by Charley Shaw
Published: May 20, 2013
Tags: campaign finance, gift ban, John Marty, Ryan Winkler
State lawmakers on Monday sent a campaign finance bill to Gov. Mark Dayton that allows candidates to raise and spend more money. The bill received bipartisan support in the House and Senate but also drew dissent from DFLers in the majority on some provisions.
by Paul Demko
Published: May 17, 2013
Tags: Ann Rest, campaign finance, Dave Senjem, Education Minnesota, John Marty, Mayo Clinic, MCCL, Tom Bakk, Vikings
On the afternoon that the House cast its historic vote in favor of gay marriage — completely monopolizing attention at the Capitol — the Senate quietly debated a bill overhauling the state’s campaign finance rules. Most notably, the bill would significantly increase caps on spending and contributions for political campaigns.
by Charley Shaw
Published: May 15, 2013
Tags: David Tomassoni, Debra Hilstrom, John Marty, Mark Dayton, matt schmit, Melissa Hortman, Ron Latz, Tim Mahoney
While the public’s eyes were glued this week to the passage and signing of the gay marriage bill, most lobbyists were camped out in the Capitol well into the night tracking — or awaiting — the deliberations of numerous conference committees.
by Charley Shaw
Published: May 10, 2013
Tags: Energy, John Marty, solar energy
The Senate passed its omnibus energy bill on Friday 37-26. The bill is a pared-down version of this session’s push by environmental groups to establish a solar mandate.
by Paul Demko
Published: May 9, 2013
Tags: Ann Rest, Dave Senjem, John Marty, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, Tom Bakk
The Senate passed legislation increasing campaign spending and contribution limits. The House is yet to take up companion legislation on the floor by a 36-28 vote on Thursday.
by Charley Shaw
Published: May 3, 2013
Tags: Ben Gerber, David Tomassoni, Earth Day, Jeanne Poppe, John Marty, Mark Dayton, Melissa Hortman, Minnesota Division of Energy Resources, Minnesota Environmental Partnership, Minnesota House of Representatives, Minnesota Senate, paper mills, Renewable Energy Development Fund, solar energy, Steve Morse, taconite, Xcel Energy
After 10 days of limbo and behind-the-scenes talks at the state Capitol, legislation to boost the state’s solar power industry has passed out of House and Senate committees.
by Charley Shaw
Published: April 22, 2013
Tags: John Marty, Mark Dayton, Melissa Hortman, Paul Thissen
Renewable energy advocates on Monday afternoon rallied in the state Capitol rotunda in support of energy policy legislation that seeks to boost solar energy in Minnesota. Gov. Mark Dayton and House Speaker Paul Thissen were among the officials who rallied a couple hundred activists to support bills in the House and Senate that would call for utilities to generate 4 percent of their electricity from solar energy by 2030.
by Charley Shaw
Published: March 27, 2013
Tags: Ben Gerber, Chamber of Commerce, Daivd Tomassoni, Energy, Joe Sullivan, Joel Johnson, John Marty, Lynn Hinkle, Mark Dayton, Melissa Hortman, MN Rural Electric Association
DFL-controlled energy committees in the House and Senate have labored this month on omnibus legislation designed to address concerns about climate change and to boost Minnesota’s renewable energy industry.
by Charley Shaw
Published: March 15, 2013
Tags: Bobby King, David Dill, David Tomassoni, frac sand, Jason George, Jean Wagenius, John Marty, Katie Sieben, matt schmit, Rick Hansen
If DFL majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate are to act on the brewing issue of frac sand extraction, they will first have to overcome internal differences that yawn as large as an open-pit mine.
by Charley Shaw
Published: February 20, 2013
Tags: David Williams, frac sand mining, Fred Corrigan, John Linc Stine, John Marty, Lynn Schoen, matt schmit
Environmental and industry groups clashed at the state Capitol on Tuesday in the first large-scale airing of the emerging policy issues that surround frac sand mining.
