The debate over whether to withhold food and water from people who are too ill to make their own decisions has come to a Minnesota House committee. MPR's Tom Scheck had the story:

The vote comes just a year after the public debate on whether a feeding tube should be removed from Terri Schiavo. She was in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years and did not provide any legal direction on her wishes.

Rep. Tim Wilkin, R- Eagan said his bill would ensure that every person who is legally incapable of making health care decisions would receive nutrition and hydration unless the person specifically rejected it beforehand.

"This bill is not about pulling the plug on a respirator. It's not about kidney dialysis. It's not about determining whether someone should have a heart bypass or not. This is about food and water, and that's it. That's the only presumption, and I think we all deserve that presumption."

Others at the hearing argued that it wasn't that simple, but the bill, backed by the anti-abortion group Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, was approved by the House Health Policy and Finance Committee. The committee approved another MCCL-backed bill that would put new restrictions on abortion in Minnesota.

Those bills pretty much overshadowed what may be a looming showdown over state spending. MPR's Tim Pugmire had the story about Gov. Tim Pawlenty's recommendation for spending the state's budget surplus:

Pawlenty's supplemental budget plan includes $49 million in tax breaks. His priority is to ensure married couples no longer pay higher taxes than single filers. Other proposed reductions and credits would help the bottom lines of corporations, dairy farmers and resort owners. The governor also wants to cap the growth of local property tax levies.

Senate Democrats are also pushing for property tax relief this session. DFL Majority Leader Dean Johnson says Pawlenty is moving in the right direction but isn't going far enough. Johnson is pushing for an amount in the range of $200 million to $250 million.

"It's a high priority of the Minnesota Senate that a majority of the tax relief account, which has $317 million, be used for tax relief purposes."

But Johnson worries that a pending court case could upend any spending or tax relief plans. Last December, a Ramsey County District court judge struck down the so-called "health impact fee," which added 75 cents to the price of a pack of cigarettes. Lawmakers approved the fee last year to help balance the state budget. The Minnesota Supreme Court takes up the case next month. Johnson says the outcome could throw the budget process into turmoil towards the end of the legislative session.

"You know we can make plans, the governor can make an announcement, we can make plans and suggest these are the spending thresholds. But come about say May 1st, we're going to have to seriously scratch our heads and say can we commit?"

With the cigarette fee still hanging out there even House Speaker Steve Sviggum worries the governor may be proposing too much spending. The governor and legislative leaders head to Mississippi today to see off Minnesota troops who are headed to Iraq. Maybe they can work something out on the plane.

And speaking of court cases, how about the judge's decision to throw out Minneapolis's "photocop" program. Here's the Star Tribune story:

More than 26,000 people have received tickets under the city's Stop on Red ordinance, which presumes the owner was the driver during the offense. The owner must prove that someone else was driving to avoid a conviction.

But District Judge Mark Wernick said the ordinance is invalid because it provides vehicle owners with less due process rights in court than the state statute. State law for a similar violation requires the state to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" who was driving. But Minneapolis' ordinance shifted the burden to the owners to prove their innocence.

The Minnesota ACLU originally challenged the constitutionality of the red light camera law. I wonder if those 26,000 red light runners will now become card-carrying members?