April 8, 1998 - Abortion issues are likely to come up in both houses of the state legislature today. A legislative conference committee has passed a Health and Human Services spending bill with money for lots of health and social services programs. But the bill does not include two controversial abortion provisions a majority of house members have demanded . Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports from the state capitol.
April 7, 1998 - The scene seems set for a battle at the legislature. A legislative conference committee has passed a Health and Human Services spending bill with nearly $60 million dollars worth of health and social services programs. However, the bill does NOT include two controversial abortion provisions the House passed. MPR's Eric Jansen joins us from the capitol.
April 6, 1998 - Minnesota's House of Representatives has approved more than $27 million dollars worth of tornado relief aid to communities in south central counties. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports from the state capitol: Representatives acted swiftly and unanimously today in appropriating $27.6 million to help communities in south central Minnesota rebuild from tornado damage sustained 8 days ago. $8 million of that aid package will qualify five counties to draw approximately $24 million more from the federal government. St. Peter Representative Ruth Johnson says that although residents are carrying on the Minnesota tradition of doing what needs to be done, there is a lot of work ahead:
April 2, 1998 - A House-Senate conference committee has once again deadlocked over abortion issues. A coalition of non-profit agencies says the impasse jeopardizes state funding for a wide range of health and social services. Minnesota Public Radios Eric Jansen reports from the state capitol: Abortion issues took center stage in more than five hours of debate last night over a health and human services bill. House and Senate conferees are, in theory at least, trying to work out differences between House and Senate versions of the bill that appropriates nearly $60 million dollars for a wide range of health and social service programs.
April 1, 1998 - Senate negotiators have a plan to help pay for a new St. Paul hockey arena. A House leader says the proposal's worth considering but the Governor says he does not like it. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen has more from the state capitol: The Senate's new plan calls for selling $65 million dollars worth of revenue bonds to help pay for St. Paul's Civic Center and hockey arena. Revenue bonds would be paid off with income from the Civic Center, rather than by taxpayers, who would pay off general obligation bonds as proposed by the House and Governor Carlson.
March 25, 1998 - A state senator has withdrawn a proposed ban on so-called partial birth abortions, after he says opponents hobbled it with an unfriendly amendment today on the Senate floor. Minnesota Public Radios Eric Jansen reports from the state capitol: The author, Republican Senator Tom Neuville, says he withdrew his proposal to ban what are commonly called partial-birth abortions because an amendment by another senator changed it so drastically it would have been ineffective: "I dont want to put anything on the books any laws
March 20, 1998 - The Minnesota Senate has approved amending the state constitution to affirm the right of Minnesotans to hunt and fish. If the House approves similar language, Minnesotans could vote on the amendment in November. Minnesota Public Radio correspondent Eric Jansen reports from the state capitol: The state senate's approval of letting Minnesota voters decide whether to amend the constitution to protect hunting and fishing rights was lopsided; only 14 senators opposed it. Senator Bob Lessard, a hunting and fishing guide from northeastern Minnesota, wrote the amendment because he feels environmentalists and animal rights groups are attacking the activities:
March 18, 1998 - A bill to restrict jet-ski use has died in the Minnesota House. The bill's author withdrew it after lawmakers gutted a key provision that would have banned personal watercraft use on small lakes. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports from the capitol: It appears jet ski operators won't have to worry about further state restrictions on their sport, at least not this year. DFL Representative Chris Hasskamp, of the Brainerd Lakes area, withdrew her bill to regulate personal watercraft after colleagues tore it apart on the House floor. Eliminated was a ban on operating the (noisy) water-skimming vehicles on lakes 100 acres or smal
March 17, 1998 - Debate over a proposed ban on certain abortions has been put on hold by the Minnesota Senate. Abortion opponents say the Senate majority leader squelched debate because he didnt have enough votes today to defeat the ban on so-called "partial birth" abortions. From the capitol, Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports: The state senate ended its session abruptly in the heat of a controversy over late-term abortions. Senators had been considering a bill that would have allowed doctors, welfare case workers and others to report women who drink alcohol while pregnant. Northfield Senator Tom Neuville attached an amendment to that bill to ban what are called partial birth abortions.
March 12, 1998 - The Minnesota Senate has passed an agriculture bill that includes a two-year moratorium on building certain types of hog manure lagoons and would make it harder to challenge new feedlots based on environmental concerns. But even the bill's authors say they doubt the bill will make it to the governor's desk in its present form. Minnesota Public Radio's Eric Jansen reports from the Capitol.