A modified bill that would ban smoking in Minnesota restaurants has passed a committee in the Minnesota House. Opponents succeeded in narrowing the scope of the bill from its original form, which would have banned smoking in all indoor public facilities. (01/27/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been using the term "welfare health care" to refer to state-subsidized health insurance programs. Some advocates for the poor say his choice of words is an attempt to turn public opinion away from recipients. (01/26/2005)

Gov. Pawlenty's $29.6 billion budget follows through on his pledge to "rein in" the costs of health care. He proposes reducing eligibility for people on state health care programs, and cutting payments to hospitals. Critics say Pawlenty's proposal will shift costs to other health care areas. (01/25/2005)

When Gov. Tim Pawlenty releases his budget for the next two years, his goal is to erase the state's projected $700 million deficit. A likely target is subsidized health care, which Pawlenty says is growing too fast. (01/24/2005)

Lawmakers of both major parties joined bartenders and restaurant patrons at a German eatery Friday to back a statewide smoking ban that would snuff out cigarettes in restaurants, bars and private clubs. (01/14/2005)

A Minnesota Senate committee considers a bill Thursday that would restore some health care benefits for MinnesotaCare, the state's subsidized health insurance program. Two years ago, lawmakers put a $5,000 cap on outpatient services for some adults without children. Some DFL lawmakers say the cap is forcing some low-income Minnesotans to forego needed health care. (01/12/2005)

Spending on government health care programs in Minnesota is projected to increase 27 percent in the next two-year budget cycle, unless legislators take action to cut costs. Republican leaders say the state must target benefits to the most needy, but DFL leaders caution that the last round of budget cuts may have made the problem worse. (01/06/2005)

The fastest growing part of the state's budget is health care. As more people lose private insurance and as health care costs rise, the state is considering ways to prevent even more Minnesotans from losing access to health care. ( 01/04/2005)