Capitol View: April 5, 2011 Archive

The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:15 AM on April 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Minnesota House is scheduled to take up the Jobs and Economic Development budget bill today.

The Minnesota Senate plans to vote on the Tax bill today. A plan that would give cities an easier path to raise sales taxes was removed from the bill.

The House Ways and Means Committee will consider the HHS Budget bill. The bill was changed and now includes a provision that will end early enrollment in Medical Assistance.

Gov. Dayton and Republican lawmakers are arguing over when they need to start arguing over the budget. Republicans want Dayton's Administration to get involved during conference committee work. Dayton says he won't start negotiating until the conference committees finish their work and the House and Senate vote on the conference committee reports.

Gov. Dayton is expected to announce plans to change how the state contracts with HMOs. Dayton said his Human Services Commissioner has been meeting with HMO leaders to discuss changes to those contracts.

The measure comes just a day after the Department of Human Services released a new website detailing HMO spending on state subsidized health insurance.

Gov. Dayton ends Minnesota's involvement with E-Verify by letting Tim Pawlenty's executive order lapse.

He also continued an extended an order that requires courts to determine whether sex offenders are released from a locked state treatment program.

The Senate passed a transportation bill that cuts public transit.

The House and Senate GOP is considering the Minnesota Department of Human Rights a budget target.

1,000 state workers are seeking early retirement.

DFL Sen. Linda Scheid says she'll sign on to the Vikings Stadium bill (that is yet to be released).

The stadium bill sponsors intend to give local governments the option of raising the sales tax without voter approval.

The voter ID bill gets a cost makeover.

Thousands rally for union rights.

Former House Speaker Steve Sviggum decided to keep his seat on the U of M Board of Regents. Sviggum resigned his position with the Humphrey School.

Congress

Another government shutdown is looming. The House GOP is proposing a plan that would fund the Pentagon for the year and the rest of the government for a week.

A government shutdown will impact military families.

The federal debt ceiling could be hit by May 16th.

The House GOP is hoping to remake Medicaid and Medicare.

Gov. Dayton is one of 17 Democratic governors who lined up against the idea of changing Medicaid.

NPR says General Petraeus is being seriously considered for CIA director.

No Guantanamo suspects will be tried in U.S. civilian courts.

DFL Sen. Al Franken toured the Stillwater Bridge.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz is proposing a bill that would close the insider trader loophole.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson says he won't be heading home this weekend if the federal government shuts down on Friday.

Race for Congress

MNGOP Chair Tony Sutton says Minnesota's 1st District will be a targeted race.

Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon says she won't challenge GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack in Minnesota's 8th District.

Race for President

President Obama opened his 2012 campaign.

He'll campaign on a record of progress.

Gov. Pawlenty issued a video news release to counter Obama's announcement that featured liberal economist Paul Krugman.

Krugman said Pawlenty is "hardly qualified to lecture anyone else on the issue" of job creation.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is buying ad space next to President Obama's YouTube announcement.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann hired a former top Iowa staffer for Mike Huckabee.

Bachmann finished third in a straw poll of Republican voters in a key South Carolina county. Pawlenty finished fifth.

The New York Times profiled Bachmann.

Bachmann raises money off of her birthday.

The L.A. Times says Pawlenty's fiscal record isn't as clear as he touts it.

The Weekly Standard writes about Pawlenty's "Goldilocks Strategy."

A summit in New Hampshire could feature Pawlenty, Bachmann, Mitt Romney and other GOP hopefuls.

Pawlenty is planning a California breakfast fundraiser.

Bachmann is headed to Ohio in May.

Jesse Ventura says he'd consider running as Ron Paul's running mate in 2012.