Melissa Hortman Archives - KVRR Local News

Grand jury indicts Vance Boelter on First-degree murder charge, could face death penalty

August 14, 2025

KVRR Staff,

Vance BoelterMINNEAPOLIS (KVRR/FOX9) — Vance Boelter has been indicted by a grand jury on first-degree murder charges. Since he faces federal murder charges, he could potentially be sentenced to the death penalty if convicted. He is the accused of killing Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, while wounding another lawmaker and his wife in an alleged coordinated attack on…

Gov. Walz Announces Special Election to Fill Late Speaker Hortman’s Seat

The state representative was killed in her home on June 14.

July 12, 2025

Gabriel Ostler,

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (KVRR) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued a writ of special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of former Speaker Melissa Hortman. That announcement was made on Friday, July 11. The special election will be held on Tuesday, Sep. 16, 2025, for District 34B in Anoka and Hennepin Counties. A special primary election for nominations…

Sen. Mathern Speaks on Heightened Security for Legislators

Mathern opposes the idea that lawmakers need to make themselves less accessible to the public.

June 18, 2025

Gabriel Ostler,

North Dakota State Capitol / BismarckFARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – North Dakota State Senator Tim Mathern has served in Bismarck since 1986. He says that up until recently, one thing that set this state apart was the level of access it provided citizens to have with their elected representatives. “Most of us list our cell phones, our telephone numbers, our addresses,”…

Vance Boelter charged in shooting; allegedly went into other lawmakers’ homes

June 16, 2025

Alison Voorhees,

Courtesy FOX 9MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KVRR/FOX 9) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota reveals that Vance Boelter allegedly went into the homes of four state lawmakers early Saturday morning. The 57-year-old is charged with stalking and murder. He is accused of fatally shooting Rep. Melissa and Mark Hortman and injuring Sen. John and Yvette Hoffman. The attorney’s…

GOP legislative leaders want Democrats to drop Minnesota ERA as part of session-ending deal

May 14, 2024

kvrr-apiuser,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Republican leaders of the Minnesota Legislature called Tuesday on Democrats to drop a proposed state Equal Rights Amendment, better fund rural ambulance services and make other concessions as part of their price for GOP votes on a public works package and an end to filibustering that has slowed the final work of the 2024 session. Senate Minority…

Minnesota House to vote on “fix” for school resource officer use-of-force law

The Minnesota House votes Monday afternoon on a compromise “fix” of a controversial law passed just last year that governs use-of-force by school-based resource officers

March 4, 2024

Site Staff,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KVRR/KFGO) – The Minnesota House votes Monday afternoon on a compromise “fix” of a controversial law passed just last year that governs use-of-force by school-based resource officers. House Speaker, Democrat Melissa Hortman says they received a letter from law enforcement endorsing the bill as amended. She says she expects bipartisan support, and that the bill will pass…

Good news on business tax revenues boosts Minnesota’s budget surplus to $3.7B

February 29, 2024

kvrr-apiuser,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s budget outlook has improved thanks to higher corporate profits, officials said Thursday as they projected a slightly bigger surplus that will give the Legislature a little bit more breathing room this session. Minnesota Management and Budget said the current two-year budget period, which runs through June 2025, is now expected to end with a…

MN Legislature Approves $48 Billion Budget in Special Session

Gov. Walz says he looks forward to signing the budget into law

May 25, 2019

,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s House and Senate ends a special session by passing a $48 billion budget to fund state government for the next two years. The budget bills met their 7 a.m. deadline. House Speaker Melissa Hortman says Democrats secured new money for education and preserved funding for health care programs for more than one million Minnesotans. Minority Leader…

Minnesota lawmakers break off budget talks

May 7, 2019

TJ Nelson,

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota House Democrats are blaming Senate Republicans and their refusal to increase state spending for a collapse in budget negotiations. Senate Republicans are blaming House Democrats for standing by their tax increase proposals. “Coming forward with zero change in their net position was extremely disappointing. At that point in the negotiations there really was nothing else to…