May 21, 2003 - Lawmakers will be back at the Capitol this morning in special session after failing to finish their work by the end of the regular session Monday night. Lawmakers aren't the only ones putting in long hours. There are about 1300 registered lobbyists at the Capitol -- and they, too, are staying up late these days. John Knapp is a longtime lobbyist. He says the days are hard, and stressful.
May 21, 2003 - State lawmakers have made only incremental progress towards completing a $4.2 billion deficit-reduction package. Legislators returned to the Capitol yesterday (TUESDAY) to begin a special session meant to resolve business left undone when the regular session ran out the clock Monday night. A state government finance bill is now on its way to Governor Tim Pawlenty's desk, but at least six other funding measures await final legislative action. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
May 21, 2003 - Minnesota lawmakers will be back at the Capitol this morning for day two of the special session. Conference committees are working out the details of the next two-year budget, but five of the nine major spending bills are still unfinished. One of those is the contentious Health and Human Services bill, which provides funding for a wide variety of social programs, including health care and childcare subsidies. Joining us now are two lawmakers, Republican Representative Fran Bradley, who is chair of the Health and Human Services Committee in the House, and DFL Senator Linda Berglin, who chairs the same committee in the Senate.
May 22, 2003 -
May 22, 2003 - In day three of a special session, legislative leaders say they're making progress on a couple of fronts. They agreed on a bill funding K-12 schools early this morning THURSDAY, and say they're close to finishing a health and human services bill. They reached agreement on more money for state troopers, so Governor Pawlenty says he'll sign a bill for 2 a.m. bar closing times. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
May 23, 2003 - MPR’s Michael Khoo talks with All Things Considered host Lorna Benson about a Minnesota legislative plan that extends nuclear waste storage at Xcel Energy's Prairie Island plant. The proposal is meant to keep the facility operating through 2014, but has run into objections from environmental advocates. Critics say it lacks a strong commitment to renewable energy alternatives and provides no explicit role for lawmakers in future nuclear waste storage debates.
May 23, 2003 - Three days into their special session, state lawmakers have passed half of the state budget bills. The House and Senate passed a bill last night that funds education from pre-school through grade 12, as well as some adult education programs. The bill now goes to Governor Pawlenty. Supporters say they did their best to continue funding the classroom. Opponents say the bill makes significant cuts to early childhood education, special education funding and english as a second language. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
May 23, 2003 - The months-long debate over the future of Minnesota's nuclear power could be resolved later today (FRIDAY). Late last night, House members used the special legislative session to revive a plan that expands nuclear waste storage at Xcel Energy's Prairie Island facility in order to keep the plan functioning through 2014. The House passed the package 81-to-48. The bill now heads to the Senate floor, were a similar plan was defeated earlier this week in a filibuster that ended the regular legislative session. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
May 23, 2003 - Governor Pawlenty is putting pressure on Senate DFLers to accept his transportation funding package. The Legislature is in the fourth day of the special session and leaders are working to resolve their differences on the three remaining budget bills and a bonding bill. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
May 23, 2003 - The Legislature has reached a deal that would permit cities to extend bar closing to 2 a. m. Businesses that take advantage of the option would have to pay a fee between $200 and $600, and that money would be used to hire more state patrol officers. Gov. Pawlenty has said he will sign the bill. The Warehouse District in Minneapolis is one of the hot-spots the change will affect. Joining us on the line is Inspector Rob Allen, Minneapolis police commander for precinct one, which includes the Warehouse District.