Latest Minnesota State Legislature News
Embattled Minnesota lawmaker will apologize to colleague
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — State Rep. John Thompson agreed Friday to publicly apologize for calling a colleague a racist during a heated debate on the Minnesota House floor last month. The embattled St. Paul Democrat agreed to apologize to Republican Rep. Eric Lucero, of...
Panel weighs COVID bonuses for Minnesota's frontline workers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Health care, school and food workers who risked their lives at the height of the pandemic made pitches Wednesday for a piece of the $250 million in COVID-19 relief money that Minnesota plans to allocate as bonuses to essential frontline workers. They...
Editorial Roundup: Minnesota
Minneapolis Star Tribune. July 25, 2021. Editorial: Save the patios — at least safe ones The proliferation of sidewalk cafes was a welcome side effect of the pandemic. There is an undeniable romance to sidewalk cafes. And all...
Minnesota House speaker defers action on embattled lawmaker
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman told her chamber's top Republican on Wednesday that she's not planning any immediate action against Rep. John Thompson despite a GOP threat to file ethics complaints against the embattled St. Paul lawmaker. ...
Editorial Roundup: Minnesota
Minneapolis Star Tribune. July 19Gov. Tim Walz issued his 25th executive order of 2021 (his 171st overall) to bar the practice of conversion therapy on children in Minnesota. Conversion therapy, sometimes called reparative therapy, seeks to change the sexual orientation...
Minnesota Dem who rose after Castile death is under pressure
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Black Minnesota state lawmaker who rose to prominence after the fatal shooting of his friend Philando Castile came under increasing pressure to resign Monday, after old domestic abuse allegations surfaced as he was already dealing with fallout over an acrimonious...
Lawyer for Minnesota lawmaker denies domestic abuse reports
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The attorney for a Minnesota Democratic state representative facing calls to step down over allegations of domestic violence said Sunday the reports are not true and could be part of smear campaign by law enforcement. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and...
Minnesota governor restricts 'conversion therapy' for minors
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order aimed at banning so-called conversion therapy on Thursday but said it's just a start and called on the Legislature to make the ban permanent. Walz said conversion therapy — the scientifically...
St. Paul Police video shows stop of outspoken lawmaker
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An outspoken Black Minnesota lawmaker accused a St. Paul police officer of racially profiling him during a traffic stop in which he was ticketed for driving on a suspended Wisconsin license, body camera video released Tuesday shows. The police video...
Minnesota COVID-19 audit sought by lawmakers looks doubtful
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s independent legislative auditor says he doesn't have the resources to satisfy a request by lawmakers for a comprehensive study of the state’s COVID-19 response. Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles told Minnesota Public Radio for a...
