Thursday, May 16, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature Tuesday didn’t end the heated debate around same-sex marriage.
Whatever side of the debate you fall on, there’s no denying that this week’s passage of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage was a historical moment. Minnesota became just the 12th state to sanction gay marriage when Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill Tuesday. Patch readers quickly wrote in to share their thoughts on the moment. Eagan Patch reader Kathi Malone echoed the view of legislators who voted yes in seeing same-sex marriage as a civil right: I am so happy that finally gay people will be able to have the civil right to marry. This is truly an American vote for freedom. I applaud Sen Clausen and all other legislators who voted for this historical bill. James N added: Thank you Senator Carlson and the entire MN legislature for extending …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Legislation to allow gay marriage in the state cleared its final hurdle Monday, May 13. With Gov. Mark Dayton expected to sign the bill as soon as tomorrow, Minnesota will become the 12th state in the country to allow same-sex couples to marry.
The Minnesota Senate approved H.F. 1054 Monday, May 13, clearing the way for Minnesota same-sex couples to marry in the state. The 37 to 30 vote, which was seen as the last hurdle for the legislation, makes Minnesota the 12th in the United States to recognize same-sex marriages in state law. Gov. Mark Dayton's office announced a signing ceremony set for 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. Democrats, known locally as the DFL party, hold a 39-28 advantage in the Minnesota Senate. Debate began shortly after noon Monday, with the Republican Party introducing a pair of amendments to the bill, both of which were voted down by state Democrats, who control the Senate. It quickly moved to speeches invoking personal feelings and relationships surrounding the…
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Minnesota Senate takes up bill at noon Central Time on Monday, May 13, 2013. The Minnesota House approved it last week, so Senate approval sends it to conference committee and the governor's desk.
A bill to legalize gay marriage in Minnesota is set for debate and a vote in the Minnesota Senate starting at noon on Monday, May 13, 2013. Watch livestream video here or at The UpTake. To read more about the Minnesota Legislature's action on the Same-Sex Marriage issue, click on the following headlines: • Minnesota Senate Next Hurdle for Gay Marriage Bill • Minnesota House Approves Bill Allowing Same-Sex Marriages • On Social Media, Support for Minnesota Same-Sex Marriage Strong
Friday, May 10, 2013
The bill now moves on to the state senate as Minnesota Democrats hope to make the state the 12th in the nation to legalize gay marriage. Gov. Mark Dayton has vocally supported the legislation.
UPDATE: Minnesota Representatives approved with a 75-59 vote Thursday a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in the state, putting it on the road to become the 12th state in the nation to do so. The vote came at about 3 p.m. Thursday, May 9, about three hours after the bill was introduced. This is about honoring difference," bill sponsor Karen Clark said. "I respect the other point of view. But there is something about being able to marry the love of your life." Clark, a Democrat from Minneapolis, recognized her partner of 26 years in the assembly's audience. The vote came nearly six months to the day after a 2012 vote on a Republican-sponsored amendment item defining marriage as a union between man and woman. That, of course, was …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Minnesota House of Representatives takes up the bill at noon Thursday.
Roughly six months after Minnesotans struck down a statewide constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, the Minnesota House and Senate seem poised to legalize gay marriage. House Speaker and District 61B Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL) said Democrats have secured enough votes to push Clark's bill through, according to a report in the Pioneer Press. If the bill passes in the House on Thursday, Senate legislators may vote on it as early as Monday. If the measure, sponsored by District 62A Rep. Karen Clark (DFL), is approved, Minnesota would become the 12th state in the nation to legalize gay marriage. On Tuesday, Delaware became the 11th state to approve it.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The bill is poised to move to the floors of the Minnesota House and Senate.
Update: The same-sex marriage bill passed the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on a voice vote just after noon on Tuesday. Check above for a replay video. The Minnesota House of Representatives will vote on the bill on Thursday. Original post: Watch a video livestream of the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee Tuesday as the committee debates and votes on a bill that would make same-sex marriages legal in Minnesota. It is the fourth item on the committee's Tuesday morning agenda. The video in the window above (or at The Uptake) will show first the Minnesota Senate Education Committee discussion of another bill addressing the problem of bullying.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Each week, Patch takes a closer look at the activities of Dakota and Rice Counties' legislators as part of our Capitol Review.
District 20B Rep. David Bly (DFL) wants to appropriate roughly $1.6 million in 2014 and $1.6 million in 2015 from the state's general fund to fund programs supporting the victims of sexual violence. But the proposal Bly is backing doesn't stop there. Under the proposed bill, $640,000 would be spent in 2014 and again in 2015 to establish and expand services to all Minnesota counties and Native American reservations. In other political news around the county: District 58 Sen. Dave Thompson (R) wants to increase the penalties for those convicted of killing or assaulting a prosecuting attorney in Minnesota. State law currently dictates that anyone who kills a peace officer or correctional facility guard be charged with felony first-degree …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
A bill that changes the way state aid is calculated could benefit Northfield to the tune of more than half a million dollars.
Under the current system of local government aid, Northfield is already rather well off—the city's set to receive more than $2.1 million in 2014. But Northfield could see payments balloon by more than $500,000 under a new proposal that would inject tens of millions of dollars into the system and change the way those millions are distributed. The bill by Moorhead Rep. Ben Lien (DFL-4A) would add $80 million to the $426 million that the state is scheduled to spend on local government aid (LGA) in 2014. It would also create a new formula that adjusts aid based on its “aid gap”—a product of how the formula determines “unmet need,” according to the House Research bill summary. For so-called “large cities” that have more than 10,000 people, …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Want to know what your Dakota and Rice County legislators are up to? Check out Patch's weekly legislative review to find out.
It's not legislative action, but lack of action, that defines Northfield's Capitol Review this week. Early in February, District 20B Rep. David Bly (DFL) authored a bill repealing an 11-year-old moratorium on the study of, planning for or development of the Dan Patch commuter rail line. Legislative discussion of the Dan Patch route, which could link Northfield and Minneapolis via commuter rail, was literally forbidden in 2002 by suburban representatives in Edina and other communities worried about the impact a possible rail line could have on suburban neighborhoods. While a companion bill authored by District 20 Sen. Kevin L. Dahle (DFL) has passed through committee and had a second reading on the Senate floor, Bly's legislation has …
Monday, March 18, 2013
Also, an Eagan legislator has backed a proposal that would allow municipalities to post public notices online, rather than paying to have them placed in local newspapers.
The Minnesota Legislature has too many politicians, according to District 58B Rep. Pat Garofalo (R). The legislator has authored a proposal that would cut the number of House representatives from 134 members to 50 members, and the number of Senators from 67 to 25. If passed, the law would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. Under the proposal, the state would be divided up into 25 senate districts and 50 House districts. The Mill Towns state trail may get an infusion of cash, if a proposal from District 20 Sen. Kevin L. Dahle (DFL) is signed into law. Late last month, the Northfield senator authored a bill, SF 747, that would appropriate $550,000 in bond proceeds for the construction of the state trail. The trail would link the existing Cannon…
AlPatch
12:51 am on Saturday, May 18, 2013
You argue that long term historically it's been difficult. Yet, you achieved marriage in a short term strategy. A well known politician told me the problem with government is you have to maintain your progress. I merely pointed out a solution that may be easier to maintain, but has more upfront work. California is still voting down the concept. You took an approach that may have legal challenges … more ›