February 27, 1974 - Republican State Chairman, Senator Robert Brown of Stillwater, thinks that the caucus turnout was so good because of the efforts to educate the public about the importance of the caucuses. Pro-life efforts were discussed at the caucus, but Republicans don't think the topic impacted attendance. The DFL Chairman Hank Fischer states that it was the issues on the agenda, abortion and gun control, that inspired the increased attendance.
February 26, 1974 - Child abuse, out-state detoxification centers and the airports commission bill are Minnesota legislative agenda items.
February 22, 1974 - Today?s legislative agenda includes right turn on red, protecting pension plans for companies over 100, prompted by the White Motor Company closing Mpls Moline with cuts to employee pensions, and more school aid due to inflation Minnesota now pays $1.3 billion per biennium for schools, and asks Lawrence, well, why not?
February 21, 1974 - Today?s agenda at the legislature includes the campaign finance and ethics bill; provisions iwould allow labor unions to use union dues to contribute to state political campaigns, contributors would be harder to identify as they would not be listed with occupations or places of business. Also bills on physicians peer review, catastrophic insurance, and a resolution for national health insurance. U of M President Malcolm Moos speaks at the legislature about appropriations.
February 21, 1974 - Two controverial sections remain in the new bill. Ones is a provision restoring the requirement for contributors donating over $100 to be listed by name, occupation and place of employment. Another provision allows union dues to be used in state political campaigns. An election bill involves rotation of names in an election; currently the highest vote getter from the previous election is listed first. This practice is criticized. Secretary of State Arlen Erdahl talks about the position of names on the ballot and name rotation. He says this bill would restore eroded confidence in government.
February 20, 1974 - Minneapolis representative Frank Knoll said the federal government is gradually withdrawing from the housing scene and has introduced a bill attempting to fill the void concerning housing rehab. The bill is designed to meet the problem on a statewide basis, not just in urban areas. Knoll has also proposed a bill to reduce noise levels in neighborhoods near the airport. It provides a tax credit to property owners of fifteen percent; the MAC would have to reimburse local governments for lost revenue. Knoll says residents shouldn?t be raced with the choice of moving out or suffering the noise.
February 5, 1974 - This summary of today's agenda includes committee meetings focusing on supplemental security income, acquisition of parkland, liquor on campus, abolishing legal distinctions based on sex, and a number of bills concerning the right of individuals to keep information private, an important area in the age of data banks and the modern capability of computerizing everybody?s life.
January 17, 1974 - "No Fault" insurance means that in the event of an accident, each driver collects from his own insurance company, no matter who's at fault. In the Senate bill introduced last year that included property damage. In the House version, No Fault insurance would not include property damage, instead, subrogation (arbitration with defendent driver's insurance company)would apply.
January 16, 1974 - The Minnesota Senate debated Senator Steve Keith's bill to allow election day transportation for the elderly and handicapped (currently prohibited). Senator Mel Hanson tried to ammend features of the bill that could lead to busloads of vulnerable people being taken to the polls, people who might not know who they were voting for.
January 16, 1974 - A proposed Minnesota bill will create a seperate Department of Energy. Republicans oppose it. Another bill will grant $10,000 towards the Rosemount Energy House (a University of Minnesota project) to experiment with solar and wind energy.