Revenue to balance budget relies on new fourth tier taxpayers
leeannwahi Session Daily The DFL rolled out its tax plan Monday, just as many taxpayers were hurrying to meet today’s filing deadline for their 2012 taxes.The nearly $2.5 billion revenue-raising plan,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Testifiers lay out pros and cons of omnibus tax bill
leeannwahi Session Daily Those curious about what’s in the omnibus tax bill need only corner the lobbyists in the committee hearing room. From changes to local government aid; the proposed taxes on...
View ArticleProtection of government collected private data addressed
leeannwahi Session Daily Look no further than the shift from storing information on a computer hard-drive to the cloud, and you’ll understand the importance of data practices. However, lines can blur...
View ArticleClik here to view.
DFL priorities hinge on $2.6 billion tax bill that passes House
leeannwahi Session Daily The House DFL has a lot riding on the omnibus tax bill – it’s the link to funding their session priorities and fulfilling campaign promises.“The revenue in the tax bill, allows...
View ArticleEfforts to collect child support in some cases could stop
leeannwahi Session Daily Continued attempts to collect child support that is proving to be uncollectible is not a productive use of state’s county attorneys time, say supporters of HF1470.The bill...
View ArticleTribal jurisdiction of some children sought
leeannwahi Session Daily An effort to help Native American children retain ties with their tribal communities if parental rights are terminated awaits action by the governor.Sponsored by Rep. Susan...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Agreement reached on rate for top-tier earners
leeannwahi Session Daily Legislative leaders and the governor announced an agreement on how they want to raise the $2 billion in new revenue to balance the next biennial budget.“This puts us in a very...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Property tax relief, new fourth tier rate highlight conferred tax bill
leeannwahi Session Daily UPDATE: The Senate passed the omnibus tax bill 36-30 Monday, a few minutes before midnight. The bill now goes to the governor for consideration.There were a few surprise...
View ArticleWhat now for all those leftover bills?
leeannwahi Session Daily When the gavel came down on the legislature late Monday it didn't put an end to the business of the 88th session.Minnesota is one of several states operating on a biennium: the...
View ArticleNew Minnesota laws take effect July 1, 2013
leeannwahi Session Daily A bill that creates a new fourth-tier income tax rate, funding for a new legislative office building and a plan to backfill any financial shortfall on the state’s share of a...
View ArticleNew technologies clash with right to privacy
leeannwahi Session Daily With little oversight and minimal regulation, cell phones and other electronic devices have the ability to track and collect information to a degree that one legislator called...
View Article'Bleak' refugee graduation rate gets legislative committee attention
leeannwahi Session Daily There are about 65,689 students spread across the state identified as not fluent enough in English to master basic academic courses, Department of Education officials told the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mug shots as moneymaker gets committee attention
leeannwahi Session Daily Mug shots of those who have been arrested are popping up on commercial websites. They are being used as a moneymaker either through the ads sponsoring the web page or by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Emerging privacy concerns brings call for new commission
leeannwahi Session Daily During her 16 years as a House member, Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R-Lakeville) has committed herself to data practices. She announced recently that she will not be seeking...
View ArticleClik here to view.
$503 million tax relief bill passes House
leeannwahi Session Daily With Republicans offering fewer than a dozen amendments, the House passed a bill 126-2 that would provide relief to state taxpayers and to businesses faced with a new set of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Governor's tax bill sits at $115 million more than House proposal
leeannwahi Session Daily There is a little more than $115 million difference between the tax relief put forward by the House and that in the governor’s proposal. However, by the end of the week, that...
View ArticleNewborn screening brings call for greater privacy protections
leeannwahi Session Daily A child is born in Minnesota is screened for 50 rare and serious medical conditions. But court rulings have called into question how the state retains the blood samples — that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tax bill is on its way to the governor
leeannwahi Session Daily A $432 million tax bill that would conform the state’s tax code to several federal provisions and repeal three business-to-business taxes was re-passed overwhelmingly off the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fingerprints and photos could be part of background check record
leeannwahi Session Daily Many jobs require background checks on applicants, including for those who would have direct contact with vulnerable adults. However, as more data on the individual is required...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Omnibus tax bill devoted largely to property tax relief
leeannwahi Session Daily On the heels of successful enactment of a $443 million tax relief bill, the House Taxes Committee got its first look Wednesday at round two — HF3170, the omnibus tax bill.Most...
View Article