Hints of progress emerge in budget talks
This is the day many Capitol insiders say a state budget deal must be cut if the 2015 legislative session is to end smoothly Monday, and there were hints progress is being made. Negotiators working on...
View ArticleAt the Legislature: Buffer agreement reached, but…
Minnesota lawmakers and agriculture interests reached a compromise on buffer strips around water that delays requiring the 50-foot buffers the governor sought, but problems remained Sunday night and...
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Appleton Prison Supporters Want State Inmates
Minnesota Sen. Scott Newman of Hutchinson tells a prison population task force Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, that a closed private prison in Appleton could be used to house state prisoners. (Forum News...
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Minnesota Prisons Overcrowded, But Have Lower Rates Than Most States
Minnesota Rep. Dan Schoen of St. Paul Park, Sen. Ron Latz of St. Louis Park and Rep. Tony Cornish of Vernon Center listen to a testifier Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, as a task force considers state pirson...
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Regulation Could Price Small Towns Out Of Police Body Cameras
Rep. John Lesch of St. Paul tells fellow Minnesota legislators Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, that bills to regulate police body camera video may price small communities out of buying the devices. (Forum...
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Democrats Try To Expand Gun Background Checks
Minnesota Rep. Dan Schoen of St. Paul Park, left, talks Thursday, March 10, 2016, about a bill he backs that would require background checks for most gun buyers. (Forum News Service photo by Don Davis)...
View ArticleSenators Pass Body Cam Regulation Without House Backing
Video from law enforcement officer body cameras apparently will remain public at least into next year, but the issue still generates passionate disputes. “Body cameras have been proven to promote...
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Senate Shoots Down Gun Cell Phone Cases
Young Minnesotans may think mobile telephone cases that look like guns are fun, but state legislators are close to banning them. “Someday, some kid is going to hold up a cell phone case and somebody …...
View ArticlePrivate Prison Remains In Discussion, But Without Money
A closed western Minnesota private prison would be allowed to take state prisoners under a proposal in front of legislative budget negotiators, but there would be no money to open it. “We still plan on...
View Article1,000 Crowd Capitol Against Gun Violence
An anti-gun violence rally scheduled before last week’s Florida school shooting packed more than 1,000 young and old Minnesotans into the state Capitol Thursday, Feb. 22, encouraging lawmakers who work...
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