Legislature

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has signed an education package that boosts spending on schools and scales back high-stakes testing. Dayton and Democratic legislators on Wednesday celebrated the $15.7 billion bill, which is about $485 million more than the...

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Legislature decided to renovate the state Capitol building, help communities fight floods, give veterans a new facility and provide disaster assistance Monday night as it ended its 2013 session. Some votes were pending press time, but legislative leaders...

ST. PAUL — Farmers are not sure how much more they will be taxed after the Democratic-controlled Legislature adopted a $2 billion tax increase. It appears farmers will pay sales tax on fertilizer stored in facilities they do not own and on equipment repair, but not parts. Rural...

BEMIDJI — Despite little being written into law this session on the Bemidji veterans home proposal, Sen. Tom Saxhaug said Monday progress has been made. The state government finance bill, which was set to be voted on Monday before the Legislature adjourned at midnight, did not...

ST. PAUL -- The keystone of Minnesota Democrats’ budget plans, $2 billion in tax increases, won House approval early today and the Senate pulled a surprise in the early morning hours by approving money to fund state Capitol building renovations. Faced with a midnight constitutional...

ST. PAUL — Love and marriage soon will go together for Minnesota gays like they do for straight couples. “Vote yes for love,” Minnesota Sen. Scott Dibble told his colleagues Monday. Enough senators agreed and gave the Minneapolis Democrat his wish of a Minnesota that allows...

ST. PAUL – Hundreds of people on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate stood side by side throughout the Minnesota Capitol waiting for the House’s decision Thursday. They found themselves next to people with opposite opinions on the controversial issue as they crowded...

BEMIDJI — A historic vote to legalize gay marriage passed the state House Thursday afternoon with two local DFL legislators — Reps. John Persell of Bemidji and Roger Erickson of Baudette —voting yes. Persell delivered a passionate speech on the House floor during the debate,...

ROSEVILLE — The state Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a case both sides say could have a significant impact on public data access. The case came before Minnesota’s highest court more than two years after Timberjay newspapers of Tower requested the details of a subcontract...

BOTTINEAU, N.D. – The mother of two boys killed by a drunken driver last summer was cited for driving under the influence after rolling her car last weekend, just days after she and her husband stood behind Gov. Jack Dalrymple as he signed a bill strengthening the state’s impaired...