The school voucher debate could soon heat up in the Minnesota Legislature. Two Republican lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday that would provide state grants to needy families in Minneapolis and St. Paul to send their children to private elementary or secondary schools. (02/04/2005)

A resolution honoring Ronald Reagan's birthday caused partisan friction in the state Senate Thursday, revealing much of the same bickering that ground last year's session to a halt. (02/03/2005)

The top Senate Republican threw his weight Wednesday behind a nickel-per-gallon hike in the gas tax and proposed adding a surcharge on car sales to help pay for road construction. (02/02/2005)

As part of his plan to balance the state budget, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is advocating limiting eligibility for MinnesotaCare, a state program that provides subsidized health insurance to low-income working people. The Governor says that what he calls "welfare health care" is growing out of control and needs to be reigned in. Critics counter that those who lose their health insurance will eventually end up in emergency rooms and cost the state more in the long run. ( 02/01/2005)

Transportation, water quality and water supply are on the agenda for annual Met Council's appraisal of the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs and exurbs. ( 02/01/2005)

A group of state legislators travels to south-central Minnesota on Tuesday to see how a small school district is changing the way its teachers get paid. (02/01/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty once again urged the Legislature on Monday to adopt longer sentences for sex crimes and demand greater surveillance of offenders released from prison. His latest proposal is more exhaustive than one which did not pass in the last legislative session. (01/31/2005)

A new report gives Minnesota a B+ for government performance -- putting the state in the upper cluster of top performers. But the non-partisan study also warned that recent gridlock at the Legislature could jeopardize that ranking and undo years of solid progress. (01/31/2005)

Rep. Matt Dean files periodic reports from his freshman term in the Legislature. (01/30/2005)

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)

Need a driver's license? Ski on state-maintained, cross-country trails? Get massages? Drink water? If so, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposed budget hits home. The budget includes changes here and there that connect the budget with virtually every Minnesotan. (01/27/2005)

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce added its voice on Wednesday to the growing chorus of organizations calling for more transportation spending. The chamber's proposal broke ranks with its political ally, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, by suggesting a nickel-a-gallon gas tax hike to pay for additional highway expansions, bridge building and other projects. Are Minnesotans willing to pay a premium on fuel to ease the flow of traffic? ( 01/27/2005)

Legislation introduced this year in the Minnesota House and Senate would help expand all-day kindergarten options throughout the state. (01/27/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget includes a proposal he says would help close the achievement gap between white and minority students. Businesses would get a tax credit for funding scholarships that would allow at-risk students to attend private schools. (01/27/2005)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is banking on some sort of casino revenue to help balance the state's budget over the next two years. But the gambling debate straddles many political fault lines and cuts across party loyalties, making it a tricky issue to negotiate. (01/26/2005)