lawmakers

North Dakota Lawmakers Getting to Work on Next Session

Each committee will compile a report and any suggested legislation for the 2019 session

  BISMARCK, ND — The North Dakota Legislature’s 141 members are already at work on the next legislative session. The Legislative Management committee has assigned the lawmakers to conduct 50 studies on topics such as state retirement funding, health care and the financial condition of the state’s 11 public colleges and universities. Each committee will compile a report and any…

Minnesota Lawmakers Make Major Decisions on Budget Battle

Lawmakers reconvened around noon

  ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Legislative leaders have released a bill to borrow more than $1 billion for public construction projects that includes more than $250 million for transportation infrastructure. The bonding bill is expected to be the final piece of legislation that lawmakers take up during the special session, which was envisioned as a one-day event for Tuesday…

Minnesota Lawmakers Struggling to Salvage Budget Deal

It remains unclear how long it will take the Legislature to finish

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s legislative leaders are searching for how to salvage a special session to finish a two-year, $46 billion budget. They worked around the clock Tuesday and it took a toll on some lawmakers as you can see when you watch the video. The Legislature missed another deadline this morning as they blew through a self-imposed goal…

Minnesota House Passes Real ID Bill, Senate to Consider it Next

The bill will allow anyone with a Minnesota ID or driver's license to pass through airport security

  ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota lawmakers have reached a deal on bringing the state’s driver’s licenses and ID cards up to federal security standards. The House overwhelmingly passed the bill and now it heads to the Senate. The bill will allow anyone with a Minnesota ID or driver’s license to pass through airport security. Congress put a deadline for…

Lawmakers Won’t Override Gov. Burgum on Funding for Townships

Legislative leaders say they don't think they have enough votes to override the veto

  BISMARCK, ND — Lawmakers say they won’t dispute the veto made by Governor Burgum that cuts funding to at least 1,600 townships. After the session ended, the governor vetoed a $16.1 million bill that proposed giving each non-oil producing township $10,000. Gov. Burgum said the money is not a good use of the state’s “scarce financial resources.” Legislative leaders…

Minnesota Lawmakers in Middle of Blame Game

Senate Republicans were stalled for the second day because another senator's absence left them without the necessary votes

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Work on a budget for Minnesota is still at a standstill as leaders now continue to point fingers at who is responsible. Gov. Dayton and Republican House and Senate leaders are no longer negotiating while House Speaker Kurt Daudt accuses the governor of attempting to run out the clock. Senate Republicans were stalled for the second…

Minnesota Lawmakers Running Out of Time to Finalize Budget Deal

The House and Senate passed a handful of budget bills last night after backing away from negotiations with the Democratic governor

  ST. PAUL, Minn. — The plan by Republicans to pass budget bills despite veto threats by Gov. Dayton is on hold. The House and Senate passed a handful of budget bills last night after backing away from negotiations with the Democratic governor. They had planned today to finish up those bills. But a Senate Republican’s absence to tend to…

Governor Dayton Threatening Vetoes Over Possible Stalled Talks with Republican Leaders

Republicans are already taking steps to send their preferred budget bills to the governor rather than continue talks

  ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Dayton is criticizing Republican legislative leaders for moving forward on several budget bills without reaching an agreement. The governor and caucus leaders had been meeting over the past week to resolve differences over how to spend a $1.65 billion budget surplus. But, Republicans are already taking steps to send their preferred budget bills to…

ND Lawmakers Consider Overriding Governor’s Veto on Money for Townships

Gov. Burgum vetoed a $16 million appropriation that would have provided each non-oil producing township $10,000

  BISMARCK, ND — As Gov. Burgum prepares to give the commencement address at NDSU on Saturday, legislators could be headed back to Bismarck. Legislative leaders will decide this week whether to return to and attempt to override a veto by the governor. He vetoed a $16 million appropriation that would have provided each non-oil producing township $10,000. Burgum said…

Minnesota Lawmakers Looking for Harsher Penalties for Genital Cutting of Children

Prosecutors say the girls were brought to Michigan by their mothers

  ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota lawmakers are moving to levy harsh penalties on parents who subject their children to genital cutting after a Detroit-area doctor was charged. Dr. Jumana Nagarwala was charged last week with female genital mutilation and other crimes for allegedly performing the procedure on two seven-year-old Minnesota girls. The manager of the clinic and his wife…