ST. PAUL, Minn. – DFL Rep. Paul Marquart of Dilworth will Chair the Minnesota House Taxes Committee for the 2019-2020 biennium. Democrats took over the lower chamber after flipping 18 seats, mostly in the Twin Cities suburbs, to have a 75-59 advantage over Republicans. “Our caucus and our chairs represent communities from all geographic areas of the state, from the Iron…
FARGO, N.D. — The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition brought people together from across the state to talk about North Dakota’s handling of basic liberties. The tenth annual Human Rights Summit focused on discussions about missing and murdered indigenous women, as well as LGBT acceptance in the state. One of the summit’s organizers says the event has encouraged several people to…
FARGO, N.D. — A longtime state lawmaker is being recognized for her role in shaping and serving The Chamber. Senator Judy Lee of West Fargo will be given the 2018 Legacy Leader Award. It will be presented during The Chamber’s Eighth Annual Meeting on September 19 at the Holiday Inn in Fargo. Lee was selected by a nomination committee based…
State Senator Judy Lee of West Fargo gets high praise by being named FiscalNote’s fourth most productive state senator in the country. The website ranks all legislators on how successful they are in sponsoring and steering legislation through each stage of the process. Lee, a Republican, has been serving since 1995. 66% of the 331 bills she has sponsored have…
BISMARCK, N.D. — Oil and gas tax collections in North Dakota are running 25 percent above forecast due to rebounding crude prices. A report by the Legislature’s research arm shows oil and gas revenue is $1.6 billion for the current two-year budget cycle that began in July. That’s $323 million more than initial estimates. Oil prices are a key contributor…
DILWORTH, Minn. – Gov. Mark Dayton was going to stop by Dilworth Elementary School Wednesday. But bad weather in Washington D.C. has delayed his flight home so his trips to Dilworth and Duluth have been called off. While visiting students at Bruce Vento Elementary in St. Paul last Thursday, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed a tax bill saying he believes it…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Legislature wrapped up their session Sunday night and many questions are still unanswered. If Gov. Mark Dayton doesn’t sign a tax bill, which sync’s Minnesota’s tax code with the federal Republican law, it would create a complex filing season next year. Vetoing a budget bill would not give schools money to improve security. The…
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Mark Dayton has kept his promise and vetoed a bill that would have aligned Minnesota’s state tax code with federal changes passed last year. The Democratic governor rejected the bill passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature with about 20 grade-school students standing behind him at a St. Paul school. Dayton said the bill tilted toward the…
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A move to require Minnesota drivers to use only hands-free cell phones looks like it’s finished for the current legislative session. The bill’s sponsor, Champlin Republican Rep. Mark Uglem, says leaders told him his bill won’t get a vote as the session heads toward a finish this weekend. Uglem says he’s disappointed and concerned for people…
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Mark Dayton has vetoed a Republican-backed ultrasound abortion bill. It would have required Minnesota physicians to tell pregnant women they have the option of viewing an ultrasound before having an abortion. The bill passed the Legislature largely on party lines last week. Dayton said he objected to interfering with the doctor-patient relationship. Republican leaders say…
