. 1, 2024, increasing the rate from 1.25% to 1.54% of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and destination charge for cars registered in Minnesota before Nov. 16, 2020, and from 1.285% to 1.575% for those registered on or after Nov. 16, 2020.
Did Florida decide that its middle school curriculum will include that some enslaved people benefited from slavery?
Yes. In establishing new social studies standards for middle school students on July 19, 2023, the Florida Board of Education included mention of enslaved people developing skills.