Hank Long

5 days ago | alphanews.org | Hank Long

Gov. Tim Walz spoke to Democratic activists in South Carolina Saturday morning as they gathered for their annual convention in a state that’s well known as one of the early primaries during presidential election cycles. Later that day, the Minnesota Democratic governor was repeating many of his same talking points as he spoke to a partisan audience in southern California.

1 week ago | alphanews.org | Hank Long

As the start of a Minnesota legislator’s felony burglary trial nears, her attorneys are asking a judge to dismiss one of the latest charges, accusing the county attorney’s office of “prosecutorial vindictiveness.”That motion comes as a June 16 trial date is set for Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, in Becker County. The first-term lawmaker faces two felony counts related to an April 2024 incident at the home of her stepmother in Detroit Lakes.

1 week ago | alphanews.org | Hank Long

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, yet legislators at the Minnesota Capitol still have plenty of work to do to reach final agreements with a handful of outstanding budget bills. Despite the circumstances and uncertainties, state leaders have expressed calm confidence that they can finalize a budget agreement and codify it in a special session in the coming days.

1 week ago | alphanews.org | Hank Long

With a number of budget bills and contentious policy issues yet to be resolved by DFL and Republican lawmakers at the Minnesota Capitol, one GOP legislator is sounding the alarm about another unfinished piece of business they hope to tackle in a special session. Every odd-numbered year, the Minnesota Legislature must elect four members of the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents. Each regent serves for a six-year term on the 12-member governing body.

2 weeks ago | alphanews.org | Hank Long

The constitutional deadline for adjourning this year’s legislative session came and went on May 19 without a completed state budget. Now, Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders will need a special session to finalize what’s expected to be a $67 billion state budget. The agreement on that budget, which was reached last week by state leaders, outlines how much the state will spend over two years and contains major policy provisions.