How tough is the Minnesota House on meth? Pretty darn tough. The House voted Thursday night not just to restict sales of over the counter medications like Sudafed and Actifed, but to ban them outright. Led by Attorney General candidate Rep. Jeff Johnson, R-Plymouth, the House went on a meth-busting frenzy. MPR's Michael Khoo has the story:

It started as an attempt to place certain cold remedies behind pharmacy counters, thus making it more difficult for meth manufacturers to obtain the pseudoephedrine crucial to making their drugs. It ended with a sweeping ban on many everyday medications. It passed on a 127-4 vote. Jeff Johnson is the chief House sponsor of the meth bill. The Plymouth Republican says he was surprised by how the bill evolved over two hours of debate.

"No question, this is by far the strongest meth, most comprehensive meth bill that any legislative body has passed in the United States," he said.

Yes, once they started they just couldn't stop...restricting access to so-called meth precursors, that is. The people who know these lawmakers best say they hardly recognize them any more, at least according to the Star Tribune:

Lobbyists for retailers and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry were clearly stunned by the vote and privately pledged to work against the ban, which they said could affect hundreds of products in the average drugstore.

But as House members got caught up in the uncontrollable urge to fight meth, some said they were ignoring everything else, including their job to be fiscally responsible. The Pioneer Press story has this:

The bill also increases sentences for meth makers and those who endanger children and vulnerable adults by making meth. That part of the bill sparked debate on the House floor as some members pushed to remove the enhanced sentences from the measure.

"I propose to you the problem is not getting tough on meth; the problem is getting smart on meth," said Rep. Keith Ellison, DFL-Minneapolis. "There is no way the sentences at this time are soft on crime."

The move to delete the increased sentences was defeated 95-35.

Ahhh...that feels better. At least for now.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty Thursday ordered a security review of state Web sites. Could he have known the Star Tribune would have a front page story today about another problem with a state Web site?

A state website that takes license plate and credit card information from motorists seeking passes to drive in freeway fast lanes offered applications through an online link that was not secured against hackers.

"The link was a glitch," said Kevin Gutknecht, a spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), which runs the Web page. "It's been repaired."

As many as 1,500 motorists are believed to have used the MnDOT site since it began taking applications for the passes April 11, but it's unclear how many entered credit card data through the unsecured application link or through other secured links on the Web site.

There's still no hard evidence either way that anyone's personal information was actually stolen, but you can imiagine the political fallout if it turns out there were any crimes committed.

Finally, a lot of budget bills are being debated at the Capitol, and Senate DFLers say they'll come up with a tax plan in the next few weeks to pay for the new spending they're proposed. But one DFL Senator has announced her own plan. MPR's Tom Scheck has this item:

The chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee is proposing a one cent per drink increase in the state's liquor tax. The money would pay for supervision of offenders, drug treatment programs and victim's services.

Sen. Jane Ranum, DFL-Minneapolis, said the one cent liquor tax increase is a small step in improving the state's public safety programs. She says it would raise about $50 million over the next two years.

"We're coming up with a pittance. One penny, just one penny. Out of those proposals, we said one penny, just one penny. It's the first time that you could see a penny could go a long ways. It's not pound foolish on this one," she said.

Ranum called the one cent alcohol excise tax a "user fee." A spokesperson for Gov. Pawlenty's office says he would consider it a tax which violates his "no new taxes" pledge.

So drink up in the smoke free establishment of your choice this weekend, but stay away from the Sudafed!