Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Republican leaders in the legislature reached an agreement to invest $4 billion for education, public safety, and health care and an additional $4 billion for tax cuts.
The group worked together to reach the agreement as the term of the legislative session comes to an end.
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The state of Minnesota is launching a new program to distribute 500,000 at-home coronavirus tests to residents of the state.
The new initiative will replace a system that forces individuals to order a COVID-19 test from a lab and ship the test back for analysis and confirmation of the virus.
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The Minnesota Senate, joining the House of Representative, unanimously voted on Monday to audit the Southwest Light Rail project.
The legislation would allow a legislative auditor to investigate the project, which has suffered delays and costs that have exploded past the original budget.
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Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Dr. Scott Jensen on Tuesday announced former NFL player Matt Birk will run as Lieutenant Governor on his ticket.
Birk, who was born and raised in St. Paul, played multiple seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl six different times.
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An analysis from the Minnesota Management and Budget office detailed that the state’s budget surplus has increased to $9.253 billion.
The new number is an increase from a previous estimate published in December.
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Lisa Hanson, a small business owner who was jailed for violating COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Governor Tim Walz, will run for a Minnesota Senate seat.
She will campaign in a new district that covers Freeborn County and parts of Mower, Faribault, Waseca, and Steele counties.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will distribute approximately 2 million KN95 masks to residents of the state through schools and local health organizations.
The move follows an announcement from President Joe Biden that his administration will disperse 400 million masks across the country, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced certain types of masks are ineffective against preventing coronavirus transmission.
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Representative John Thompson has challenged the authenticity of the abuse allegations brought against him. Thompson has become the focal point in Minnesota news after it was discovered that he has never held a Minnesota driver’s license and that his Wisconsin license was suspended for failing to pay child support.
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Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order on Thursday, banning the use of conversion therapy in Minnesota. The Minnesota Family Council called the order an example of “executive overreach” and said it was an attack on the constitutional rights of Minnesotans.
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A three year old was shot in Minneapolis over the weekend. In video footage obtained from a security camera, dozens of shots were being fired in a Minneapolis neighborhood, ending in a three year old child being hit in the leg. Due to the volume of blood he was losing it was obvious that his injuries were very serious. In order to save the child’s life, Minneapolis police officers applied a tourniquet and drove him to the hospital themselves.
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The violence in Uptown has continued almost every night since early June, with limited police intervention. A video from Wednesday evening shows a driver doing donuts in the middle of the street as a passenger shoots a gun into the air. The shots were fired by the “peace garden,” the new name for the area protesters gather at where Winston Smith was killed.
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The commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Laura Bishop, resigned Tuesday and the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer-Labor Party called her resignation the result of a “temper tantrum.” Bishop resigned ahead of a vote that would have more than likely fired her. Bishop said in her resignation letter that, “For many, the agency can never go far enough in our protections, while at the same time, a segment of the Republican caucus will always believe the agency goes too far.”
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive action on Monday requiring law enforcement officers to release bodycam footage of deadly incidents involving police within five days of the incident. The Governor’s Office says that the new legislation will “increase transparency and accountability” in Minnesota public safety.
The executive action will also allot $15 million in violence prevention grants. The order says that, “The funding will fill critical gaps in Minnesota’s public safety response as the pandemic has had a disproportionate response on communities of color.”
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A poll conducted by the American Experiment shows that a majority of Minnesota residents don’t trust Governor Tim Walz to take care of crime. According to the findings of the Thinking Minnesota poll, 55% of Minnesotans do not approve of Governor Walz’s response to the riots that have been taking place in Minneapolis. This is almost opposite of the results of the June 2020 Thinking Minnesota poll, where 59% of Minnesotans approved of Governor Walz’s handling of the riots.
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Two competing Republican bills have been brought forward seeking to end Governor Tim Walz’s emergency powers and ensure that it will never happen again. One of the bills, HF28 was introduced to the Special Session on Monday and was authored by Representative Cal Bahr (R-MN-31B), along with Representative Jeremy Munson (R-MN-23B), Representative Eric Lucero (R-MN-30B), Representative Shane Mekeland (R-MN-15B), Representative Steve Drazkowski (R-MN-21B), Representative Mary Franson (R-MN-08B), Representative Sondra Erickson (R-MN-15A), and Representative Tim Miller (R-MN-17A).The other bill, HF2204, or the Unilateral Emergency Powers Repeal Act, was authored by Representative Erik Mortensen (R-MN-55B), and Representative Jeremy Munson (R-MN-23B), Representative Steve Drazkowski (R-MN-21B), Representative Tim Miller (R-MN-17A), and Representative John Poston (R-MN-09A). This bill was first brought forward in March, but according to Action 4 Liberty President Jake Duesenberg, it was later not supported in the legislature by some of the same lawmakers who signed it.
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Minnesotans held a “Never Again” protest in response to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s extension of his emergency powers for the 15th time. The Never Again protest was in support of Representative Erik Mortensen’s (R-MN-55A) HF 2204 bill that would limit the emergency powers of governors and outlines the citizens responsibility in a public health crisis. The protest was promoted by Representative Erik Mortensen and Action 4 Liberty.
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Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed John Hinderaker, President of the Center of the American Experiment to the show to discuss his mission of bringing awareness to the educational curriculum standards in Minnesota’s public schools.
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Republican Senate candidate Jason Lewis said he plans to file an appeal after a federal judge dismissed his lawsuit against the governor’s COVID-19 restrictions.
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Minnesota’s Secretary of State Steve Simon is sending letters telling those who haven’t requested an absentee ballot to vote from home. An estimated 2.3 million voters will receive the letter and an absentee ballot application.
The letter asserts that staying safe and keeping other citizens healthy “means voting from home.”
In an interview with The Star Tribune, Governor Tim Walz set the first standards for possibly lifting Minnesota’s emergency executive orders. His statement didn’t promise total relinquishment of his executive powers.
According to Walz, under 20 percent community spread and 4 percent test positivity rate would give Minnesota “a really good chance of doing most things.” The governor balked when questioned whether some of the restrictions were too harsh. Walz stated that his state has endured COVID-19 better than many states.
Governor Tim Walz extended Minnesota’s COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency for the sixth time after a heated, divided vote in the special legislative session.
Walz stated in a press release that the coronavirus is still a danger to Minnesotans.
A viral post from The Coffee Nest shared it was forced to close after the state threatened the local business with imprisonment, fines, and more. They have since deleted the post, citing an influx of private hate messages.
Most commenters expressed frustration over the negative impacts of Governor Walz’s executive orders.
Minneapolis business owners are left to foot demolition bills after the latest round of riots terrorized the city.
For most business owners, insurance only covers 8 to 25 percent of quoted demolition costs, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
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Minneapolis business owners are left to foot demolition bills after the latest round of riots terrorized the city.
For most business owners, insurance only covers 8 to 25 percent of quoted demolition costs, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved for Minnesotans to receive $300 in weekly unemployment benefits this fall. FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor issued the grant through the Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance program.
The approval comes one day after Governor Tim Walz announced his decision to apply for additional unemployment payments. Walz explained this was a necessary decision based on the continued COVID-19 mandates.
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The video of a Black homicide suspect’s death reignited riots in Minneapolis on Wednesday. His identity has not been disclosed.
Rumor spread quickly that a police officer who drew his weapon moments prior to the incident was really the one who shot the man, according to KTSP.
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Three churches are suing the governor and his constituents for executive orders that violate their religious liberties. Defendants in the case are Governor Tim Walz, State Attorney General Keith Ellison, and county attorneys Chad Larson, Tom Kelly, and Donald Ryan. The Thomas More Society filed on behalf of the churches.
The lawsuit cites Article I, Section 16 of Minnesota’s Constitution as state precedent protecting the right to worship: “the right of every man to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience shall never be infringed.” The lawsuit also cites Christian adherence to the Bible’s commandment for believers to worship together.
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Governor Walz lifted the restrictions on access to hydroxychloroquine, a drug that has been in use for decades to treat a wide variety of illnesses – including SARS-type infections – that some say may be an effective therapeutic for COVID-19. The removal of limitations on the drug were outlined in Walz’s latest executive order issued last week.
Walz did not give an explanation for the reversal of his order on the drug.
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Over the weekend, Democratic candidate John Thompson spoke at a Black Lives Matter protest by the home of police union leader Lt. Bob Kroll. Thompson recently won the Democratic primary for District 62A in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Multiple video coverages of Thompson’s seven-minute speech show him calling for violence against the “racists” of Hugo, Minnesota.
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Governor Tim Walz announced Thursday that Minnesota schools will have the majority of authority on if or how they open campuses, based on discretionary assessment of their district’s localized data.
According to Walz’s Emergency Executive Order 20-82 and the accompanying “Safe Learning Plan,” schools must watch the spread of COVID-19 in their communities to determine the learning model that will suit their needs. These models are also subject to change throughout the school year, a protocol that Walz refers to as “dialing back [or] forward” in his executive order.
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This week, educators and parents wait with bated breath on Governor Tim Walz’s upcoming decision on a safe return to schools.
On the Facebook page, “Minnesota for a Safe Return to Campus”, the greatest concerns were mainly posted by educators. Death, unrealistic demands, a future lack of interest in teaching as a profession, and the inability to be with elderly loved ones were all consistent issues listed throughout the page.
The Minnesota legislature kicked off its second special session Monday, and Gov. Tim Walz signed Executive Order 20-78, extending the COVID-19 peacetime emergency through Aug. 12.
Walz first declared a peacetime emergency on March 13.
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Gov. Tim Walz said he plans to extend his COVID-19 peacetime emergency declaration for another 30 days when lawmakers return to St. Paul Monday for a special session.
The governor announced Friday night that he has convened a special legislative session for July 13, the same day his peacetime emergency declaration is set to expire. According to Minnesota law, the governor must convene both houses of the Legislature if he wishes to extend a peacetime emergency when the Legislature is not in session.
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President Donald Trump has rejected Gov. Tim Walz’s request for federal financial assistance to help rebuild portions of the Twin Cities that were destroyed by rioting.
Nearly 1,500 Twin Cities businesses were vandalized, burned, or looted during the late May riots, with current estimates of the damage exceeding $500 million.
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Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan called on Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to resign for their “failed” leadership during last week’s riots.
“Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey have been largely silent, other than a handful of unhelpful tweets and press conferences blaming everyone but themselves. Minneapolis is decimated. Minneapolis is damaged to a level we never could have imagined. The destruction caused this past week will unfortunately live in our memories forever. It’s a dark stain on our state,” Carnahan said in a statement released over the weekend.
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Minnesota business leaders have said they were blindsided by Gov. Tim Walz’s announcement that bars and restaurants will be allowed to resume only outdoor dining on June 1.
Under new guidelines announced Wednesday, bars and restaurants can reopen for outdoor dining on June 1 and must limit seating to no more than 50 people. Salons, barbershops, and other personal care services can reopen June 1, but must limit capacity to 25 percent of the building’s maximum occupancy. Like bars and restaurants, appointments are required and no walk-ins are allowed.
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The Senate Republican Caucus expressed concern over the governor’s “alarming” interpretation of executive authority in a letter sent this week to Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
“Your interpretation of the scope of the Governor’s authority under Minnesota Statutes, section 12.45, is incorrect and inconsistent with legislative intent and with a more measured reading of the law. Most importantly, it is an infringement on the Legislature’s fundamental and exclusive authority to define and prescribe the punishment for a crime,” states the letter.
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The leader of the Minnesota House Republicans said Saturday that his caucus will block a bonding bill from being passed while the governor’s emergency powers remain in effect.
Republicans have made three unsuccessful attempts to end Gov. Tim Walz’s peacetime emergency declared in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency declaration expires May 13 but can be extended for an additional 30 days. Walz has already extended the peacetime emergency once.
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President Donald Trump said on Twitter Monday morning that he received a “very nice call” from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Thursday that he has joined a seven-state compact that will work in “close coordination” on plans to “reopen the economy in the Midwest region.”
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has rejected requests from Republican lawmakers to suspend a “communist” hotline that allows residents to report violations of the governor’s stay-at-home order.
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Gov. Tim Walz has issued a statewide shelter-in-place order for Minnesota to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The order took effect Friday at midnight and will remain in effect until 5:00 p.m. on April 10. As opposed to a complete lockdown, a shelter-in-place order still allows for many everyday activities and permits numerous industries to continuing working.
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Minnesota has seen 182,000 workers apply for unemployment insurance since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove said Thursday.
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Gov. Tim Walz sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week expressing his opposition to “any agreement resulting in the deportation of Hmong and Lao Minnesotans.”
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Three more Minnesota counties declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries during their Tuesday night board meetings.
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Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner Jodi Harpstead presented her “90-day report” to state lawmakers Monday morning, but the two-hour hearing before the House Health and Human Services Committee may have produced more questions than answers.
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State Sen. Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson) published an open letter Saturday calling on Gov. Tim Walz to take action to address mismanagement in Minnesota’s Department of Human Services.
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Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that JUUL’s marketing strategy as a “safe alternative” to cigarettes “couldn’t be further from the truth” during a listening session on vaping at Hopkins High School.
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Minnesota Republicans are renewing their calls to privatize public television stations after new reports revealed that Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) deleted embarrassing footage of First Lady Gwen Walz at the request of the governor’s office.
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Two Minnesota Republicans sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz Tuesday requesting an “independent audit of DHS spending” following revelations that the department owes the federal government up to $73 million.
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